bKash has won the Gold Award in the ‘Excellence in Sustainable Product Innovation’ category at the ESG Excellence Awards 2026 for its green financial initiatives, the company said in a press release.
Major General Sheikh Md Monirul Islam (Retd), Chief External and Corporate Affairs Officer of bKash, received the award at a city hotel in Dhaka on Thursday. Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Abdul Awal Mintoo attended the event as the chief guest, which brought together senior government officials, diplomats, including heads of missions from the EU, Denmark, Sweden and Australia, and business leaders.
The awards were jointly organised by the ESG Institute Bangladesh and the UN Global Compact Network Bangladesh to recognise organisations demonstrating excellence in environmental, social and governance (ESG) practices.
bKash was recognised for integrating environmental responsibility and social empowerment into its digital financial ecosystem, according to the company.
The company said it saves around 1,200 metric tonnes of paper annually through 1.5 billion digital transactions conducted on its platform. The expansion of mobile financial services has also reduced customers’ travel to physical outlets, helping lower transport-related carbon emissions.
Beyond environmental gains, bKash said its digital financial ecosystem supports financial inclusion, women’s economic empowerment, digital salary disbursements, government-to-person payments, humanitarian assistance, remittances and access to formal financial products.
The company said its platform has facilitated financial aid for around 14 million beneficiaries, while its digital financial services have helped expand access to savings and formal credit.
“At bKash, we view ESG not as a separate agenda, but as an integral part of how we innovate, grow and create value,” Major General Sheikh Md Monirul Islam (Retd), Chief External and Corporate Affairs Officer of bKash, said.
“This recognition is particularly meaningful as it acknowledges how digital financial innovation can create shared value, advancing financial inclusion and economic empowerment while contributing to environmental sustainability,” he said.
bKash said it is also exploring technology-enabled afforestation initiatives that would link customer transaction milestones with tree planting and nurturing.
The inaugural edition of the ESG Excellence Awards recognised the contributions of 32 companies and three individuals across 20 categories, including energy transition, water stewardship, carbon emission control, occupational health and safety, worker wellbeing, skills development, gender equity, supply chain management, sustainability reporting and product and digital innovation.
