Where Finance Drives Climate Impact
From Age of Adoption by Keith Zakheim
February 17, 2026 · 26 min · Episode 92
About this episode
Marissa Brydle discusses KeyBank's role in sustainable finance and the challenges of maintaining climate commitments in a traditional banking environment.
Can a tethered drone flying 400 feet in the air really replace traditional wind turbines? Marissa Brydle, Sustainability Director at KeyBank, did not study sustainability in school. After 13 years at sustainability consultancy Brown Flynn and a stint at steel producer Cleveland Cliffs, she landed at one of America's oldest banks. KeyBank remains the #2 renewables financier and #2 affordable housing financier in the U.S., deploying $20 billion toward their $38 billion sustainable finance goal. "It doesn't make good business sense to not do these things," Marissa explains. How does a 200-year-old institution navigate political headwinds while maintaining unwavering climate commitments? And what's next for engaging 17,000 employees across 15 states?
People in this episode
Host: Keith Zakheim
Guest: Marissa Brydle
Topics covered
- sustainability
- finance
- renewable energy
- climate impact
- business strategy
Keywords
- sustainability
- KeyBank
- renewable finance
- climate commitments
- business strategy
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: KeyBank, Brown Flynn, Cleveland Cliffs
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