Three Bangladeshi companies have made a new place in Bloomberg’s Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) list. As a result, the number of Bangladeshi companies on the list has increased to 10. All 10 companies on the list are listed in the capital market of Bangladesh. The issue of sustainable development in the corporate world of Bangladesh has emerged in the recently published Bloomberg update.
Six of the 10 local companies that have made it to this prestigious list are domestically developed companies.
The three new companies included in the list are BSRM Limited, LafargeHolcim Bangladesh and MJL Bangladesh. The remaining seven companies nominated for this list according to the 2023 Sustainable Development Release are BAT Bangladesh (BATB), Grameenphone, Marico Bangladesh, BRAC Bank, IDLC Finance, Square Pharmaceuticals and Walton Hi-Tech Industries. This achievement also highlights the technological innovation of the companies. For example, BSRM has adopted innovative approaches to water recycling and air pollution prevention.
Again, LafargeHolcim Bangladesh is working towards achieving net-zero carbon emissions through its four sustainable development pillars of climate, recyclability, nature and people. BAT Bangladesh is the only company in the country to have achieved the Alliance for Water Stewardship’s core certification for sustainable water management across all its production areas.
In this regard, IDLC Finance CEO M Jamal Uddin said, “Our ESG score has increased due to leading with a purpose. We are making our will a reality by transparently disclosing our carbon emissions, committing to an ambitious goal of net-zero carbon emissions, and investing in green and sustainable finance.”
Bloomberg voluntarily collects data from companies’ sustainability initiatives for this list. This assessment gives more importance to quantitative information than qualitative information. This achievement highlights Bangladesh’s progress in sustainable development and global recognition in the context of ESG. BAT Bangladesh, which was included in this list last year, is working towards achieving carbon neutrality in its direct operations by 2030. The company is considered a pioneer in publishing ESG reports.
Shabab Ahmed Chowdhury, Head of Corporate and Regulatory Affairs, BAT Bangladesh, said, “We are delighted to be recognized by Bloomberg as one of the top 10 companies in the country for working on sustainability. This recognition highlights our commitment to sustainable development and our efforts to play an important role in the development of the country.”
He said, “We are the only company in the country to have received the AWS Core Certificate to ensure sustainable water management in all our factories, which has set an example in responsible management of resources. In addition, we are moving forward on the path to achieving carbon neutrality in our operations by 2030. This recognition will further encourage us in our sustainable development activities and will play a role in building a better future for all our stakeholders and communities.”
LafargeHolcim Bangladesh CEO Mohammad Iqbal Chowdhury said that their parent company is a global leader in innovative and sustainable building solutions. Their company is working to achieve the goal of zero carbon emissions.
