NIBAF Pakistan has announced a one-day training programme titled “ESG Fundamentals: Navigating the Sustainability Landscape” for banking professionals seeking to strengthen their understanding of environmental, social and governance principles and their application in sustainable banking. The training is scheduled for November 5, 2026, from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM at NIBAF Pakistan in Karachi. The programme will be facilitated by Rashid Azeem, a banking professional with more than 24 years of experience in compliance, audit and environmental, social and governance-related work. The training is designed to help participants understand sustainability considerations in banking operations, risk assessment and business decision-making as financial institutions increasingly address environmental and social risks.
The programme is intended for mid-to-senior-level banking professionals and employees working in green banking and ESG teams. Its target audience also includes risk managers, credit underwriters, corporate bankers, and professionals responsible for compliance and strategy. These roles are relevant to the integration of ESG considerations into financial institutions because lending decisions, corporate assessments, risk controls and business strategies can be affected by environmental and social factors. The training aims to provide participants with a clearer understanding of how ESG principles can be applied in their professional responsibilities and incorporated into banking processes.
A key part of the programme will focus on ESG risk management and sustainability reporting. ESG risk management involves identifying and assessing potential risks associated with environmental conditions, social issues and governance practices that may affect businesses and their financial performance. For banks, this can be relevant when evaluating borrowers, assessing credit exposure and determining whether business activities meet internal policies or wider sustainability expectations. Sustainability reporting, meanwhile, helps organisations communicate their environmental and social impacts, governance practices and progress against relevant objectives. Understanding these areas can support banking professionals in assessing corporate clients and strengthening the quality of information used in financial and risk-related decisions.
The training will also cover carbon footprint measurement and net-zero roadmaps. Carbon footprint measurement helps organisations estimate the greenhouse gas emissions associated with their activities, while net-zero roadmaps set out steps for reducing emissions over time. These subjects are becoming increasingly relevant to businesses assessing their environmental impact and planning changes to their operations. Banking professionals who understand these concepts can better engage with corporate customers on sustainability-related issues and assess how environmental objectives may influence business plans, financing requirements and risk profiles. The programme will also introduce participants to global ESG frameworks intended to guide sustainability practices and reporting.
According to the announcement, Rashid Azeem brings more than 24 years of experience in banking compliance, audit and ESG. He has led ESG risk management and governance initiatives at United Bank Limited (UBL) and has expertise in international sustainability frameworks, including the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD), Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB), Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Equator Principles. These frameworks and initiatives address different aspects of sustainability disclosure, environmental and social risk management, and responsible business practices. Familiarity with them can help banking professionals understand the approaches used by organisations and financial institutions to evaluate and communicate sustainability-related risks and performance.
NIBAF Pakistan has set the training fee at Rs18,000 per participant, plus applicable taxes. The nomination deadline is November 4, 2026, one day before the scheduled programme. Interested organisations and participants can seek nomination details and further information by contacting registration@nibaf.gov.pk or marketing@nibaf.org.pk. The listed telephone numbers are 021-35277511 and 051-9269850. NIBAF Pakistan has advised interested participants to refer to the training flyer for further details. The programme offers banking professionals an opportunity to develop their understanding of ESG concepts and explore how sustainability considerations can be incorporated into risk management, reporting and broader banking practices.
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