Trinidad group joins UN initiative

Port of Spain – The Trinidad-based Republic Financial Holdings Limited (RFHL) says it has become an official signatory of the United Nations Principles for Responsible Banking, a single framework for a sustainable banking industry developed through a partnership with banks worldwide and the United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI).

“We are proud to be the first signatory in the English-Speaking Caribbean to the UNEP FI Principles for Responsible Banking. As we go forward at a Group level we intend to spread this out, and let Republic Bank be the cheerleader of this initiative for the Caribbean,” said RFHL President and chief executive officer, Nigel Baptister.

The Principles for Responsible Banking set out the banking industry’s role and responsibility in shaping a sustainable future and aligns the banking sector with the objectives of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) and the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement.

These principles enable a bank to embed sustainability across all its business areas and to identify potential opportunities to make the most impact in contributing to a sustainable world.

Except for the British Virgin Islands and Anguilla, all countries in which RFHL operates have signed up to the SDGs target and the Paris Climate Agreement.

“We will be setting targets for the Group that will carry us forward into 2030” Baptiste added, “we hope to make a difference in poverty, education, the role of women in society, climate change, sustainable agricultural practices, the blue economy and more. From a Republic Group’s perspective, our commitment is to make a positive difference,” Baptiste said. (CMC)