Two banks and one non-bank financial institution (NBFI) have featured as the top lenders in sustainable financing for four years in a row, according to the Sustainability Rating 2023 report published by the Bangladesh Bank today.

The latest rating showed that BRAC Bank and City Bank have been part of the list since the BB launched the rating in 2020. Among NBFIs, IDLC Finance kept its place as one of the top sustainable financial companies.

The number of banks and financial institutions in the list increased to 13 in 2023 from 11 the previous year, as per the BB report.

The central bank introduced the rating four years ago to encourage lending to green, environment-friendly initiatives and sustainable agriculture.

The rating also listed Eastern Bank, Exim Bank, Jamuna Bank, Mutual Trust Bank, Trust Bank and Uttara Bank as the top sustainable banks, with IPDC Finance and United Finance featuring under the finance companies category.

The central bank considers financing green projects, sustainable agriculture, and cottage, micro, small, and medium enterprise finance as sustainable financing.

It also considers the performance of the lenders in giving access to sustainable finance for women, in-house green banking and environment and social risk management compliance.

Moreover, the BB evaluates the sustainability criteria of the banks by analysing factors like intervention by the directors of the financial institutions, capacity-building initiatives, and sustainable finance disclosures among others.