Mukiri Muthuri
Head of Credit Analysis, Commercial Bank of Africa

Representing UNEP FI member: Commercial Bank of Africa (Kenya)

Connect with Mukiri Muthuri on LinkedIn

MOTIVATION STATEMENT

My motive as a credit risk professional, lies in ensuring sustainable growth in the development of financial services in Africa with a special focus on financial inclusion. The sustainability finance agenda fully ties in with this principle by ensuring we review the long term impact of all our lending decisions and access to Credit to all persons of various economic ability. I am also quite passionate about environmental issues and appreciate the opportunity to contribute in making a positive change to decisions touching on climate change, environmental degradation, resource scarcity and social exclusion.
As a special added value, I find the position provides the opportunity to network with other professionals from around the world in exchange of experience under sustainable finance initiatives.
This will be a valued opportunity to champion key initiatives under sustainable finance within the region to harness changes in financial institutions. This may include;

  • Membership drives across the region to increase signatories to the statement of commitment on sustainable development.
  • Engaging other relevant stakeholder’s e.g. regulators and public authorities in promoting the Sustainable finance agenda through implementation of polices and regulations.
  • Sharing of expertise and global best practices by the members with other financial institutions covering the economic, social and environmental sustainability dimensions.
  • Development of capacity building programs and training opportunities targeting especially strategy, credit risk and business development heads to embed the statement of commitment in their individual risk policies. This includes practical application of the principles in local context.
  • Development of technical assistance programs in reviewing green energy solutions.

BACKGROUND

My involvement with Sustainable financing started while at Standard Chartered Bank where I was involved in the roll out of the environmental and social risk assessment (ESRA) policy as the Head of the Credit initiation, Africa. The Group policy provided guidelines for prohibited and restricted business. I was involved in customizing the ESRA checklist to meet Africa specific needs and also in creation of a guideline providing questions that can be discussed with the customers during client visits and also how to identify concern areas.

In addition sustainability is a Key pillar at Commercial Bank of Africa achieved mainly by driving financial inclusion in supporting projects or segments which experience difficulties in obtaining finance. Specifically, I have been involved in championing the roll out of the Kenya Bankers Sustainable finance initiative (KBA SFI) where all Bank employees were mandated to complete a certification program.

CBA is also a Partner Bank to the AFD SUNREF program in East Africa  which provides for affordable credit lines through partner Banks for renewable energy and energy efficiency projects. In collaboration with the technical assistance team, we verify that the technical and financial viability of projects is met prior to proposing financing.

In June, I was a panelist at the Green finance conference organized by Africa Guarantee fund (AGF) where the focus was on growing Africa sustainably with a key focus on SMEs.  My focus was on the green financing solutions that Commercial Banks are offering with a highlight on some of CBA success stories.

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