The Financial Times and IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, announced the short-lists for the 2008 FT Sustainable Banking Awards, the leading global awards for triple bottom line banking, on 16th April.  Asian entrants made it to the Banking at the Bottom of the Pyramid short-list (ASA, Bangladesh and ICICI Group, India) Sutainable Investor of the Year short-list (Aavishkaar India Micro Venture Capital Fund).  ABN AMRO India, Industrial Bank, China an YES Bank, India made it onto the regional short-list for Sustainable Emerging Markets Bank of the Year.

The awards, now in their third year, were created to recognise banks and other financial institutions that have shown leadership and innovation in integrating social, environmental and corporate governance considerations into their operations.

The programme has been growing in popularity since its launch in 2006. The number of entries received this year represents a  20  per cent increase on the 151 submitted in 2007, while the number of banks applying is up 25 per cent from the 103 institutions in 51 countries that entered last year. In the inaugural awards in 2006, 98 entries were received from 48 banks in 28 countries. This year, the nominees were selected from a record 182 entries from 129 institutions in 54 countries.

Entries were received in five categories: Sustainable Bank of the Year, Emerging Markets Sustainable Bank of the Year, Sustainable Deal of the Year, Banking at the Bottom of the Pyramid, and Sustainable Investor of the Year.  Banking at the Bottom of the Pyramid and Sustainable Investor of the Year were new categories for the 2008 edition, broadening the awards to financial institutions not directly involved in banking.