KIB releases Sustainability Report

03/11/2026 05:42 AST

Kuwait International Bank (KIB) announced the release of its fifth annual Sustainability Report for 2025, highlighting the Bank's key achievements in integrating environmental, social, and governance (ESG) principles across its operations and corporate strategy. The report reflects KIB's ongoing commitment to creating sustainable value for shareholders and the wider community, while further strengthening its position as a financial institution that supports the objectives of Kuwait Vision 2035 and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

The report highlights the Bank's efforts throughout the year to advance sustainable finance, strengthen governance frameworks, expand access to banking services, enhance its digital offerings, develop national talent, support community initiatives, and monitor and assess its environmental impact. The Sustainability Report was prepared in accordance with the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Standards, reinforcing transparency and disclosure while aligning with international best practices in sustainability.

Commenting on the report's release, Raed Jawad Bukhamseen, Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of KIB, said: "Sustainability has become an integral part of the Bank's operating approach. Our fifth report reflects this direction by embedding sustainability principles across our operations, financing decisions, and governance practices, thereby strengthening our ability to achieve sustainable and balanced growth."

Bukhamseen added: "Over the past year, the Bank implemented several high-impact initiatives, most notably the launch of its Sustainable Finance Framework and the issuance of $300 million in sustainable Sukuk. We also continued to invest in digital transformation, develop national talent, and enhance our environmental and social performance. These steps reaffirm the Bank's commitment to creating sustainable, long-term value for all stakeholders." Bukhamseen emphasized that the Bank views sustainability as a key driver of institutional resilience and innovation, noting that KIB will continue to advance its operations under a clear strategy that supports the objectives of Kuwait Vision 2035 and responds to the future requirements of the banking sector.

For his part, Nawaf Najia, Executive Manager of ESG and Sustainability - Strategy Department at KIB, said: "The 2025 Sustainability Report reflects the Bank's steady progress in incorporating sustainability principles across its various business activities. It also highlights the shift from implementing standalone initiatives to adopting an integrated, measurable institutional approach that enhances transparency and improves the quality of environmental, social, and governance performance disclosures." Najia explained that the report highlights the Bank's journey across sustainable finance, financial inclusion, workforce development, community impact, and environmental monitoring. He emphasized that these efforts reinforce KIB's position as a financial institution focused on creating sustainable economic, social, and environmental value.

Sustainable finance
The development of KIB's Sustainable Finance Framework, alongside the issuance of $300 million in sustainable Sukuk, marked a significant milestone in the Bank's sustainability journey during 2025. The Sukuk issuance supports the allocation of proceeds to eligible projects and activities across green and social categories, strengthening the Bank's ability to direct capital toward initiatives that deliver added environmental and social value. KIB's total investments in environmental, social, and governance (ESG) initiatives reached KD 56 million, equivalent to approximately $184 million, while its total financing portfolio grew by 17 percent during the year. Meanwhile, sustainable ESG financing extended across several sectors, reflecting the Bank's commitment to directing financing toward sustainable activities.

Governance and Risk Management
Throughout 2025, KIB continued to strengthen its governance and compliance framework under the direct oversight of the Board of Directors. These efforts included enhancing its internal control and risk management systems, as well as adopting comprehensive policies covering key aspects of sustainability, including sustainable finance, anti-corruption, whistleblowing, operational risk, and professional conduct.

On the technological front, the Bank continued to enhance its cybersecurity capabilities by adhering to international standards. In recognition of these efforts, KIB maintained leading international certifications and accreditations, including ISO 27001, ISO 22301, the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS), and the SWIFT Customer Security Program (CSP). The Bank also recorded zero substantiated complaints relating to customer privacy, with no reported incidents involving the leakage, theft, or loss of customer data during 2025.

Integrated digital ecosystem
KIB made significant progress in advancing its digital ecosystem, helping expand its customer base and broaden access to banking services across different segments of society. The Bank's continued investment in digitizing its operations delivered a marked transformation in its products and services, including streamlining transactions, automating documentation and transfer procedures, and enhancing interactive communication channels and financing solutions. Together, these developments provided customers with a smoother and more secure banking experience.

This strategic direction had a direct positive impact on customer satisfaction, with complaints declining by a record 52 percent during the year. It also coincided with a significant improvement in operational reliability, supported by the implementation of the First Time Right (FTR) principle, which achieved a 98 percent success rate. The Trade Finance division recorded a similarly strong FTR rate of 98 percent, driven by the digitization of selected trade finance forms, as well as the reduction of manual data entry. This resulted in faster turnaround times and greater accuracy across operations.

Reaffirming its commitment to human capital development and sustainable social impact, KIB made significant progress in attracting and developing national talent during 2025. The Bank's total workforce increased by 12 percent to 833 employees, while its nationalization rate reached 73.22 percent. Local talent accounted for more than 75 percent of middle management and 77 percent of senior management and above.

KIB's efforts extended beyond recruitment to include professional development, with each employee receiving an average of 18.8 training hours across innovation, leadership, and technology. Key initiatives included the launch of the "WAED" leadership development program, AIHackathon, and support for postgraduate education through MBA scholarships offered in coordination with prominent banking and academic institutions, including the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences. These initiatives contributed to an increase in the Bank's Organizational Health Index, which rose to 77 percent from 67 percent in the previous year.

Impactful sustainability
In addition to its continued investment in human capital development, community development remained a key pillar of KIB's strategic contributions. During the year, the Bank allocated KD 237,000 to projects designed to deliver sustainable social impact. Its support covered a wide range of areas, including youth empowerment, education, entrepreneurship, the inclusion of people with disabilities and various segments of society, as well as health and wellness, sustainability awareness, and charitable and humanitarian initiatives. These efforts were reflected in a series of impactful initiatives, most notably the "KIB

The Stadium" tournament, the Holy Month of Ramadan campaign, academic partnerships, the "H.I. Innovation Program," and events aimed at supporting innovators through the "KIB Mubader" incubator, alongside several other purpose-driven programs.

Environmental stewardship
KIB advanced its environmental efforts in 2025 by improving energy efficiency, emissions tracking, water conservation, paper reduction, recycling, and supplier screening. The Bank reported a 24 percent reduction in reported purchased electricity consumption and a 45 percent reduction in total greenhouse gas emissions, with emissions intensity reaching 7.62 tCO2e per employee. The Bank also installed solar systems in four new branches, continued the use of LED lighting and efficiency measures, saved more than 80,000 sheets of paper through process improvements, and began paper recycling at its head office.

Looking ahead
KIB affirms that sustainability will remain a central pillar of its corporate strategy. In the next phase, the Bank will continue to develop its sustainability data governance framework, advance sustainable finance, integrate environmental and social considerations into risk management, and enhance the quality of its disclosures. These efforts will strengthen KIB's ability to create sustainable value for shareholders, customers, and the wider community, while reinforcing its position as a leading financial institution in sustainability.

Awards and recognition
KIB's efforts in 2025 were recognized with several prestigious regional awards, most notably the following three accolades from Capital Finance International magazine: "Best Bank in Financial Literacy Program - MENA 2025"; "Excellence in Branch Design and Customer Journey - MENA 2025"; "Excellence in Innovative Corporate Banking Service - MENA 2025". These awards reflect KIB's ongoing progress in financial awareness, customer experience, digital service development, and responsible banking.

Key 2025 highlights
 Issued a $300 million Sustainable Sukuk.

 Recorded KD 56 million in total ESG investments.

 Increased the total financing portfolio by 17%.

 Reduced total greenhouse gas emissions by 45%.

 Reduced electricity consumption by 24%.

 Reported emissions intensity of 7.62 tCO2e per employee.

 Increased workforce size by 12% to 833 employees.

 Achieved 73.22% Kuwaiti workforce representation.

 Improved the Organizational Health Index to 77%.

 Reduced customer complaints by 52%.

 Invested KD 237,000 in community development initiatives.

 Advanced digital banking services, including VISA Direct, instant card issuance, digital KYC updates, Western Union remittances, and enhanced ITM services.

Kuwait Times