PETALING JAYA: SME Bank merekodkan satu lagi terbitan Sukuk Kelestarian menerusi proses penetapan harga yang mencatatkan permintaan sebanyak RM536 juta, melebihi jumlah awal yang disasarkan iaitu RM300 juta.

Presiden Kumpulan dan Ketua Pegawai Eksekutifnya, Datuk Dr. Aria Putera Ismail berkata, Sukuk Kelestarian tersebut berjaya menetapkan harga terbitan pada kadar keuntungan kompetitif sebanyak 4.04 peratus walaupun berdepan dengan persekitaran pasaran yang mencabar.

Katanya, sukuk itu menerima permintaan yang baik daripada institusi pembiayaan tempatan, syarikat pengurusan dana dan insurans serta syarikat pelaburan berkaitan kerajaan.

“Ini sekali gus menandakan tahap keyakinan yang tinggi daripada komuniti pelaburan terhadap keupayaan SME Bank untuk memenuhi mandatnya dalam membimbing dan membangunkan perusahan kecil dan sederhana (PKS),” katanya dalam kenyataan.

Sementara itu, Ketua Perbendaharaan, Mohd. Nazri Abu Samah berkata, hasil daripada terbitan tersebut akan digunakan untuk membiayai projek berkaitan Alam Sekitar, Tadbir Urus Sosial (ESG). 

“Selain itu, SME Bank juga dapat menawarkan penyelesaian pembiayaan yang lebih inovatif untuk perusahaan kecil dan sederhana. 

“Program Sukuk Wakalah jaminan bukan kerajaan SME Bank ini telah diberi penarafan AAA oleh Malaysian Rating Corporation Bhd. dan juga standard Emas, penarafan tertinggi untuk rangka kerja Sukuk Kelestarian agensi penarafan itu,” ujarnya.

SME Bank kini sedang dalam proses penerimagunaan ESG secara menyeluruh dan komprehensif dalam operasinya.

Bank itu juga dalam tahun kedua pelaksanaan Pelan Hala Tuju Kemapanan Tiga Tahun yang mana tumpuan menginstitusikan budaya ESG di seluruh bank dan mewujudkan kesedaran ESG secara maksimum dengan pelanggan dan menetapkan Rangka Kerja Matlamat Pembangunan Lestari (SDG) yang komprehensif dan tersendiri. – UTUSAN

Source : Utusan Malaysia Online, 26 July 2022

Kuala Lumpur – SME Bank has been stepping up its Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) agenda in its business operations since the formation of its three-year Sustainability Roadmap in 2021 (Roadmap) and the successful issuance of its maiden Sustainability Sukuk of RM500 million also in 2021.

SME Bank Group President / Chief Executive Officer, (Dr.) Aria Putera Ismail said, “The Roadmap outlines SME Bank’s near-term objectives and longer-term goals and commitments in embedding ESG DNA in its business operations. The Roadmap is segregated into three phases which include ESG Initiation & Streamlining Business Focus, ESG Implementation & Streamlining Non-Business Focus and ESG Adoption & Continuous Improvements towards Sustainability.” 

Aria added, “As we continue with the second year of implementing the Roadmap, the focus is now on institutionalising ESG culture across the Bank, creating maximum ESG awareness with the customers and establishing our own comprehensive and customized Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Framework. Development of the SDG Framework involves several key milestones such as the materiality assessment amongst the Bank’s various stakeholders, identifying the gaps and aligning the Bank’s strategies with the ESG goals.”   

SME Bank Head, Sustainability & Strategic Management, Zakiah Mat Esa said, “Overall, the Bank’s sustainability journey is centered on three pillars namely Responsible Banking, Responsible Business Practices and Creating Social Impact. In addition, SME Bank’s sustainability agenda is also aligned with Bank Negara Malaysia’s Performance Measurement Framework.

Zakiah added, “Basically, the term “ESG” and “Sustainability” are used interchangeably and shall bring to the same meaning. Presently, we are in the midst of conducting a survey on the materiality issues with selected stakeholders which include customers, relevant ministries, agencies, employees, NGOs, local communities, chambers of commerce, associations, vendors and investors. The findings from the survey will enable the Bank to identify what issues are important to these stakeholders and from there, the Bank will formulate the relevant strategies to achieve our sustainability goals which are aligned with the United Nation Sustainability Development Goals (SDG).” 

The measures taken thus far by SME Bank indicates that it is on the right track in achieving its sustainability goals. One of the important elements that is being given priority is making ESG as a culture across the Bank. This is being done by having continuous and impactful activities with the staff. The official tagline used by SME Bank on this sustainability effort is, “Think Sustainably, Act Responsibly”. It was derived from a competition organised for the staff.

Amongst the ESG activities that were conducted was the Blood Donation Drive where a total 56 bags of blood was collected from the Bank’s staff and the general public at Menara SME Bank on 17 June 2022. SME Bank and its Sports and Recreation Club have also collaborated with the Penang State Forestry Department and planted 1,300 mangrove trees in the Balik Pulau Forest Reserve on 25 June 2022. Organized in conjunction with the “Green Future Ride 2022 SME Bank” from Kuala Lumpur to Penang, the tree planting program was participated by 179 staff. This is also part of the SME Bank’s initiative in supporting the Government’s campaign to plant 100 million trees by 2025.

As for the issuance of the Sustainable Sukuk, SME Bank was the first Development Financial Institution (DFI) to undertake the exercise and it has been acknowledged locally and internationally. SME Bank Sustainable Sukuk was honored with various prestigious awards; amongst others, the “Best ASEAN Green SRI Sukuk” from Alpha South East Asia, the “Best Sustainability Sukuk for 2021” from The Asset Triple A and “SRI & ESG Deal of the Year Awards” from Islamic Finance News. Let’s take this sustainability journey together towards achieving our Shared Prosperity Vision 2030. 

Source : Malaysia SME Online, 20 July 2022

SME Bank meluluskan pembiayaan kepada lebih 21,000 usahawan perusahaan kecil dan sederhana (PKS) berjumlah hampir RM38.5 bilion sejak penubuhannya pada 2005. Presiden Kumpulan dan Ketua Pegawai Eksekutifnya, Dr Aria Putera Ismail, berkata untuk tahun ini, SME Bank menyasarkan pertumbuhan pembiayaan kasar sebanyak RM500 juta berbanding sasaran sebanyak RM450 juta pada tahun lalu dengan kelulusan pembiayaan sebanyak RM3 bilion bagi 2022.

Source : Berita Harian, 25 July 2022