The plight of the unbanked in the US’s poorest regions is a modern-day scandal in the world’s richest nation. Southern Bancorp is one bank seeking to address the problem. Euromoney goes to the heart of the battle to beat financial exclusion in rural America.

Three transport groups push into financial services; financial inclusion intended as a profitable mainstay.

Euromoney research shows disparity among regions in capturing the female wallet; hiring seems to be the quick solution.

Big Society Capital hits £600 million; Portugal, Japan, Israel adopt model.

…and how wealth management can have a brighter future.

As chief executive of Westpac, Gail Kelly was a trailblazer for women in finance. She learned the hard way about the battle for equal pay. Now she is trying to use her experience to encourage others.

CEO has broader ambitions as firm turns 10; impact investing still modest in Asia but growing.

Credit Suisse leads banks with coalition for investments; forest resilience bond slated for next year.

India receives global attention for its digital innovation as a tool of financial inclusion, but it couldn’t get off the ground without a unique non-profit institution charged with creating the infrastructure.

Marisa Drew has gone from being one of Credit Suisse’s most senior investment bankers to overseeing the Swiss group’s new global impact finance and advisory division, reporting directly to group chief executive Tidjane Thiam. Clients are curious. Should competitors take note?

The 2017 US proxy voting season was historic: the world’s two largest asset managers backed shareholder resolutions on climate-risk disclosure. BlackRock and Vanguard, with $10 trillion in AuM between them, are becoming more transparent about their voting. They will play a crucial role in the future of ESG.

India’s biggest fintech has doubled its user base in a year and is on track to have 500 million customers by 2020. It is backed by Ant Financial and Softbank and spurred by state policy on financial inclusion. How far can Paytm go?

Societe Generale has accelerated its transition and is using important mandates to convince its internal and external audiences alike.

The bank’s chief executive has led from the front to create an institution that is more diverse and better reflects the society in which it works.

The bank’s 10-year ScotiaRise programme has gone from strength to strength, reaching out to indigenous communities and aligning with its truth and reconciliation committee’s work.

The bank is leveraging all its resources to reach six million individuals by 2025. It is well on its way.

With a chief executive pushing sustainable finance from the very top, HSBC is leading from the front in the global banking industry’s response to the climate emergency.

It is not enough to have the data, banks also need to bring intelligence and financial analysis to bear in sustainable finance to keep progressing.