The bank has donated £12.7 million to WWF-UK's freshwater programme to resuscitate three of the world's major rivers and develop a UK model for freshwater management.(1) Since the money was donated in 2002 WWF committed funds towards projects such as the Wye and Usk River Foundation.

Part of the foundation's work is to revive the number of the Native Crayfish in the rivers Wye and Usk. This species has faced a serious decline in its population - just two per cent of the numbers found in 1970 – due to the foreign American Crayfish, which is more powerful and carries a skin disease which jeopardises the native species. The trainees enjoyed themselves knee-deep and elbow-deep in the river, removing and recording the number of American Crayfish in order to give the native Cray fish a better chance of survival.

Sue Farthing, Regional Manager for HSBC in the Community, said; "HSBC through WWF is very pleased to support environmental projects such as these. It has been a fantastic opportunity to highlight to the trainee managers how a global company can contribute locally to protecting local species and their habitats. It also gives them a better understanding of the bank's work in the community."

Morgan Parry, Head of WWF Cymru, added to this; "We are delighted that a large organisation, such as HSBC, support our work and the work of the foundation. Many people don't know about the numerous and diverse life forms which exist and depend on our freshwater environment, so it is imperative that projects such as these continue to be supported and preserved."

The Wye Foundation was formed in 1995 as a response to declining fish numbers in the River Wye. In 2002, following a successful collaboration with the United Usk Fishermen's Association to buy off the nets that were affecting both rivers, it became the Wye and Usk Foundation. Today the Wye and Usk Foundation continues to work to protect and improve the environment of the two rivers.