Dhaka : IPDC Finance PLC. has been honored and recognized with two prestigious accolades at the AkijBashir Group Presents SDG Brand Champion Awards 2025, organized by the Bangladesh Brand Forum. These awards celebrate outstanding corporate contributions toward achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through innovative, inclusive, and impactful initiatives, according to a press release.
IPDC is recognized as the Most Sustainable Financial Institution of the Year – NBFI, for its overarching strategy “Finance for the Planet and People: IPDC’s Holistic SDG Driven Strategy.” This nationwide initiative integrates sustainability into IPDC’s core financial operations, championing green lending, climate risk management, and inclusive finance. In 2024 alone, IPDC disbursed BDT 38,552 million in sustainable and SDG-linked loans, accounting for 77.75% of total disbursements and 42.06% of all term loans, which is far exceeding the regulatory minimum set by Bangladesh Bank. The sustainable portfolio includes substantial investments in renewable energy, energy efficiency, waste management, ICT infrastructure, women-led enterprises, and green buildings. With innovative products such as Joyee and Priti for women entrepreneurs and specialized branches like Joyee 360, IPDC is not only delivering financial services but also fostering gender equity, financial inclusion, and climate resilience at scale.
IPDC further received second accolade for SDG Brand Champion in Equity, Diversity and Inclusion for its transformative project titled "Women-focused Climate Resilient Sustainable Agriculture for the Vulnerable Communities. Launched in October 2024 in collaboration with ActionAid International Bangladesh, this initiative operates in the Mogholhat and Kulaghat unions of Lalmonirhat Sadar Upazila in North Bengal. It aims to empower 100 marginalized women farmers by providing access to land, eco-friendly agricultural tools, climate-resilient seeds, training in organic farming and vermicomposting, and support in setting up a women-led market corner and seed bank. By addressing SDG 5 (Gender Equality), SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities), SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), and SDG 13 (Climate Action), the initiative demonstrates how climate resilience can go hand-in-hand with women’s economic empowerment and community-led development. Reflecting on this recognition, Rizwan Dawood Shams, Managing Director of IPDC Finance PLC., shared, “These awards are a testament to our belief that finance must go beyond numbers; it must empower people, protect the environment, and drive inclusive growth. Whether it’s helping rural women become climate-smart farmers or embedding ESG into every loan we disburse, our mission remains the same: to finance a better, more sustainable Bangladesh.” IPDC’s efforts in combining environmental consciousness with social inclusion exemplify how the private sector can lead national progress toward achieving the SDGs. As Bangladesh grapples with the dual challenges of climate change and economic disparity, IPDC’s purpose-driven approach provides a powerful blueprint for sustainable, scalable impact. With these two awards, IPDC Finance PLC. reaffirms its position as a trailblazer in the country’s sustainable finance landscape, strengthening its commitment to people, the planet, and prosperity.
