Bahrain Bourse (BHB), a licensed exchange by the Central Bank of Bahrain, has been awarded 'Most Sustainable Practices in ESG Bahrain 2024' by the Global Banking & Finance Review. This recognition highlights BHB's longstanding dedication to Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles and its role in promoting sustainable investing practices within the capital market.
Sh. Khalifa bin Ebrahim Al-Khalifa, CEO of Bahrain Bourse, commented on the award, “We are honored to receive this recognition from Global Banking & Finance Review. This award is a testament to our ongoing commitment to integrating ESG principles into our core business model. We believe that promoting sustainable investment practices is not only essential for the long-term health of capital markets, but also aligns with the overall economic vision of Bahrain. We are dedicated to providing a platform that facilitates responsible investment decisions and empowers companies to prioritize sustainable practices."
Bahrain Bourse's commitment to ESG is evident through several key initiatives. As a strong advocate for the United Nations Sustainable Stock Exchanges (SSE) initiative, Bahrain Bourse actively aligns its operations with sustainable development goals. In June 2020, Bahrain Bourse issued ESG Voluntary Reporting Guidelines for listed companies, encouraging transparency and best practices in ESG reporting. Furthermore, Bahrain Bourse played a critical role in the GCC Exchanges Committee and GCC General Secretariat's collaboration to publish a unified set of ESG Disclosure Metrics in January 2023. This initiative fosters consistent reporting across all GCC exchanges and enhances overall transparency within the capital markets.
As part of its own commitment to implement its Corporate Sustainability action plan, Bahrain Bourse published its first standalone Sustainability Report, which detailed its strategy, partnerships, and initiatives implementation for the year 2022. Further solidifying its commitment, Bahrain Bourse recently joined the Net Zero Financial Service Providers Alliance, a global alliance working towards achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
Bahrain Bourse remains dedicated to advancing sustainable investing and promoting responsible business practices within the capital market.