Absa Receives Global Recognition For Water and Energy Efficiency Investments

Absa Bank Kenya has received the Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies (EDGE) global certification for integrating green building technologies in accordance with global standards.

The bank invested nearly Ksh 45 million in retrofitting its outlets through fitting energy efficient LED lights, reducing the bank’s carbon footprint significantly.

Moreover, water efficiency features were added to the buildings including, low flow taps, dual or 6-litre single flush toilets, low flow urinals and eco-friendly bottleless water dispensers.

The investments have reduced Absa’s energy and water costs by up to 30% and 33% respectively, saving the bank up to Ksh 25 million per year.

The bank was awarded the certificate by the International Finance Corporation’s (IFC) during the East Africa Property and Investment (EAPI) 2022 Summit in Nairobi.

Head of Sustainability, Jane Waiyaki, said the bank is purposefully realigning its business to eco-friendly practices including greening workspaces for long term positive impact on the environment and well-being of its employees.

“As a responsible business we are stepping up the efforts to complement the fight against climate change while achieving our goal of becoming a net zero organization by 2040. This EDGE Certification is a demonstration of the progress we are making in our sustainability commitment,” said Waiyaki.

IFC’s Head of Global Operations Corinne Figueredo said; “We are honoured to have Absa as a partner striving for a change in the building market. The EDGE certification is growing exponentially in Africa, and with partners like Absa, we can only see a promising future with accelerated adoption of green building technologies,”