The FT Sustainable Banking Awards, the leading global awards for socially and environmentally responsible banking and investment, have marked their fifth year by generating 156 entries from 110 institutions in 44 countries.

The large number of entries shows the extent to which financial institutions in developed and emerging markets are incorporating environmental, social, and corporate governance issues into their decision-making, amid the impact of the global financial crisis, the challenge of climate change, and the pressures of poverty.

The awards created by the Financial Times and IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, have grown in popularity since their launch in 2006, when 98 entries were submitted by 48 banks in 28 countries.

Entries this year were received in five categories: Sustainable Bank of the Year, Emerging Markets Sustainable Bank of the Year, Achievement in Basic Needs Financing, Banking at the Bottom of the Pyramid, and Sustainable Investor of the Year.

The judging panel that will meet next month to select the shortlists of award nominees consists of:

  • Martin Dickson, Deputy Editor, Financial Times (co-chair)
  • Rachel Kyte, Vice President, Business Advisory Services, IFC (co-chair)
  • Isher Judge Ahluwalia, Chairperson, Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations
  • David Harris, Head, Responsible Investment, FTSE Group
  • Mary Ellen Iskenderian, President and CEO, Women’s World Banking
  • Richard Laing, Chief Executive, CDC Group Ltd.
  • Herman Mulder, international sustainable development advisor

The winners will be announced and the awards presented on June 3, 2010 at a gala dinner at the Renaissance Chancery Court Hotel in London.

The dinner will conclude the 2010 FT Sustainable Banking Conference, the major annual summit on sustainable banking and finance that will gather some of the world’s most renowned visionaries, strategists, and financial decision-makers.

“We are delighted to see such a response to the 2010 awards, particularly from an industry still in transition after the worst crisis in decades,” said Martin Dickson, FT Deputy Editor and Co-Chair of the awards judging panel. “As the financial sector begins to recover, the focus will be on the quality of that recovery, with an increasing emphasis on the role institutions can play in providing long-term solutions to the world’s most pressing issues.“

”The entries this year positively reflect how financial institutions are reassessing their roles as corporate citizens,” said IFC Executive Vice President and CEO Lars Thunell. “Their high quality reflects the increased focus financial institutions are placing on environmental and social issues. We are particularly happy by the response we received from financial institutions in emerging markets, showing that development and financial success go hand-in-hand.”

Leading consultancy Sustainable Finance Ltd. is technical advisor for the programme.

The list of participating institutions for the 2010 FT Sustainable Banking Awards is in the attached Appendix. For more information, including registration for the Sustainable Banking Conference and Awards dinner, please go to www.ftconferences.com/sustainablebanking.

For further information, please contact:

Harriet Mallinson, Financial Times, +44 (0) 20 7873 3882 or harriet.mallinson@ft.com
Azmar Sukandar, Financial Times, +852 2905 5519 or azmar.sukandar@ft.com

About the Financial Times

The Financial Times, one of the world’s leading business news organisations, is recognised internationally for its authority, integrity, and accuracy. Providing extensive news, comment, and analysis, the newspaper is printed at 25 print sites across the globe, has a daily circulation of 390,203 (ABC figures February 2010), and a readership of 1.3 million people worldwide. FT.com is the definitive home for business intelligence on the Web, providing an essential source of news, comment, data, and analysis for the global business community. FT.com attracts 11.4 million unique users, generating 83.2 million page views (ABCe figures, March 2009) and now has over 1.8 million registered users.

About IFC

IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, creates opportunity for people to escape poverty and improve their lives. We foster sustainable economic growth in developing countries by supporting private sector development, mobilizing private capital, and providing advisory and risk mitigation services to businesses and governments. Our new investments totaled $14.5 billion in fiscal 2009, helping channel capital into developing countries during the financial crisis. For more information, visit www.ifc.org.

APPENDIX

Entries to the 2010 FT Sustainable Banking Awards were received from the following 110 institutions:

Aavishkaar Venture Management, India

ACBA Leasing, Armenia

Access Bank, Nigeria

Acumen Fund, US

Alalay Sa Kaunlaran (ASKI), Philippines

Alsis Funds, US

Ameriabank, Armenia

ANZ Bank, Australia

Bamboo Finance, Swtizerland

Banco Azteca, Mexico

Banco BHD, Dominican Republic

Banco Bradesco, Brazil

Banco de Bogota, Colombia

Banco de Galicia y Buenos Aires, Argentina

Banco do Brasil

Banco do Nordeste do Brasil

Banco Espirito Santo, Portugal

Banco Santander, Spain

Banco Santander Brasil

Bank of Kathmandu, Nepal

Bank of Nanjing, China

Bank of the Philippine Islands

Bank Sarasin, Switzerland

Banque Misr, Egypt

BBVA Bancomer, Mexico

BBVA Group, Spain

BMCE Bank, Morocco

BRAC Bank, Bangladesh

Calvert Foundation, US

Center for Agriculture and Rural Development Mutually Reinforcing Institutions, Philippines

China Merchants Bank

Citi Banamex, Mexico

Compartamos, Mexico

Co-operative Financial Services, UK

Credit Agricole, France

Daegu Bank, South Korea

Deutsche Bank, Germany

Developing World Markets, US

Diamond Bank, Nigeria

Eastern Bank, Bangladesh

Ecclesiastical Investment Management, UK

Ecobank Transnational, Ghana

EcoEnterprises Fund/The Nature Conservancy, US

EIRIS – Sustainable Investment Research Organisation, UK

Equity Bank, Kenya

Exim Bank, Tanzania

F&C Asset Management, UK

Federation Nationale des Caisses D’Epargne, France

Fideicomisos Instituidos en Relacion con la Agricultura (FIRA), Mexico

Financial Information Network and Operations, India

Financiera Educativa de Mexico

FINCA International, US

First MicroFinanceBank, Afghanistan

First MicroFinanceBank, Pakistan

Five Talents, UK

Fund For Sustainable Development, Russia

Global Environment Fund, US

GLS Bank, Germany

Goodwell Investments, Netherlands

Guaranty Trust Bank, Nigeria

Habib Bank, Pakistan

Hatton National Bank, Sri Lanka

HSBC, UK

IFMR Capital, India

Industrial Bank, China

Industrial Development Bank of Turkey (TSKB)

Inecobank CJSC, Armenia

Itau Unibanco, Brazil

JP Morgan Chase, US

KBC Asset Management, Ireland

Mahindra & Mahindra Financial Service, India

MAP International, US

MDM Bank, Russia

Mibanco, Peru

Microcredit Enterprises, US

MicroEnsure, UK

MicroLoan Foundation, UK

Minlam Asset Management, US

Morgan Stanley, US

National Australia Bank

National Bank of Egypt

Nature Elements Capital, China

Nedbank Group, South Africa

One Acre Fund, Kenya

Partner Microcredit Foundation, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Pictet Asset Management, Switzerland

Piraeus Bank, Greece

Platinum Bank, Ukraine

Raiffeisen Bank Albania

Raiffeisenbank (Bulgaria)

Robeco, Netherlands

Royal Bank of Scotland, UK

Russian Agricultural Bank

RZB Group, Austria

Scotiabank Peru

Sinapi Aba Trust, Ghana

Small Industries Development Bank of India

Spandana Sphoorty Financial, India

Standard Bank, South Africa

Standard Chartered Bank, UAE

Suvidhaa Infoserve, India

Turk Ekonomi Bankasi, Turkey

Ventureast Fund Advisors, India

Ventureast Micro-Equity Managers, India

Wells Fargo, US

WestLB, Germany

XacBank, Mongolia

Yellow Pepper, US

YES Bank, India

Zambia National Commercial Bank

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