October 2019 — Chile: The Superintendence of Banks and Financial Institutions (SBIF) joined SBN in October this year. SBIF is a public institution responsible for regulating and overseeing financial institutions that operate in the country, including 23 banks. As part of SBIF’s commitment to sustainability, it will host its second Research Conference on Banking Development, Stability and Sustainability in Santiago de Chile.
Ghana: Ghana Association of Bankers (GAB) is the newest member of SBN. Representing 32 member banks, GAB is collaborating with Bank of Ghana (BoG), also an SBN member, to develop and implement national sustainable banking principles. This sets another example of co-existence of policy innovation and market leadership to green the financial sector.
Mexico: The Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT) of Mexico joined SBN in October. SEMARNAT is the government entity in charge of sustainability policies in Mexico, utilizing legal, economic and social instruments to pursue the protection and conservation of the environment and natural resources. It groups a number of institutions, including the National Institute of Ecology and Climate Change (INECC) and the National Commission for Protected Areas (CONANP). Working together with the private sector and the banking sector, SEMARNAT participated in the working group “Green Growth (low carbon)” at the Business Advisory Council for Economic Growth in Mexico (CCECEM) and supported the Sustainability Protocol launched by the Mexican Bankers Association (ABM), another SBN member, in April this year.