Mobilink Bank has once again achieved top honors on the State Bank of Pakistan’s (SBP) Women Friendliness Grid, scoring an impressive 82.7 in the recent Banking on Equality scorecard. This is the second consecutive year the bank has led in this initiative, marking a substantial rise from last year’s score of 71.79. Mobilink Bank’s accomplishment underscores its dedication to creating an inclusive financial landscape for women, particularly in the Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector.
The Women Friendliness Grid, developed by SBP, serves as a key metric for evaluating the accessibility and inclusivity of financial services offered to women across Pakistan. Mobilink Bank’s approach emphasizes strategic programming and partnerships, fostering an environment supportive of women entrepreneurs and borrowers, particularly in regions where access to financial resources remains a challenge.
Mobilink Bank’s Women Inspirational Network (WIN) program has been instrumental in this mission, offering financial training to over 20,000 women nationwide. In collaboration with Care Pakistan, the bank has further empowered 1,500 women in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) through skill-building initiatives, providing practical tools to boost their economic independence. Another impactful initiative, the Bint-e-Hawwa program, disbursed PKR 6.96 billion in loans to women in 2022, and in 2023, this amount increased to over PKR 10.6 billion, marking a 50% growth in financial support for women entrepreneurs.
Interim CEO of Mobilink Bank, Haaris Mahmood Chaudhary, expressed pride in the bank’s recent achievement, remarking, “Achieving an 82.7 score on the Women Friendliness Grid is a testament to our commitment to financial inclusivity and innovation. This milestone reflects our dedication to empowering women entrepreneurs, driving digital inclusion, and embedding sustainability into our operations. We will continue to focus on creating meaningful opportunities that foster gender equality and environmental responsibility.”
Mobilink Bank’s dedication to fostering gender equity is also reflected in its MSME lending portfolio, with 40% of its loans directed towards MSMEs, totaling PKR 24.34 billion. A portion of these resources specifically supports women-led businesses, a strategy the bank considers essential for creating sustainable economic opportunities. Further demonstrating its commitment, Mobilink Bank has ensured that 33% of its leadership roles are held by women. To support working parents, the bank has implemented policies for childcare, enhanced maternity and paternity leave, and transport allowances, ensuring an inclusive workplace environment.
The bank’s commitment to female inclusion is also evident in its staffing efforts. With the introduction of the Women Returnship Program – MobilinkHer, the bank is building a strong talent pool of women interns and expanding female representation in its workforce. Currently, women make up 16% of Mobilink Bank’s team, a notable rise from 7% just four years ago, marking a 42% year-on-year increase from 2020 to 2024.
Additionally, Mobilink Bank’s commitment to women extends into agriculture financing, a sector that forms 44% of its loan portfolio, with 25% allocated specifically to women-led agribusinesses. This allocation not only supports women farmers but also reinforces the bank’s role in stimulating broader economic growth in rural Pakistan.
As a member of the VEON Group, Mobilink Bank is part of a global digital network serving nearly 160 million customers across six markets, reaching approximately 7% of the world’s population. Mobilink Bank’s consistent leadership on the SBP’s Women Friendliness Grid signals its impactful role in promoting gender equality, financial empowerment, and economic growth for women in Pakistan.