Ghana EXIM Bank joins UN Global Compact to advance sustainable finance agenda

The Chief Executive Officer of Ghana Export-Import Bank (Ghana Exim Bank), Sylvester Adinam Mensah, has assured stakeholders of the Bank's commitment to sustainable finance and responsible business practices following its admission into the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC).

The Bank officially announced its membership during a signing ceremony in Accra on Thursday July 2, 2026, where it pledged to align its operations with the UN Global Compact's Ten Principles on human rights, labour, environmental protection and anti-corruption.

Speaking at the ceremony, Mensah described the development as a major milestone in the Bank's growth and reaffirmed its commitment to responsible financing.

"We are honoured to officially join the United Nations Global Compact, aligning our operations with its Ten Principles across human rights, labour, environment, anti-corruption and other critical areas. By embracing these principles, we reaffirm our commitment to conducting business in a responsible, ethical and sustainable manner," he said.

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He further explained that joining the Global Compact forms part of a broader effort to integrate Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) principles into the Bank's operations, financing activities and engagement with stakeholders.

According to him, the Bank took a major step in that direction in January 2025 when it introduced a comprehensive ESG and Sustainability Policy and established the Sustainability and Strategic Impact Department (SSID).

He said the department was created to strengthen sustainable finance, improve the way the Bank measures its impact and ensure that responsible financing becomes part of its everyday operations.

"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," he said.

"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 added.

He, however, noted that membership of the UN Global Compact would create opportunities for stronger partnerships, knowledge sharing and collaboration with institutions across the world that are committed to sustainable development maintaining that the Global Compact provides is the right platform for Ghana Exim Bank to contribute more effectively to the achievement of the SDGs.

"Our participation in the UN Global Compact represents an important progression in this journey and also supports our efforts to implement activities that align with the Sustainable Development Goals. SDG 17 calls for global partnerships for sustainable development, and that is exactly what joining the UN Global Compact does," he stated.

Mensah stated that while the membership offers access to a global network of responsible institutions, it also comes with higher expectations.

"At the same time, 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.

He disclosed that the Bank has already started putting in place systems to track and report the impact of its financing activities on businesses, communities and Ghana's economy, stressing that transparency will remain central to its sustainability agenda.

He assured the Bank of the Network's continued support through sustainability programmes, capacity-building initiatives and ESG-focused projects to help strengthen its responsible business practices.

ANAS/VPO

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