CSO Insights: How sustainability at big bank UBS evolved after mega-merger

Three years ago, one of the world's largest banks, Switzerland-based UBS, completed the acquisition of another major global bank, Credit Suisse.  

In today's episode of the All Things Sustainable podcast, we're talking to UBS Chief Sustainability Officer and Group Historian Christian Leitz. He tells us how the combined bank is embedding sustainability into its operations, culture and strategy. Christian also explains how he brings his background as a historian to the CSO role — ensuring that clients, shareholders and employees understand the long-term context for current geopolitical volatility.

"I don't want to distract from the fact that there is this noise, but I also want to do a bit of a reality check," Christian says. "There are enormously positive movements that we've seen" when it comes to the transition to a low-carbon economy. 

Christian also shares his takeaways from the inaugural Climate Week Zurich in May 2026, and what to expect at London Climate Action Week, which kicks off June 20 and includes a focus on climate adaptation alongside continued mitigation. 

"We need to do both, and we need to do both well," Christian says. 

This interview is the latest installment in our CSO Insights podcast series, where we talk to Chief Sustainability Officers around the world and across industries. Listen to all the episodes here: CSO Insights by All Things Sustainable - YouTube  

Further reading: S&P Global's Top 10 Sustainability Trends to Watch in 2026 | S&P Global 

Learn about the Building Bridges 2026 event: Building Bridges : Aligning Finance with Sustainability - Home 

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