Guardian Life Insurance Limited has been honoured as the “Most Sustainable Financial Institution of the Year – Insurance” at the SDG Brand Champion Awards 2026.
The company was recognised for the significant impact of “Guardian BRAC Bima”, an inclusive insurance initiative designed to ensure that low-income families are not burdened with debt following the loss of a loved one, reads a press release.
Organised by the Bangladesh Brand Forum and the Sustainable Brand Initiative under the Bangladesh Innovation Conclave, the awards celebrate initiatives that make measurable contributions toward the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Launched in 2015 through a partnership between Guardian Life and BRAC, the Guardian BRAC Bima programme embeds insurance protection within BRAC’s microfinance ecosystem.
It currently operates through nearly 3,300 BRAC branches across all 64 districts and protects approximately 1.22 crore people, including borrowers and their eligible spouses. The majority of beneficiaries are women from low-income households participating in BRAC’s microfinance programme.
For families with limited financial safeguards, the death of an earning member often creates a secondary crisis as outstanding loan obligations place savings and livelihoods at risk.
Guardian BRAC Bima addresses this by settling covered loan liabilities, helping families avoid inheriting debt during their most difficult moments.
The scale of the initiative’s impact is reflected in its claims settlement data. In 2025 alone, the programme settled 39,243 claims amounting to approximately BDT 241.96 crore. Since its inception in 2015, the initiative has settled claims worth roughly BDT 1,415 crore.
Commenting on the achievement, Sheikh Rakibul Karim, FCA, Chief Executive Officer of Guardian Life Insurance Limited said, “This recognition belongs to every family whose future has been protected through Guardian BRAC Bima.”
“Together with BRAC, we have worked to ensure that families are not left to carry the additional burden of debt during such a difficult time. We remain committed to extending meaningful insurance protection to more underserved communities across Bangladesh”, Rakibul added.
Guardian BRAC Bima contributes directly to several SDGs, including SDG 1 (No Poverty), SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), SDG 5 (Gender Equality), SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).
By primarily serving women, the initiative strengthens the financial resilience of women-led and low-income households.
In the year 2026, the SDG Brand Champion Awards received 472 nominations across 19 categories. Following a multi-stage evaluation by seven grand jury panels comprising 27 experts, 59 initiatives were recognised for their measurable contributions to sustainable development in Bangladesh.
