The Chartered Banker Institute, United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI), and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) are proud to have piloted the Principles for Responsible Banking (PRB) Academy in Mexico.
Launch
The Mexican banking sector recently took part in a two-week pilot programme of the PRB Academy, a global initiative of UNEP FI, The Chartered Banker Institute and GIZ. The program was organised and hosted by the Mexican Banking Association (ABM) and commenced with an immersive first week of in-person training in Mexico City, followed by a second week of practical virtual sessions. Mexico is the second country to pilot the PRB Academy training courses.
The PRB Academy seeks to enable banks in GIZ partner countries to integrate sustainable banking practices into the heart of their operations and to offer sustainable banking products and services.
Impact of the PRB Academy pilot in Mexico
With more than 150 participants representing 36 major banks, the PRB Academy pilot was pivotal in fostering a more sustainable banking sector in Mexico. The participation of CEOs, and the opening remarks of the President of the National Banking and Securities Commission (CNBV) and the Deputy Governor of the Bank of Mexico (Banxico), demonstrate the importance of sustainable finance in Mexico’s private and public finance sectors. Participating experts represented different areas of banking, from strategic planning to credit business, risk management, finance, sustainability, and others.
During the training sessions, participants shared the benefits of being a responsible bank, including José Luis Muñoz, the Executive Director of Sustainability and Investor Relations of Banorte. Other inputs came from Laura Marisela Rosales López, Director of Sustainability of Compartamos Banco, Irma Acosta, Head of Responsible Business and Sustainability at BBVA Mexico, as well as Mariuz Calvet, Director of Sustainability and Sustainable Finance at HSBC.
In sum, this pilot helped raise awareness of and implement the UN Principles for Responsible Banking in a local context. Thanks to the pilot, banks such as Banco Inmobiliario Mexicano (BIM) and Intercam Grupo Financiero expressed interest in adopting the Principles for Responsible Banking.
