MICROFINANCE EVENT: The FT and IFC 2008 Sustainable Banking Awards for Microfinance Institutions and Investors Extended Entry Deadline to March 10

 The 2008 Financial Times Sustainable Banking Awards has extended their submission deadline to March 10. The awards will be presented in London on June 3, 2008 following the 2008 FT/IFC Sustainable Banking Conference.

Previously, the FT and IFC Sustainable Banking Awards had focused solely on banking institutions. This year, in hopes of recognizing non-bank MFIs, two new categories have been added: Award for Banking at the Bottom of the Pyramid, and Sustainable Investor of the Year. Submissions for these categories are open to private equity firms, asset management companies, and other non-banking institutions.

Three bank-specific categories will also be included in the 2008 awards ceremony: Sustainable Bank of the Year, Emerging Markets Sustainable Bank of the Year and Sustainable Deal of the Year.

Started in 2006, in partnership with the World Bank’s International Finance Corporation (IFC), the FT Sustainable Banking Awards recognizes banks and now MFIs that have shown leadership and innovation in integrating social, environmental and corporate governance objectives into their operations.

This year’s judging panel will include Elizabeth Littlefield, CEO of the Consultative Group to Assist the Poor (CGAP), a multi-donor organization that helps to provide large-scale sustainable financial services to the poor. Littlefield is one of the World Bank’s senior spokespeople on microfinance.

Richard Laing, Chief Executive of CDC Group Ltd, a UK-Government owned sustainable development fund, and Jonathan Lash, President of the World Resources Institute (WRI), a leading environmental think-tank will also join Littlefield among the panel of judges.

The judging panel will be co-chaired by John William, UK business editor for the Financial Times and Rachel Kyte, the Director of Environment and Social Development, IFC.

The 2007 Financial Times Sustainable Banking Awards drew 151 entries from 103 institutions in 51 countries with awards given out to the following institutions:

By Melissa Duscha

Additional Resources:

The 2008 Financial Times Sustainable Banking Awards

Consultative Group to Assist the Poor

Financial Times

International Finance Corporation

Press Release: Financial Times and IFC Launch 2008 Sustainable Banking Awards

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