KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 26 (Bernama) -- CIMB Group Holdings Bhd will champion sustainable and responsible banking by becoming the first banking group in Malaysia and ASEAN to join the United Nations (UN) Environment Programme Finance Initiative Principles for Responsible Banking (UNEP-FI).

it will also be a founding member of the sustainable initiative together with 26 other leading banks from five continents and 19 countries.

In a statement today, CIMB announced its official membership in the UNEP-FI which would help redefine the global banking industry’s role and responsibilities in shaping a more sustainable future.

“As a leading universal bank in ASEAN, we have always perceived our role as going beyond providing great financial products and services.

“We are pleased to play a more active and meaningful role in shaping our planet’s sustainable future by championing responsible banking globally,” said Group Chief Executive Officer Tengku Datuk Sri Zafrul Aziz.

He said the group was fully committed to achieve UNEP-FI’s objectives of helping transform global banking practices to ensure the industry createda positive impact not just economically, but also socially and environmentally.

“CIMB’s membership in the initiative complements Bank Negara Malaysia’s Value-Based Intermediation strategy for the Islamic banking industry, as well as, the group’s own initiative to embed sustainability into all aspects of our operations group-wide, which will be a key focus area in our next mid-term growth plan,” Tengku Zafrul added.

-- BERNAMA