KFH highlights Islamic finance as catalyst for sustainable development

23/10/2025 06:21 AST

Kuwait Finance House (KFH) participated in the 2025 Forbes Sustainability Leaders Summit held in Abu Dhabi, UAE and convened global thought leaders to explore the future of sustainable finance. The summit was chaired by Dr Amna bint Abdullah Al-Dahak, the UAE's Minister of Climate Change and Environment.

KFH's participation in the summit reaffirms its leadership in sustainable Islamic finance and its commitment to driving inclusive and impactful investments in the region. KFH Head of Group Compliance and Governance, Meshal Alshayee participated in the opening ceremony of the summit, while Executive Manager Governance and Sustainability at KFH, Mohammad Alarbeed, participated in the summit as a speaker in a panel discussion themed "Planet-Proof Capital: Financing Innovation, Inclusion and the Green Transition". This session explored how purpose-driven capital is financing climate tech, empowering SMEs, and delivering inclusive, long-term national value beyond financial returns.

Alarbeed emphasized the intrinsic alignment between Islamic finance and sustainability, stating: "Islamic Finance isn't new to sustainability-it is sustainable finance at its core. Its principles of prohibiting harm (darar), promoting public interest (maslaha) and stewarding wealth and resources (amanah) represent the original ESG framework. At KFH, we view the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a modern reflection of 'Maqasid Al-Shariah'-the objectives of Islamic law."

Alarbeed showcased KFH's innovative approach to green finance, including Green Sukuk: A Sharia-compliant instrument that ties investor funds directly to tangible green projects such as solar farms and water treatment plants. "KFH has been at the forefront of structuring and distributing Green Sukuk to fund the region's transition," he noted.

He explained that KFH uses Murabaha to provide preferential financing for its customers to build or renovate their homes according to the best environmental practices to support the bank's vision in meeting the current and future needs of Kuwaiti society using sustainable approaches and positively magnify these effects on the social and economic aspects of our country.

Addressing the importance of meaningful sustainability reporting, Alarbeed said: "True value is created when sustainability is integrated into core strategy-not just the annual report. At KFH, we've conducted double materiality assessments to understand both how sustainability affects our business and how our business impacts society and the environment." He also highlighted KFH's commitment to transparency and accountability through third-party verification of ESG reports, and its proactive stance against greenwashing.

On the topic of ecosystem collaboration, Alarbeed called for stronger alignment between regulators, capital markets, and financial institutions. "No single institution can drive the green transition alone. We need a synchronized ecosystem where regulation is empowering, markets price-in sustainability and banks innovate. Blended finance mechanisms are key to ensuring inclusive growth and leaving no one behind.

It's worth noting that at the summit, KFH won the Most Sustainable Projects in the Middle East award for 2025 from Forbes Middle East magazine. This recognition is for the bank's sustainability initiatives, which included investing $934.45 million in sustainability and green Sukuk in 2024.

KFH has consistently demonstrated excellence in achieving sustainability milestones. It achieved MSCI ESG "A" rating by Morgan Stanely. KFH was also included in the FTSE4Good for its exceptional performance in the ESG practices and commitment to sustainable finance. Additionally, KFH Auto Showroom won the GSAS Gold Level Sustainability Assessment Certificate, the first environmentally friendly building that fully complies with sustainability standards.

KFH signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and an agreement on the Women's Empowerment Principles (WEPs).

The bank organized the first-ever Sustainable Business Program for SMEs, which is designed to give these businesses a competitive advantage and help them achieve their goals. KFH continues its "Keep It Green" initiative, emphasizing its role in enhancing environmental protection and reducing carbon emissions for a more sustainable future. KFH is the first institution to issue impact measurement reports. It is also the first bank to release annual Sustainability Report as well as Carbon Footprint Report, which include valuable insights, and detailed plans that outline the efforts to reduce carbon emissions.

Kuwait Times