Manama, May 22 (BNA): The National Bank of Bahrain was ranked first in the Middle East and North Africa region for its environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance by Refinitiv ESG Scoring. The bank’s leading score of 89 places it in the top 2% of global banking companies rated by Refinitiv. The achievement reflects NBB’s commitment to sustainability and responsible banking, with a continuous focus on community participation and innovation, which reinforces its position as a leader in the banking industry.
The coveted rating underscores NBB’s resilient efforts to implement key sustainability initiatives across its business operations, including financing renewable energy projects, developing a comprehensive environmental conservation plan to reduce energy and water use, and rolling out sustainable financing products. The Bank’s wide-ranging suite of ESG initiatives has enabled the Bank to reduce its carbon footprint, as well as adopt renewable energy sources and sustainable business practices.
Commenting on this achievement, Osman Ahmed, Group Chief Executive Officer of NBB, said: “We are honored to be recognized as the best bank in the MENA region by Refinitiv ESG Scoring. This reflects our commitment to embedding sustainable practices at NBB. It reinforces our vision that We will be the most sustainable organization in the region. We will continue to invest in sustainable initiatives and innovative solutions that create long-term value for our stakeholders.”
For his part, Salman Radhi, Director of Technical Support for Information Security and Sustainability Officer at the National Bank of Bahrain, said: “We are proud to have achieved the first place in ESG performance in the Middle East and North Africa region, and this is evidence of our advanced sustainability framework and our continuous milestones in the banking sector. We have been keen to continue to support the economic, social and environmental well-being of the community in which we operate by integrating a range of initiatives to reduce our environmental impact, promote social responsibility, and ensure good governance.”
The Refinitiv ESG Ratings assess companies’ transparency and performance on a range of ESG metrics across 10 topics including environmental impact, workforce diversity, and risk management. The rankings provide unique insight into companies’ responsible business practices and sustainability impacts. More than 9,500 companies globally have been rated and ranked according to Refinitiv’s ESG columns.
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