Bahrain Bourse, a licensed exchange by the Central Bank of Bahrain, has been accorded with the prestigious title of “Most Sustainable Stock Exchange in the GCC region – 2023” by World Finance Magazine, reinforcing its commitment in driving ESG agenda within Bahrain’s capital markets. This award demonstrates Bahrain Bourse’s commitment to fostering ESG related disclosures and transparency across listed-companies in line with international investors demand and best practices.
Commenting on the occasion, Shaikh Khalifa bin Ebrahim Al-Khalifa, CEO of Bahrain Bourse, “The accolade of ‘Most Sustainable Stock Exchange in the GCC Region – 2023’ is a phenomenal achievement for Bahrain Bourse. It underlines our unwavering dedication to sustainability and sound business practices across the capital markets. We recognize the importance of sustainability, and we believe that ESG is a strategic opportunity that will enhance credibility in the marketplace.”
Marwa Al Maskati, Director of Marketing & Communications at Bahrain Bourse said, “At Bahrain Bourse, we believe that long-term success demands sustainable standards and transparency. Our goal is to keep setting the standard, by promoting ESG principles and collaborating with our stakeholders to build a more sustainable marketplace.”
Since January 2020, Bahrain Bourse has taken the responsibility of driving ESG agenda by rolling out the ESG Voluntary Reporting Guideline for listed companies and by actively engaging in efforts aimed at encouraging ESG Disclosure across listed companies. Bahrain Bourse is a voluntary signatory to the United Nations Sustainable Stock Exchanges (‘UNSSE’) initiative and the UN Women Empowerment Principles (WEP).
In addition, Bahrain Bourse released its first Sustainability Report in May 2020, providing a comprehensive summary of the exchange’s sustainability strategy. The report is aligned with Global Reporting Initiative (‘GRI’) principles and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
It is worth noting that Bahrain Bourse has received notable recognitions across different facets of its business operations including: ‘Best Stock Exchange for Financial Literacy Initiatives – GCC’ 2023 and ‘Sustainable Stock Exchange of the Year – GCC 2022’ by Global Banking & Finance Review, ‘Best Investor Awareness Financial Literacy Initiatives’ – Stock Exchange – Bahrain 2022’ by International Finance, Best Corporate Governance and Work Life Balance by Global Banking & Finance Awards – 2021, “ESG Initiative of the Year” – Bahrain category 2021 by PAN Finance Awards, Excellence in Customer Service Award via the National Suggestions & Complaints System ‘Tawasul’ – 2020 & 2021 and others.