‘We’re embedding sustainability into the DNA of Ghana EXIM Bank’ - Sylvester Mensah

Ghana Export-Import Bank (Ghana Exim Bank) has formally joined the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC), a significant step that reinforces the Bank’s commitment to sustainable finance, responsible business practices and ethical corporate governance.

The move places the Bank among more than 20,000 companies and organisations worldwide committed to advancing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Announcing the milestone at a signing ceremony in Accra, the Chief Executive Officer of Ghana Exim Bank, Sylvester Adinam Mensah, said the decision reflects the bank's determination to make sustainability a central pillar of its operations and development mandate.

“Today marks a significant milestone for Ghana Export-Import Bank. We are honoured to officially join the United Nations Global Compact, aligning our operations with its Ten Principles across human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption. By embracing these principles, we reaffirm our commitment to conducting business in a responsible, ethical and sustainable manner,” Mensah stated.

The Bank’s membership commits it to aligning its operations and business strategy with the UN Global Compact’s Ten Principles on human rights, labour standards, environmental stewardship and anti-corruption.

Mensah noted that the move builds on reforms already undertaken by the Bank, including the introduction of an Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) and Sustainability Policy in January 2025 and the establishment of the Sustainability and Strategic Impact Department (SSID) to lead the implementation of sustainability initiatives across the institution.

“This was undertaken to strengthen our sustainable finance practices, enhance our approach to impact measurement and embed responsible financing principles across all areas of our operations. It also signalled our intent to move beyond ambition into action by ensuring that sustainability is not an isolated initiative, but a core part of our operations,” he said.

He emphasized that joining the Global Compact will strengthen Ghana Exim Bank’s contribution to the SDGs through partnerships, knowledge-sharing and collaboration with like-minded institutions around the world.

He highlighted SDG 17 — Partnerships for the Goals as a key motivation for joining the initiative.

“Our participation in the UN Global Compact represents an important progression in this journey. It connects us to a global network of organisations dedicated to advancing responsible business practices and sustainable development,” Mensah said.

According to him, membership also carries a greater responsibility for transparency and accountability.

“It holds us to a higher standard of accountability, requiring us to continuously improve our operations, measure our impact effectively and contribute meaningfully to global sustainability goals,” he added.

Mensah disclosed that the Bank has already begun implementing systems to measure and report the developmental impact of its financing activities on businesses, communities and the broader Ghanaian economy.

Also speaking at the ceremony, Executive Director of the UN Global Compact Network Ghana, Tolu Kweku Lacroix, welcomed Ghana Exim Bank into the global sustainability network and commended the institution’s commitment to responsible corporate leadership.

“These principles must be embedded in your practices as a company, as a bank and across your stakeholder engagements, and we are here to support you throughout that journey,” Lacroix said.

He assured the Bank of the Network’s continued support through its sustainability programmes, accelerators and capacity-building initiatives, noting that Ghana Exim Bank now joins an extensive global community of organisations committed to sustainable and responsible business conduct.

The Bank’s admission into the United Nations Global Compact represents another important milestone in its efforts to integrate international sustainability standards into its governance, financing and stakeholder engagement frameworks, while advancing industrialisation, export development and inclusive economic growth in Ghana.