Latest news with #FTSERussell
Arab Times
2 days ago
- Business
- Arab Times
Burgan Bank Joins Regional Sustainability Leaders with Inclusion in FTSE4Good Index Series
KUWAIT CITY, Jul 29: Burgan Bank announced its inclusionas a constituent in the FTSE4Good Index Series, an affirmation of its unwavering commitment to ESG best practices. Developed by global index and data provider FTSE Russell, the FTSE4Good Index Series is a globally recognized benchmark that measures the performance of companies demonstrating strong Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) indices are widely used by investors and asset managers to incorporate ESG factors into their investment decisions, as well as to create and evaluate responsible investment funds and related financial products. Built on transparent management standards and rigorous assessment criteria, FTSE Russell's evaluations consider performance in areas such as corporate governance, health &safety, anti-corruption,and climate change. Companies included in the FTSE4Good Index Series demonstrate compliance with a variety of stringent ESG criteria. Commenting on this accomplishment, Mr. Fadel Abdullah, Chief Executive Officer – Kuwait at Burgan Bank, stated: 'We are honored to beone of the five organizations in Kuwait recognized by globally renowned FTSE Russell for our unwavering efforts to adopt the best ESG practices in the banking sector and embed them into our operations, culture, and stakeholder engagement. Burgan's inclusion in the FTSE4Good Index Series is a testament to our consistent and measurable progress in sustainability affirms our strategic commitment to sustainable business growth, designedto create a positive impacton our community, industry, and natural environmentwhile supporting a resilient and equitable futurefor all stakeholders.' The inclusion in the FTSE4Good Index Series provides external validation of Burgan Bank's efforts to align with global sustainability standards and frameworks such as UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB), and Kuwait Vision 2035. This recognition reflects Burgan's strong ESG agenda, driven by a comprehensive framework and strategic roadmap, under which the Bank has achieved significant progress across its four ESG pillarsof Good Governance,Responsible Banking, Community Betterment, and Environmental Impact Reduction. On the environmental front, Burgan Bank was awarded the LEED Gold certification (O&M v4.1) for its head office, recognizing its exceptionalenergy-efficient design and sustainable operations. The Bank continues to advance its Green House Gas (GHG) mapping and reduction efforts to design a long-term decarbonization Bankhas installed electric vehicle (EV) charging stations at its head office and select branches, and motion-sensor lighting to optimize energy efficiencyas well as installed rooftop solar panels for clean renewable energy. Furthermore, the Bank has made concerted efforts for climate risk integration in its credit portfolio. On the social sustainability front, Burgan Bank reaffirmed its recognition as a certified Great Place to Work® and continued to champion diversity and inclusion within its workforce. The Bank surpassed the mandated Kuwaitization target with 86% national representation, while women comprised 45% of its total staff, including strong representation in senior leadership roles. The Bank's efforts for social sustainability were also evident in its learning and development programs, tailored to address diverse needs and interests. In its pursuit of establishing a culture of healthy work-life balance, Burgan Bank currenly offers five days of fully paid paternity leave, one day of birthday leave, and four self-care days, in addition to the standard annual leave days. The Bank also offers numerous programs, benefits, events, and sporting initiatives for the comprehensive development of its employees. Moreoever, Burgan Bank has launched several initiatives and programs to empower women in the workplace and support their professional development – such as the "Lean In Circle" program and the "Empower Her" initiative. It is worth noting that the Bank is also major supporter of the "Partners for Hire" campaign, which aims to sustainably empower people with disabilities and provide them with job opportunities across various departments. Along the same lines and to cater to this community, Burgan Bank has also allocated six branches to serve customers with disabilities to promote equal access to banking services. As part of its social impact agenda, the Bank maintained its long-standing support for the Kuwait Association for Care of Children in Hospital (KACCH) and Bayt Abdullah Children's Hospice (BACCH), helping ensure access to vital palliative care services. In 2024, Burgan Bank also partnered with the Kuwait Olympic Committee (KOC) as a sponsor of the national delegation to the Paris 2024 Olympics, reinforcing its commitment to community development and national pride. Burgan Bank remains committed to fostering a strong compliance culture across the organization, focused on preventing financial crime, including money laundering, terrorism financing, fraud, corruption, and bribery. This commitment is underpinned by a robust governance framework that reflects the Bank's dedication to ethical conduct, responsible leadership, and maintaining the highest standards of security in the banking sector. The Bank's comprehensive ESG strategy also delivered notableadvancements in digital transformation, particularly in cybersecurity, with the implementation of cutting-edge technologies, AI-driven threat detection, and proactive incident response measures to ensure maximum data protection for all stakeholders. Moreover, Burgan Bank has consistently led the way in transparency and sustainability,reporting its sustainability related efforts and achievements consecutively for thelast six years since 2019. This reinforcesthe Bank's committedadherence to transparent governance and proactive sustainability leadership,demonstratingits year-on-year improvements in the sustainability and ESG performance. As a trusted financial partner and a bank that is 'Driven by You', Burgan Bank remains dedicated to upholding its responsibility toward its customers, community, and investors, by adopting the highest standards of ESG practices and ensuring that its business success reflects positively on its stakeholders.
Al Bawaba
2 days ago
- Business
- Al Bawaba
Burgan Bank Joins Regional Sustainability Leaders with Inclusion in FTSE4Good Index Series
Burgan Bank announced its inclusion as a constituent in the FTSE4Good Index Series, an affirmation of its unwavering commitment to ESG best practices. Developed by global index and data provider FTSE Russell, the FTSE4Good Index Series is a globally recognized benchmark that measures the performance of companies demonstrating strong Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) practices. These indices are widely used by investors and asset managers to incorporate ESG factors into their investment decisions, as well as to create and evaluate responsible investment funds and related financial products. Built on transparent management standards and rigorous assessment criteria, FTSE Russell's evaluations consider performance in areas such as corporate governance, health & safety, anti-corruption, and climate change. Companies included in the FTSE4Good Index Series demonstrate compliance with a variety of stringent ESG on this accomplishment, Mr. Fadel Abdullah, Chief Executive Officer – Kuwait at Burgan Bank, stated: 'We are honored to be one of the five organizations in Kuwait recognized by globally renowned FTSE Russell for our unwavering efforts to adopt the best ESG practices in the banking sector and embed them into our operations, culture, and stakeholder engagement. Burgan's inclusion in the FTSE4Good Index Series is a testament to our consistent and measurable progress in sustainability recognition affirms our strategic commitment to sustainable business growth, designed to create a positive impact on our community, industry, and natural environment while supporting a resilient and equitable future for all stakeholders.'The inclusion in the FTSE4Good Index Series provides external validation of Burgan Bank's efforts to align with global sustainability standards and frameworks such as UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB), and Kuwait Vision 2035. This recognition reflects Burgan's strong ESG agenda, driven by a comprehensive framework and strategic roadmap, under which the Bank has achieved significant progress across its four ESG pillars of Good Governance, Responsible Banking, Community Betterment, and Environmental Impact the environmental front, Burgan Bank was awarded the LEED Gold certification (O&M v4.1) for its head office, recognizing its exceptional energy-efficient design and sustainable operations. The Bank continues to advance its Green House Gas (GHG) mapping and reduction efforts to design a long-term decarbonization strategy. The Bank has installed electric vehicle (EV) charging stations at its head office and select branches, and motion-sensor lighting to optimize energy efficiency as well as installed rooftop solar panels for clean renewable energy. Furthermore, the Bank has made concerted efforts for climate risk integration in its credit the social sustainability front, Burgan Bank reaffirmed its recognition as a certified Great Place to Work® and continued to champion diversity and inclusion within its workforce. The Bank surpassed the mandated Kuwaitization target with 86% national representation, while women comprised 45% of its total staff, including strong representation in senior leadership roles. The Bank's efforts for social sustainability were also evident in its learning and development programs, tailored to address diverse needs and interests. In its pursuit of establishing a culture of healthy work-life balance, Burgan Bank currenly offers five days of fully paid paternity leave, one day of birthday leave, and four self-care days, in addition to the standard annual leave Bank also offers numerous programs, benefits, events, and sporting initiatives for the comprehensive development of its employees. Moreoever, Burgan Bank has launched several initiatives and programs to empower women in the workplace and support their professional development – such as the "Lean In Circle" program and the "Empower Her" initiative. It is worth noting that the Bank is also major supporter of the "Partners for Hire" campaign, which aims to sustainably empower people with disabilities and provide them with job opportunities across various departments. Along the same lines and to cater to this community, Burgan Bank has also allocated six branches to serve customers with disabilities to promote equal access to banking part of its social impact agenda, the Bank maintained its long-standing support for the Kuwait Association for Care of Children in Hospital (KACCH) and Bayt Abdullah Children's Hospice (BACCH), helping ensure access to vital palliative care services. In 2024, Burgan Bank also partnered with the Kuwait Olympic Committee (KOC) as a sponsor of the national delegation to the Paris 2024 Olympics, reinforcing its commitment to community development and national Bank remains committed to fostering a strong compliance culture across the organization, focused on preventing financial crime, including money laundering, terrorism financing, fraud, corruption, and bribery. This commitment is underpinned by a robust governance framework that reflects the Bank's dedication to ethical conduct, responsible leadership, and maintaining the highest standards of security in the banking Bank's comprehensive ESG strategy also delivered notable advancements in digital transformation, particularly in cybersecurity, with the implementation of cutting-edge technologies, AI-driven threat detection, and proactive incident response measures to ensure maximum data protection for all Burgan Bank has consistently led the way in transparency and sustainability, reporting its sustainability related efforts and achievements consecutively for thelast six years since 2019. This reinforces the Bank's committed adherence to transparent governance and proactive sustainability leadership, demonstrating its year-on-year improvements in the sustainability and ESG performance. As a trusted financial partner and a bank that is 'Driven by You', Burgan Bank remains dedicated to upholding its responsibility toward its customers, community, and investors, by adopting the highest standards of ESG practices and ensuring that its business success reflects positively on its stakeholders.
Business Wire
7 days ago
- Business
- Business Wire
Linde Earns FTSE4Good Inclusion for Tenth Consecutive Year
WOKING, England--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Linde (Nasdaq: LIN) today announced its inclusion in the FTSE4Good Index Series for the tenth consecutive year, reaffirming Linde's leadership in sustainable business practices and its commitment to environmental, social and governance (ESG) excellence. The FTSE4Good Index Series, developed by global index and data provider FTSE Russell, recognizes companies that demonstrate robust ESG performance based on established global standards. Evaluation criteria include corporate governance, climate change and health and safety. 'We are honored to mark a full decade of FTSE4Good inclusion,' said Erin Catapano, Vice President Sustainability, Linde. 'This recognition reflects our ongoing ESG commitment to create solutions that benefit our customers, communities and stakeholders around the world.' Through its innovative technologies and world-class engineering, Linde helps its customers achieve their sustainability goals while improving resource efficiency across industries. In 2024, Linde helped its customers to avoid more than 96 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent – more than double the emissions the company generated from its own operations. Linde has also committed to reducing its own Scope 1 & 2 emissions by 35% by 2035. About Linde Linde is a leading global industrial gases and engineering company with 2024 sales of $33 billion. We live our mission of making our world more productive every day by providing high-quality solutions, technologies and services which are making our customers more successful and helping to sustain, decarbonize and protect our planet. The company serves a variety of end markets such as chemicals & energy, food & beverage, electronics, healthcare, manufacturing, metals and mining. Linde's industrial gases and technologies are used in countless applications including production of clean hydrogen and carbon capture systems critical to the energy transition, life-saving medical oxygen and high-purity & specialty gases for electronics. Linde also delivers state-of-the-art gas processing solutions to support customer expansion, efficiency improvements and emissions reductions. For more information about the company and its products and services, please visit
Free Malaysia Today
23-07-2025
- Business
- Free Malaysia Today
Vietnamese stocks near record on reform hopes, trade deal optimism
Foreign investors bought US$411 million of Vietnamese shares on a net basis in July, the second month of inflows this year. (EPA Images pic) HANOI : Vietnam's stock benchmark is closing in on a record high, fueled by optimism over sweeping political reforms and clarity on a trade deal with the US. The government is undertaking its biggest administrative overhaul in decades to shrink bureaucracy as Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh pushes for more than 8% economic growth this year. A trade deal that cut US tariffs on the nation's goods to 20% from 46% in April also clears an overhang for the market. The moves have driven a 19% rally in the Vietnam Ho Chi Minh Stock Index this year, putting the market well ahead of its Southeast Asian peers. More gains could follow if Vietnam secures an upgrade to emerging-market status by FTSE Russell. 'Never before have we seen such strong reforms in Vietnam,' said Tyler Manh Dung Nguyen, chief market strategist at Ho Chi Minh City Securities Corp. 'I would allocate more in Vietnam right at the beginning of these changes,' he said. The government is cutting red tape and unnecessary costs to redirect funds to development projects, part of its aim to achieve high-income status by 2045. Its pro-growth policies are luring investors back to the country, reversing sentiment after global funds withdrew a net US$3.18 billion from local stocks last year. Foreign investors bought US$411 million of Vietnamese shares on a net basis in July, the second month of inflows this year, while selling their holdings in Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines. Conglomerate Vingroup JSC, lender Vietnam Joint Stock Commercial Bank for Industry and Trade and Hoa Phat Group JSC are among the biggest gainers on the index this year as investors bet on major beneficiaries of the country's strong growth. The economy expanded 7.52% in the six months through June, according to Vietnam's statistics office, supported by a surge in manufacturing as foreign buyers raced to avoid higher tariffs on sales to the US. 'We became more positive since May as valuations started to look compelling given the forecast earnings growth of about 15% and price-earnings multiples of 10 times in 2026,' said Christopher Leow, CEO at Principal Asset Management in Singapore. Investors are expecting a FTSE reclassification of Vietnam's market to take place as soon as September, which the index compiler projects may draw up to US$6 billion in capital inflows. That would give another boost to the benchmark, which is less than 2% away from its all-time high in January 2022. To be clear, Vietnam's growth outlook remains clouded by a potential slowdown in global growth in the second half of the year. Uncertainty over a 40% US tariff on goods deemed to be transshipped through the Southeast Asian nation also weighs on local businesses. Still, the bullish case for Vietnam is hard to ignore. 'What makes Vietnam stand out globally is that it's almost inconceivable it won't become a much bigger economy' and returns on invested capital are much higher than in many other countries, said Johannes Loefstrand, portfolio manager at T Rowe Price who manages a frontier markets fund with its largest allocation in Vietnam.
Business Times
23-07-2025
- Business
- Business Times
Vietnam stocks near record on reform hopes, trade deal optimism
[SINGAPORE] Vietnam's stock benchmark is closing in on a record high, fuelled by optimism over sweeping political reforms and clarity on a trade deal with the US. The government is undertaking its biggest administrative overhaul in decades to shrink bureaucracy as Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh pushes for more than 8 per cent economic growth this year. A trade deal that cut US tariffs on the nation's goods to 20 per cent from 46 per cent in April also clears an overhang for the market. The moves have driven a 19 per cent rally in the Vietnam Ho Chi Minh Stock Index this year, putting the market well ahead of its South-east Asian peers. More gains could follow if Vietnam secures an upgrade to emerging-market status by FTSE Russell. 'Never before have we seen such strong reforms in Vietnam,' said Tyler Manh Dung Nguyen, chief market strategist at Ho Chi Minh City Securities. 'I would allocate more in Vietnam right at the beginning of these changes.' The government is cutting red tape and unnecessary costs to redirect funds to development projects, part of its aim to achieve high-income status by 2045. Its pro-growth policies are luring investors back to the country, reversing sentiment after global funds withdrew a net US$3.18 billion from local stocks last year. Foreign investors bought US$411 million of Vietnamese shares on a net basis in July, the second month of inflows this year, while selling their holdings in Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines. A NEWSLETTER FOR YOU Friday, 8.30 am Asean Business Business insights centering on South-east Asia's fast-growing economies. Sign Up Sign Up Conglomerate Vingroup JSC, lender Vietnam Joint Stock Commercial Bank for Industry and Trade and Hoa Phat Group JSC are among the biggest gainers on the index this year as investors bet on major beneficiaries of the country's strong growth. The economy expanded 7.52 per cent in the six months to June, according to Vietnam's statistics office, supported by a surge in manufacturing as foreign buyers raced to avoid higher tariffs on sales to the US. 'We became more positive since May as valuations started to look compelling given the forecast earnings growth of about 15 per cent and price-earnings multiples of 10 times in 2026,' said Christopher Leow, chief executive officer at Principal Asset Management in Singapore. Investors are expecting a FTSE reclassification of Vietnam's market to take place as soon as September, which the index compiler projects may draw up to US$6 billion in capital inflows. That would give another boost to the benchmark, which is less than 2 per cent away from its all-time high in January 2022. To be clear, Vietnam's growth outlook remains clouded by a potential slowdown in global growth in the second half of the year. Uncertainty over a 40 per cent US tariff on goods deemed to be transshipped through the South-east Asian nation also weighs on local businesses. Still, the bullish case for Vietnam is hard to ignore. 'What makes Vietnam stand out globally is that it's almost inconceivable it won't become a much bigger economy', and returns on invested capital are much higher than in many other countries, said Johannes Loefstrand, portfolio manager at T Rowe Price who manages a frontier markets fund with its largest allocation in Vietnam. BLOOMBERG
