KUWAIT CITY, Sept 7: Burgan Bank announced that it has been awarded the prestigious Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design- LEED v4.1 O+M: EB (Operations and Maintenance - Existing Buildings) Gold Certification by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) for operations and maintenance at its head office building in Kuwait City. This notable achievement underscores the Bank’s commitment to sustainability, operational excellence, and environmental stewardship while adhering to the highest standards of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) practices in banking.

“Obtaining the LEED Gold certification for our existing building is a testament to our rigorous efforts to retrofit and optimize the operational performance of our head office, improve our staff’s health, and protect the environment,” Mr. Fadel Abdullah, Chief Executive Officer – Kuwait at Burgan Bank, said. “This certification demonstrates that our building meets the highest standards for energy consumption, lighting, water and materials use, along with sustainable practices and strategies. Stemming from our commitment to the welfare of our community and the health of our environment, we spare no effort to ensure that Burgan Bank reduces its carbon footprint and contributes effectively to the global movement for environmental preservation, which echoes our commitment and strategy for long term sustainability.”

”The journey to receiving the LEED Gold certification for Burgan’s head office building was marked by meticulous planning and dedication”, Mr. Fadel noted. “Retrofitting the head office to meet these stringent standards required a comprehensive approach that included several initiatives, such as implementing updated energy savings systems and water-saving fixtures and enhancing indoor air quality. Other initiatives that focused on reducing the environmental footprint through optimizing energy efficiency include the installation of motion sensors for lighting, solar panels for external signages, and electric vehicle (EV) charging stations, in addition to minimizing the reliance on single-use plastics at the Bank.”

The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification is a globally recognized symbol of excellence in green building design and architecture, awarded for projects that meet certain criteria for electricity cost savings, lower carbon emissions, and building healthier living, working, and learning environments, and is valid for three years. The key metrics that projects are evaluated on to receive the certification include energy and water use, waste management, air quality, user comfort, and staff commuting. On this premise, the certification was awarded to Burgan Bank in recognition of its efforts in optimizing the head office and its overall building performance, enhancing the quality of the indoor environment, and reducing environmental impact through sustainable practices in operations and maintenance.

It serves to note that Burgan Bank remains a dedicated champion of environmental awareness and a committed advocate of ESG standards. In addition to its outstanding performance in  operations and maintenance to meet global standards, Burgan Bank continues to innovate digital banking products and services that contribute to its efforts in reducing its carbon footprint, such as introducing virtual bank cards, constantly advancing “Banki” chatbot the virtual assistant, and enabling customers to open new accounts conveniently through Burgan Bank’s digital banking portals, among a wider range of digital transformation initiatives and innovations.