Ebene/ Bujumbura, 3 June 2022 – The Eastern and Southern African Trade and Development Bank (TDB) Group is pleased to be announced as this year’s winners of two awards for ‘Best DFI’ and ‘Sustainable Bank of the Year’ at the prestigious African Banker Awards 2022. “The African Banker Awards are a landmark annual event for African banking taking place during the annual meetings of the African Development Bank (…) recognizing the personalities and banks that are driving Africa’s rapidly transforming financial sector.” TDB was the only institution to win 2 awards during the gala ceremony held in Accra, Ghana, on the 25th of May.
TDB’s impact in the region was further recognized by Global Finance at their second annual Sustainable Finance Awards held this past May19th 2022. TDB was awarded the ‘Outstanding Sustainable Financing in Emerging Markets in Africa’, and ‘Outstanding Leadership in Sustainable Finance by a Multilateral Institution in Africa’ awards. These double accolades celebrate TDB’s continued efforts, palpable impact, and longstanding commitment to drive sustainable development in the region.
Through its ‘triple bottom line’ approach, every transaction TDB finances is expected to have a measurable development impact, and be sustainable in economic, environmental, and social terms in member states – in line with SDGs, Agenda 2063 and the Paris Agreement. 2021 saw TDB’s gross portfolio grow by 6% to USD 5.8 bn, with the proportion of transactions with low or no environmental or social risk growing from 73% to 79%.
TDB’s well developed ESG framework comprising various systems and policies, its adherence to IFC Performance Standards and sustainability-themed debt, ensure it infuses impact driven requirements in the deployment of capital in the region.
TDB is further expanding its impact, services, and reach through new TDB Group initiatives including the Trade and Development Fund (TDF), which offers blended finance solutions for financially underserved groups like SMEs, women and youth, the TDB Academy and the Eastern and Southern African Trade Fund (ESATF).
TDB continues to grow and innovate to deepen sustainability and expand impact. For example, in 2021, TDB launched a new class of shares, to attract new pools of impact capital and boost SDG and climate action. Likewise, a new energy policy was rolled-out re-emphasizing renewable energy projects as a priority.
Internally, staff wellness, learning, and development programs also foster a positive environment conducive to sustainability, whilst gender policies, diversity and inclusion, health and safety are streamlined across TDB initiatives.
This award follows previous African Banker Awards wins including Infrastructure Deal of the Year 2021 and African Bank of the Year 2020, as well as Global Finance 2022 wins for World’s Best Bank for Trade Finance in Mauritius, and World’s Best Bank for Trade Finance in Frontier Markets. Last month, TDB was named Best Development Bank at the Global Trade Review Leaders in Trade Awards 2022.
About TDB
Established in 1985, the Eastern and Southern African Trade and Development Bank (TDB) is a multilateral, treaty-based, investment-grade development finance institution, with 41 sovereign and institutional shareholders and assets of USD 8 bn. TDB serves 22 economies in its region, with the mandate to finance and foster trade, regional economic integration, and sustainable development.
TDB is part of the TDB Group, which also comprises TDF (the Trade and Development Fund), ESATF (the Eastern and Southern African Trade Fund), TCI (TDB Captive Insurance), and the TDB Academy.
