Certification includes Platinum and Gold level ratings, the highest rating achievable internationally

Dubai, UAE: Emirates NBD, a leading banking group in the MENAT (Middle East, North Africa and Türkiye) region has been awarded the prestigious leadership in Energy and Environmental Design LEED certification for twelve of its branches by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).

Seven of Emirates NBD’s branches in the UAE, located at Yas Mall, Al Reem Mall, Al Barsha Branch, Mirdif City Centre, Sharjah City Centre and Deira City Centre, have been certified LEED Platinum and Al Zahia Mall branch has been certified LEED Gold, marking a significant milestone in Emirates NBD’s sustainability commitments.

In Saudi Arabia, Emirates NBD became the first bank to achieve LEED Platinum certification for its KAFD branch. This recognition was in addition to the recent six branches in Saudi Arabia awarded LEED gold certificates, which included the branches in Jeddah Trio Branch, Al Shefa Branch, Qourtobah Branch and Anas Bin Malik Branches in Riyadh in addition to Jubail Branch and Qassim Buraida Branch. The standout sustainability innovations across all Emirates NBD branches receiving the LEED certification were; optimised energy performance, waste management, water use reduction, use of low-emitting materials and thermal comfort.

Commenting on the achievement, Eman Abdulrazzaq, Group Chief Operating Officer at Emirates NBD, said: “We are delighted to achieve LEED Platinum and Gold ratings across Fourteen of our UAE and Saudi Arabia bringing our total LEED certified branches to 27. This reflects our commitment to achieving the highest standard of green building performance and reducing operational emissions as part of our broader ESG Strategy.

Vijay Bains, Chief Sustainability Officer and Group Head of ESG at Emirates NBD, said: “Emirates NBD’s commitment to delivering global standards for sustainability in line with the UAE’s Net Zero goals and our COP28 commitments is clearly demonstrated through our achievement of Platinum and Gold LEED certification numerous branches in the UAE and Saudi Arabia. Emirates NBD is dedicated to ensuring that our branches use cutting edge technology and innovation in the built environment, so we play a key role in creating a healthy and sustainable future.

This accomplishment positions Emirates NBD as the leading bank in MENA region with the highest number of LEED branches certified. This achievement is a testament to our adherence to our sustainability goals and demonstrates how Emirates NBD leads by example when it comes to sustainability and embraces innovation in our operations.”

The LEED framework, developed by USGBC, is the foremost program recognised for implementing several sustainable strategies including energy efficiency, water conservation, waste management, transportation, and human experience. LEED is the most widely used sustainable buildings rating system in the world. It provides a framework for healthy, highly efficient and cost-saving sustainable buildings and has gained global recognition for its comprehensive approach to evaluating and certifying sustainable building practices.

Emirates NBD first received LEED certification across several of its branches in 2020, making it the first bank in the region to achieve this accolade. Emirates NBD Group was the Principal Banking Partner for the 28th edition of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28), being held in Dubai, UAE in 2023 and is a key contributor to the UAE’s Sustainability agenda. The Group is a signatory to the UAE Climate-Responsible Companies Pledge initiated by the UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, in support of the UAE’s Net Zero 2050 Initiative.

About Emirates NBD

Emirates NBD (DFM: Emirates NBD) is a leading banking group in the MENAT (Middle East, North Africa and Türkiye) region with a presence in 13 countries, serving over 9 million active customers. As at 31st March 2024, total assets were AED 902 billion, (equivalent to approx. USD 246 billion). The Group has operations in the UAE, Egypt, India, Türkiye, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Singapore, the United Kingdom, Austria, Germany, Russia and Bahrain and representative offices in China and Indonesia with a total of 858 branches and 4,450 ATMs / SDMs. Emirates NBD is the leading financial services brand in the UAE with a Brand value of USD 3.89 billion.   

Emirates NBD Group serves its customers (individuals, businesses, governments, and institutions) and helps them realise their financial objectives through a range of banking products and services including retail banking, corporate and institutional banking, Islamic banking, investment banking, private banking, asset management, global markets and treasury, and brokerage operations. The Group is a key participant in the global digital banking industry with 97% of all financial transactions and requests conducted outside of its branches. The Group also operates Liv, the lifestyle digital bank by Emirates NBD, with close to half a million users, it continues to be the fastest-growing bank in the region. 

Emirates NBD contributes to the construction of a sustainable future as an active participant and supporter of the UAE’s main development and sustainability initiatives, including financial wellness and the inclusion of people of determination. Emirates NBD is committed to supporting the UAE’s Year of Sustainability as Principal Banking Partner of COP28 and an early supporter to the Dubai Can sustainability initiative, a city-wide initiative aimed to reduce use of single-use plastic bottled water. 

For further information on Emirates NBD, please contact:
Ibrahim Sowaidan
Senior Vice President
Head - Group Corporate Affairs
Emirates NBD
Telephone: +971 4 609 4113 / +971 50 6538937
e-mail: ibrahims@emiratesnbd.com

asda’a bcw
Dubai, UAE
Tel: 971-4-4507600;
Email: emiratesnbd@bm.com