BEVERLY HILLS, July 18, (THEWILL) – At the 2017 Karlsruhe Sustainable Finance Awards in Germany, Access Bank Plc, in a rare repeat performance, clinched the “Outstanding Business Sustainability Achievement Award 2017”. This is coming barely a week after Nigeria’s foremost rating agency, Agusto & Co upgraded the Bank’s rating from A+ to AA-
The latest award was presented to Group Managing Director/CEO of Access Bank, Herbert Wigwe, in Karlsruhe, Germany’s most sustainable city a year after Access Bank made history as the first African bank to receive the prestigious accolade.
The award conveners presented the prize in recognition of Access Bank’s outstanding success in incorporating economic, social and environmental aspects into its corporate strategy and business processes.
This award also brings global recognition to the Bank’s impressive success in holistically embedding sustainability across all aspects of operations within the financial institution.
The award ceremony which held last week, was attended by CEOs of leading international financial institutions, senior executives of other winning institutions and top German government officials.
Speaking at the presentation ceremony, Wigwe said the award validates the Bank’s continuous efforts and commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals.
“Since we were here last year to receive the 2016 “Outstanding Business Sustainability Achievement Award,” Access Bank has continued to champion responsible investing, innovative health initiatives, environmental protection and financial inclusion. We are doing this profitably.
So, we continue to encourage other institutions to embrace the same principles and practices,” Wigwe said.
“At Access Bank, we believe our operations, loan and project finance must have the barest environmental footprint. Indeed, we believe the net impact of our activities must be positive on the environment. As such, we are champions of climate change mitigation and adaptation,” he added.
The CEO assured that the Bank will be further motivated and maintain profitable growth while embracing sustainability.
The conveners said the 2017 awards focused on honouring organizations that have made outstanding contributions in the field of sustainable finance, stimulated the interests of financial institutions and other stakeholders in integrating sustainability in their core business strategy.
It also recognises candidates who promote growth of sustainable financial instruments and markets worldwide particularly in the fields of green finance and investments, financial inclusion and social finance, green equity and holistic integration of sustainability in the financial services institutions.
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