Doha Bank retains its top spot in ESG rankings of listed companies in Qatar

Doha Bank has retained the “top rating” for the second year in a row in the annual Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) review of companies listed on Qatar Stock Exchange by ESG Invest, the investment research arm of Sustainability Excellence. ESG Invest provides comprehensive ESG ratings research reports that quantify the ESG performance of companies in the Arab world. The firm’s team of analysts assess ESG data points across nine sustainability dimensions and 43 ESG issues with more than 180 data points for companies in the region, analysing levels of integration of ESG issues within the companies’ core business activities. Having completed comprehensive ESG reports for more than 700 companies in the region, Doha Bank has been ranked first in Qatar and among the top three banks in the Arab world in 2018. On receiving the 2018 rating, Doha Bank Group CEO Dr R Seetharaman said, “Doha Bank’s retention of its Number 1 spot in Qatar is a matter of great institutional pride and is a reflection of our consistent focus on prioritising corporate governance, risk management, and ESG performance. “Our rating among top three banks in the Arab world has re-energised our pursuit of international best practices across all our operations. We remain committed to continue focusing on our environmental and social agenda and adopting the highest standards of governance practices, thereby leading the efforts towards promoting sustainable banking in the region.”Doha Bank’s 11th annual Sustainability Report, due to be released in Q1, 2019, will highlight key initiatives such as:Becoming the “first Qatari bank” to sign up to UN Global Compact (UNGC), a UN policy initiative encouraging businesses worldwide to adopt sustainable and socially responsible policies.Being the “first Qatari bank” to be selected for the FTSE4Good Emerging Index, a benchmark designed to measure the performance of companies demonstrating strong ESG practices. The index comprises companies selected through an assessment of over 300 data points.Launching of the “Green Car Loan” with an array of attractive benefits for customers making environmentally-friendly choices by buying electric or hybrid cars.