ABOUT

The Global Sustainable Finance Awards, organised by The Digital Banker, exist to honour and celebrate the world’s preeminent and ground-breaking financial institutions and their distinguished leadership contribution to driving sustainable finance and responsible investment practices across products, services, solutions, projects and initiatives.

The Digital Banker Awards celebrate the world’s most cutting-edge financial service providers that are pioneering unrivalled standards and capabilities and transforming the industry by setting new milestones in positively enhancing triple bottom line profitability, thereby benefiting all key stakeholders.

These awards are accolades of excellence and distinction, attributed to outstanding players; and provide unbiased and objective benchmarks for the global industry in advancing decarbonisation and managing net-zero transition risks. The Global Sustainable Finance Awards 2026 is the world’s only assessment programme dedicated to recognising excellence in incorporating environmental, social and governance (ESG) considerations across the financial services ecosystem.

If you identify your organisation and/or professionals as industry leaders that are pushing boundaries and championing best in class innovation across sustainable finance – we welcome, you to send in your nominations.

WHAT’S NEW THIS YEAR?

Sustainable finance takes on greater prominence in the 2026 awards, reflecting its growing role in capital allocation, risk management and long-term value creation across the financial system. In response, the programme introduces two new categories that address both the structuring of sustainability-linked instruments and the management of climate-related risk.

Best Sustainability Linked-Instrument – Overall recognises institutions that have demonstrated excellence in the structuring, execution and performance of sustainability-linked instruments across loans, bonds or hybrid formats, with clear and credible links between financial outcomes and sustainability targets.

Outstanding Climate Risk & Resilience Management Initiative acknowledges institutions that have strengthened their ability to identify, measure and manage climate-related risks, including physical and transition risk, through robust frameworks, data, governance and scenario analysis

WHY NOMINATE?

International finance is increasingly oriented towards addressing global challenges such as climate risk, social inclusion, and sustainable economic development. These priorities are reinforced by global frameworks such as the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals, Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero (GFANZ) and Climate Bonds Initiative.

Financial institutions (Fis) are committing capital to transition pathways and working towards carbon neutrality and net-zero objectives. The Fis are also strengthening governance, disclosure and risk management as sustainability considerations become integral to balance sheet and investment decisions towards attaining desired sustainability performance targets (SPTs).

According to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the sustainable finance market have reached approximately $7 trillion in 2023, reflecting a 20% year-on-year growth, driven by sustainable capital market products and sustained investor demand. Regulatory developments and public-sector initiatives continue to reinforce this momentum, providing clearer standards and incentives for ESG-aligned activity.

Sustainable finance is now a strategic discipline. Evidence links strong ESG investments can offer substantial competitive advantage in terms of financial performance and risk mitigation. Technological advancements have further facilitated the integration of ESG considerations into investment processes, making sustainable finance more accessible and efficient.

Today’s financial institutions are geared towards introducing and leveraging new processes, frameworks, products and services that are directly contributing to a reduction in emissions. Importantly, these institutions have enhanced their sustainable finance portfolios while strengthening efforts to maintain operational resiliency amid evolving risks. They are also looking to advancing business growth within a sustainable framework while also ensuring the strictest adherence to the highest ESG standards and practices.

Now, more than ever, it is imperative that FIs generate positive sustainability impacts through innovative business models and services aligned with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero (GFANZ) and Net Zero Banking Alliance (NZBA).

WHO CAN APPLY?

The Global Sustainable Finance Awards programme is open to organisations acrossthe financial services sector, including: landscape across numerous lines of business

Retail and SME banks
Wholesale and investment banks
Private banks and wealth managers
Asset managers and investment funds
Insurance companies
Fintech firms and technology solution providers
Corporate and institutional clients linked to eligible initiatives

JUDGING METHODOLOGY

Shortlisted nominees are selected on the qualitative and quantitative depth of their nominations. The Digital Banker research team will shortlist four institutions or individuals per category, which will then be put to our impartial panel of expert judges who will undertake a rigorous audit type process to carefully select the winners.

We use a proprietary, numerical and& qualitative scoring methodology which is applied to all submissions and augmented by assessment in: Innovation, Sustainability Impact, Responsible Investment, and& Finance Performance and Governance, keeping the focus on the issuance and development of ESG related financial instruments the institution has launched to date.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

Only projects that have been completed in H2 2025- will be accepted. Initiation of the project can be earlier – The Digital Banker does not require a specific commencement date. If a project was completed prior to 2025, the project will be accepted only if any updates have been made to it. We do not place a limit on the number of submissions per institution. Please be aware that multiple submissions by a single organisation for a single category will compete with each other.

A separate submission is required for each category. Please submit all the entries on the platform by choosing the correct category and award title.

REMINDERS

Entries received after the closing date will not be accepted any under circumstances.

We may request a further interview with the executive managing the programme or initiative that is being nominated. The objective of the interview is merely to gain deeper insights, (if needed) for the purposes of judging.

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