Access Bank Wins 2019 Karlsruhe Award 4th Consecutive Time

By Adedapo Adesanya

Access Bank Plc has emerged winner of the 2019 Karlsruhe Sustainable Finance Awards for the Outstanding Business Sustainability Achievement category.

The award came in recognition of the bank’s commitment towards embedding social, environmental and economic sustainability into its core business strategy, which helps to address issues across its business operations and value chain.

The bank is taking home for the fourth consecutive time and it was presented to its GMD/CEO, Mr Herbert Wigwe, at a ceremony held at the City Hall, Karlsruhe, Germany with top brand managers, executives, CEOs of leading global financial institutions, top German government officials, policy makers, regulators and key sustainability stakeholders in attendance.

Global Sustainable Finance Awards celebrates financial institutions, related organisations and top executives making significant contributions to the field of sustainable banking and finance, while also aiming to promote the growth of sustainable financial instruments and markets globally, particularly with a focus on green finance and investments; financial inclusion and social finance; green equity and venture capital, including the holistic integration of sustainability among financial institutions.

Receiving the award at the event, Mr Wigwe explained that the global finance sector plays a major role in the economy, as they provide huge amounts of capital and have the ability to influence other companies and customers across sectors through their products and services.

He said, “Many banks are now placing a great deal of emphasis on driving sustainability as well as digitizing core business processes and reassessing organizational structures to be better prepared for the future of banking. This transformation illustrates the increasing desire to become a sustainable and digital bank.”

“Access Bank has a corporate strategy and philosophy which places sustainability at its core. Together with our commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, Access Bank recently launched a five-year tenured, fixed rate green bond worth N15 billion which is the 1st Climate Bonds Initiative Certified corporate green bond in Africa,” he added.