Now in their third year, the awards recognise banks and other financial institutions that have shown leadership and innovation in integrating social, environmental and corporate governance considerations into their operations.The programme has grown in popularity and this year’s winners were selected from a record 182 entries from 129 institutions across 54 countries. Two new categories – Banking at the Bottom of the Pyramid and Sustainable Investor of the Year – were open to non-banking financial institutions as well as banks.
The awards were presented at a gala dinner at the Dorchester in London attended by senior bankers and decision-makers in the area of sustainability. Boris Johnson, the newly elected Mayor of London, was keynote speaker at the dinner. The event followed a one-day Sustainable Banking Conference organised by the Financial Times and IFC.
The 2008 winners and runners-up in each category are:
Sustainable Bank of the Year
. Winner: Banco Real, Brazil
. Runner-up: Rabobank, Netherlands
Sustainable Emerging Markets Bank of the Year
. Winner: Banco Real, Brazil
. Regional winner Africa/Middle East: Nedbank, South Africa
. Regional winner Asia: YES Bank, India
. Regional winner Eastern Europe: Industrial Development Bank of Turkey (TSKB)
. Regional winner Latin America: Banco Real, Brazil
Sustainable Deal of the Year
. Winner: BlueOrchard Finance, Switzerland/Morgan Stanley, US
. Runner-up: Glitnir Bank, Iceland
Banking at the Bottom of the Pyramid
. Winner: ASA, Bangladesh
. Runner-up: Wizzit, South Africa
Sustainable Investor of the Year
. Winner: E+Co, US
. Runner-up: SAM Sustainable Asset Management, Switzerland