The bank was also a finalist for another award
Kiwibank walked away with the Hunter Campbell – ESG Award at last week’s Institute of Finance Professionals New Zealand (INFINZ) Awards.
The Auckland event saw the NZ-owned bank accepting the ESG award, which celebrates an organisation-wide commitment to sustainability. Judges said they were particularly impressed with the bank’s B Corp certification and its focus on looking after its people.
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Kiwibank became the largest bank in New Zealand to earn B Corp certification in 2021, which the bank says proves that it is heading in the right direction when it comes to balancing purpose and profits.
“As part of being a purpose-driven business, we know that we need to run our business in a way that supports our customers, our people, the communities we operate in and the environment,” said Tom Williams, Kiwibank’s head of sustainable finance. “As B Corp companies well know, the work doesn’t stop here, we are about constant improvement so we can continue to play an impactful role in creating an inclusive and sustainable economy where what we do results in benefits for everyone.”
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Some of the achievements Kiwibank highlighted in its application were its Rainbow Tick, Gender Tick, and Living Wage Employer accreditation, its Rautaki Māori, issuing bank cards made from recycled materials, introduction of a gambling block option for customers, launch of classroom-economy platform Banqer, rollout of a Responsible Business Banking policy, its response to managing the risks of climate change, and its reduction in carbon emissions by 53% from a baseline year of 2018.
Kiwibank was also selected as a finalist for the Guardian Trust – NZ Debt Market Issue of the Year with its $250 million issue of Perpetual Preference Shares (PPS).
