Access Bank wins global sustainable finance award

17 Jul 2016
Financial Nigeria

Summary

Herbert Wigwe, CEO of Access Bank, said the bank’s strategic goal of becoming 'The World’s Most Respected African Bank' hinges on its advancement of the three P’s: People, Planet and Profit, and leading in sustainable finance best practices.

From Left: Roosevelt Ogbonna, Executive Director, Commercial Banking, Access Bank; Omobolanle Victor-Laniyan, Head of Sustainability, Access Bank; Herbert Wigwe, Group MD/CEO, Access Bank; Representative of the Lord Mayor of Karlsruhe, Frank Mentrup; Chargé d´affaires of the Embassy of Nigeria in Berlin, Kenneth O. Okeh

Access Bank Plc has won the Karlsruhe Sustainable Finance Awards 2016 for “Outstanding Business Sustainability Achievement.” The Awards ceremony held on Thursday, July 14th in the city of Karlsruhe, Germany.
 
Access Bank, a Nigerian commercial bank, is the first African bank to win the prestigious annual awards, which this year drew entries and participants from 35 countries. Karlsruhe was recently adjudged Germany’s “Most Sustainable City” by the national government.

Access Bank’s CEO, Herbert Wigwe received the award on behalf of the bank, noting that the award is a validation of the commitment and leadership of the bank in promoting sustainability in the Nigerian and African banking industries and economies.

The annual Karlsruhe Sustainable Finance Awards is part of the programme of the annual Global Sustainable Finance Conference (GSFC), organised by the European Organisation for Sustainable Development. Financial Nigeria International Limited, publishers of Financial Nigeria magazine and the website www.financialnigeria.com – the two Nigerian niche publications for Development and finance – was the Lead Organising Partner for the 2016 conference.

Now in its sixth year, the conference and awards draw speakers and participants from around the world to share ideas, network together, and recognise organisations who are making foremost impacts in promoting sustainable finance.

In his acceptance speech, Herbert Wigwe said: “Access Bank cares deeply about the triple bottom-line.” He said Access Bank’s strategic goal of becoming 'The World’s Most Respected African Bank' hinges on its advancement of the three P’s: People, Planet and Profit, and leading in sustainable finance best practices.

The bank was specifically lauded for its leading role in promoting sustainability in Nigeria, including the adoption in 2012 of the Nigeria Sustainable Banking Principles (NSBP) for Nigerian banks, discount houses and development finance institutions. The NSBP is now the regulatory instrument of Central Bank of Nigeria for responsible banking in the country.

Mr. Wigwe further said: “I believe winning this Award will further motivate us. We will continue to challenge ourselves as leaders and as an institution to continue to exact positive influence on our industry and the economy. We are well recognised as the leader in financial access and empowerment of women, as well as in interventions in health, education and humanitarian assistance.”

The Chargé d´affaires of the Embassy of Nigeria in Berlin, Kenneth O. Okeh, was present at the awards ceremony and spoke of the significance of Access Bank’s dedication to sustainable finance. He said: “This award is not only for Access Bank and Nigeria; it is also for Africa as a whole.”

The other winners of the Karlsruhe Sustainable Finance Awards 2016 are Yes Bank of India and Agrobank of Malaysia.

During her presentation to the GSFC 2016, Omobalanle Victor-Laniyan, Head of Sustainability at Access Bank, highlighted the embedding of sustainability principles in the bank’s corporate strategy. She provided case studies of how the bank, through its financing and Corporate Social Responsibility projects, is contributing to sustainable economies, societies and the environment across its countries of operation, as well as the contributions of the bank to the global institutions advancing sustainability.

Access Bank is a tier 1 commercial bank in Nigeria, with subsidiaries in six African countries – DR Congo, Ghana, Gambia, Sierra Leone, Rwanda and Zambia – the United Kingdom, and correspondence offices in China and United Arab Emirates.


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