Ghana EXIM Bank Joins UN Global Compact, Pledges Stronger Commitment to Sustainable Development
The Chief Executive Officer of Ghana Export-Import Bank (Ghana EXIM Bank), Sylvester Adinam Mensah, has announced that the Bank is “moving beyond ambition into action” following its formal admission into the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC), the world’s largest corporate sustainability initiative.
The development marks a major milestone in the Bank’s sustainability agenda, reinforcing its commitment to responsible banking, sustainable finance, ethical governance and long-term national development.
By joining the UN Global Compact, Ghana EXIM Bank becomes part of a global network of more than 20,000 companies and organisations dedicated to advancing responsible business practices and supporting the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Speaking at a signing ceremony in Accra on Thursday, July 2, Mr Mensah described the occasion as a defining moment in the Bank’s evolution, saying the decision reflects its determination to balance economic growth with environmental stewardship and social responsibility.
“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, 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.
Mr Mensah explained that the decision forms part of a broader institutional transformation aimed at embedding Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) principles across every aspect of the Bank’s operations.
He noted that the Bank laid the foundation for this transformation in January 2025 with the introduction of a comprehensive ESG and Sustainability Policy and the establishment of the Sustainability and Strategic Impact Department (SSID).
According to him, the department was created to strengthen the Bank’s sustainable finance framework, improve impact measurement and ensure responsible financing principles are integrated into the Bank’s day-to-day operations and decision-making processes.
“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 stated.
Mr Mensah further indicated that joining the Global Compact would deepen the Bank’s contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals through stronger collaboration, knowledge sharing and partnerships with leading institutions across the world.
“Our participation in the UN Global Compact represents an important progression in this journey and 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 said.
He added that membership would not only provide access to a global network of responsible businesses and institutions but would also hold the Bank to even higher standards of accountability, transparency and impact reporting.
“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.
The CEO disclosed that Ghana EXIM Bank has already begun implementing systems to measure and report the developmental impact of its operations and financing activities on businesses, communities and the wider Ghanaian economy, stressing that transparency and accountability would remain central pillars of the Bank’s sustainability agenda.
Also speaking at the ceremony, Tolu Kweku Lacroix, Executive Director of the UN Global Compact Network Ghana, welcomed Ghana EXIM Bank into the global sustainability movement and commended its leadership for demonstrating a strong commitment to responsible business practices.
He emphasised that the significance of membership extends beyond signing onto the principles, noting that they must be fully embedded across the organisation’s operations and stakeholder engagements.
“We resonate very strongly with the commitment you have expressed today to our Ten Principles in the areas of human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption. 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,” he said.
Mr Lacroix assured the Bank of continued support through the Network’s sustainability accelerators, capacity-building programmes and other initiatives.
He noted that Ghana EXIM Bank now joins an international network comprising approximately 70 country networks and more than 20,000 participating organisations worldwide, expressing confidence that the Bank is well-positioned to become one of Ghana’s leading champions of sustainable finance and responsible corporate governance.
The Bank’s accession to the United Nations Global Compact marks another significant step in integrating international sustainability standards into its governance systems, financing decisions and stakeholder engagements, while advancing its mandate of promoting industrialisation, export competitiveness and inclusive economic growth in Ghana.
