Trust Bank unveils annual sustainability report

Trust Bank PLC has unveiled its first-ever annual sustainability report for 2024, marking a milestone in the bank's commitment to sustainable banking and environmental, social and governance (ESG) practices.

The report was unveiled recently by Chowdhury Liakat Ali, director of the Sustainable Finance Department (SFD) of Bangladesh Bank, and Ahsan Zaman Chowdhury, managing director and chief executive officer of Trust Bank PLC, in the presence of senior executives and officials of the bank, according to a press release.

Among others, Akhlasur Rahman Bhuiyan, deputy managing director and chief risk officer, Md Kamal Hossain Sarker, deputy managing director and head of IBD, and ABM Mizanur Rahman, senior executive vice-president and head of the Credit Risk Management Division and Sustainable Finance Unit, were present at the programme.

Officials from the central bank also attended, including Kamrul Hasan, joint director, Md Abu Rayhan, joint director, and Md Abu Nayeem, assistant director of the SFD, Bangladesh Bank.

Prepared with a focus on ESG performance and strategic priorities, the report aligns with the IFRS S1 and S2 standards, as well as the recommendations of the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures.

It aims to enhance awareness and capacity among the bank's executives and officials on sustainable banking practices and to support the bank's long-term strategic objectives.

In his keynote address, Chowdhury Liakat Ali elaborated on the current landscape of sustainable finance, green finance, refinancing, and environmental and social risk management.

He highlighted the growing importance of the sector and commended Trust Bank for publishing its first annual sustainability report.

Presiding over the programme, Ahsan Zaman Chowdhury said Trust Bank had been ranked among the country's top sustainable banks for two consecutive years, in 2022 and 2023, and had been operating in line with Bangladesh Bank guidelines with due emphasis on ESG considerations.

He added that the publication of the first annual sustainability report for 2024 reflected the bank's responsible approach towards the triple bottom line of people, planet and profit, and demonstrated its commitment to a sustainable future.