The Global Alliance for Banking on Values is spotlighting AI and climate change at its Asia-Pacific meeting in Sri Lanka, showing how ethical and sustainable banking practices can transform value-based finance globally.
Global Alliance for Banking on Values focuses on sustainable finance in Sri Lanka
The Global Alliance for Banking on Values is convening its Asia-Pacific Chapter meeting in Colombo to focus on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and climate change, exploring how these forces shape value-based banking. From October 15-16, top CEOs and senior leaders from 20 countries will meet to discuss strategies for integrating ethical, inclusive, and sustainable finance practices across communities and economies.
Sarvodaya Development Finance PLC (SDF), one of the two Sri Lankan members of the Global Alliance for Banking on Values, is hosting the event alongside the annual GABV Board Meeting. This marks the first time Colombo has welcomed the global leadership of the alliance, positioning Sri Lanka as a hub for sustainable finance discussions in the region.
Martin Rohner, Executive Director of the Global Alliance for Banking on Values, emphasized that AI is critical for value-based banks to remain competitive. “AI can help banks reduce costs, serve customers more efficiently, and deliver on their social mission,” Rohner said. He highlighted an example from a U.S. bank that leveraged AI to identify lending biases, increasing loan volumes while lowering non-performing loans.
The meeting will also spotlight climate finance. Members of the Global Alliance for Banking on Values have committed to ambitious net-zero targets, ensuring that loans, investments, and financial activities are climate-neutral. Banks are focusing on both mitigation and helping clients adapt to climate impacts, reflecting a holistic approach to sustainable finance.
Delegates will participate in immersive sessions designed for peer exchange and collaboration with policymakers and civil society leaders. Attendees include board members and senior representatives from leading institutions such as Sunrise Banks (USA), Southern Bancorp (USA), Qudos Bank (Australia), EkoBanken (Sweden), Centenary Bank (Uganda), Bank Maumalat (Malaysia), BRAC Bank (Bangladesh), and banks from India, Nepal, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Papua New Guinea, and Kyrgyzstan.
Nilantha Jayanatti, CEO of Sarvodaya Development Finance, expressed the event’s significance for Sri Lanka: “Hosting the Global Alliance for Banking on Values meeting is more than a conference; it is a reflection and renewal of our commitment to sustainable lending and SME empowerment. Finance must rediscover its moral compass to serve people, planet, and prosperity in equal measure.”
Founded in 2009, the Global Alliance for Banking on Values now includes over 70 independent banks, credit unions, and microfinance institutions. Its members serve more than 60 million customers across 45 countries, with combined assets exceeding USD 200 billion, all committed to using finance for economic, social, and environmental development.
As AI and climate change continue to reshape financial systems worldwide, the Global Alliance for Banking on Values meeting in Colombo underscores how value-based banking can drive long-term impact. By integrating technology and sustainability, the alliance demonstrates that ethical banking is not just morally responsible—it is also competitive and transformative.