QIB contributes to Qatar's sustainable transformation

Qatar Islamic Bank (QIB), the country's leading Shariah-principled lender, is making significant strides towards a sustainable future.In its pursuit towards embedding sustainability in its daily operations, the bank has provided extensive training on sustainability practices to all its employees and the board of directors, creating awareness and positioning them as key contributors in its ongoing sustainable transformation.This proactive commitment underscores QIB's leadership, not only in Islamic and digital banking but also in fostering sustainability within the financial landscape."Sustainability is now a key pillar of the strategic oversight of our Board. We firmly believe that integrating sustainability into our operations not only fosters an enhanced understanding of the challenges and opportunities that the future may present but could also yield a business advantage," said Bassel Gamal, group chief executive officer of QIB.QIB's comprehensive training programme encompasses specialised training for the board of directors, equipping them to meet governance requirements aligned with global environmental, social, and governance (ESG) best practices.This specialised programme further empowers the board members with the knowledge and tools needed to navigate the complexities of ESG-induced risks. It enables them to make informed decisions, assess ESG risks, and align the bank's strategic direction with its sustainability goals.In addition, all QIB staff has completed an e-learning module focused on sustainability. This module emphasizes the significance of sustainability at the organisational as well as the national level.It covers aspects of ESG risk management, key ESG indicators, QIB's sustainability strategy, and individual responsibilities in the bank's sustainability journey.A series of training sessions are being conducted for the wholesale banking relationship managers. These sessions focus on the risk assessment of new finance requests and adherence to the newly adopted Equator Principles, using the bank's 'ESG toolkit’ for new finance due diligence.This toolkit ensures that every new finance decision in wholesale banking aligns with sustainability-based objectives and responsible banking practices.Through comprehensive trainings, employees gain familiarity with ESG-related KPIs (key performance indicators) and concepts, recognising the pivotal role of ESG in the banking sector, in recent times, Gamal said."This knowledge fuels an appreciation for QIB's efforts to lead in sustainability, inspiring a sense of responsibility towards the environment and our society. Our investment in training every employee is a testament to our commitment towards realizing a sustainable future, aligned to the objectives of the Qatar National Vision 2030, Qatar Central Bank Financial Sector Strategic Plan, and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals,” he said.