WIREDGOV

To celebrate the 20th anniversary of MBNA’s partnership with WWF, which has generated contributions of over £13 million for the benefit of nature, a new ‘first to market’ renewable credit card featuring the endangered snow leopard has been launched.

The new credit card is the only contactless card in the UK made from renewable plastic. This will be a welcome development for WWF supporters and further strengthens the successful WWF relationship with MBNA. 

WWF has offered the MBNA credit card since 1995, with millions of pounds of contributions made over the last two decades benefiting projects such as the WWF project to double the number of tigers in the wild by 2022, and the charity’s fight against rhino poaching. 

The card’s image was chosen by WWF supporters, who were invited to vote on their favourite image from key wildlife initiatives that benefit from MBNA contributions, and the snow leopard was the clear winner. WWF aims to protect snow leopards in 20 different landscapes by 2020, and the charity’s MBNA cardholders will help raise important funds by generating MBNA contributions to help make this happen.

“What a fantastic way to celebrate the very special 20-year relationship between MBNA and WWF,” said James Poole, Strategy & Innovation director for MBNA. “This is one of our longest-standing affinity card relationships – and during that time, cardholders have helped to generate £13 million in MBNA contributions for its tremendous work for nature around the world. 

“This shows what can be done through relationships like this, and through the passion of every WWF supporter who holds one of these cards.”

Nicky Day, director of Corporate Partnerships at WWF-UK, said: "Our 20th anniversary is a great opportunity to look back at what we’ve achieved through the MBNA relationship, and to look forward to the future. 

“The WWF Credit Card raises significant funds each year, enabling us to carry out vital conservation work around the world. We simply couldn’t do what we do without such strong relationships as this one with MBNA.”

“We take great pride in being one of the UK’s leading co-branded credit card providers, with tens of thousands of charity credit cards in the UK market, and providing an important source of revenue for our charity groups,” added Poole.

The new WWF credit card from MBNA is available for consumers to apply for now at wwf.org.uk/mbna.

For further information, contact:

Rebecca Pain, Business Media Relations Manager

WWF-UK
Tel: 01483 412303
Email: rpain@wwf.org.uk

Mark Elliott, Corporate Affairs

MBNA
Tel: 01244 574136
Email: mark.elliott@mbna.com 

About WWF

WWF is one of the world’s largest independent conservation organisations, with more than five million supporters and a global network active in more than one hundred countries. Through our engagement with the public, businesses and government, we focus on safeguarding the natural world, creating solutions to the most serious environmental issues facing our planet, so that people and nature thrive. Find out more about our work, past and present at wwf.org.uk.

About MBNA Limited

MBNA Limited is a wholly owned subsidiary of Bank of America Corporation (NYSE: BAC). It is one of the UK’s leading credit card providers and was voted Credit Card Provider of the Year for the second year running in the Consumer Moneyfacts Awards 2015. MBNA provides a range of own-brand and affinity credit cards including some of the best known names in the UK such as Virgin Atlantic, Manchester United Football Club, WWF and the AA. MBNA is committed to implementing new innovations to make life easier for our customers.

* MBNA named Charity Credit Card Provider of the Year in the Moneynet Personal Finance Awards 2014 (http://www.moneynet.co.uk/awards-2014).

About snow leopards

Snow leopards are found in China, Nepal and the Himalayan areas of northern India.

Snow leopards are endangered, with around 4,000-6,500 snow leopards living in the wild. Snow leopard numbers have declined by at least 20 percent over the past 20 years. The major threats to snow leopards are loss of prey, poaching and illegal trade, and conflict with local people. Find out more about WWF’s work to protect snow leopards at wwf.org.uk/wildlife/snow_leopard.