Standard Chartered: Accelerating zero

First-ever USD-denominated green issuance by a Pakistani corporation

Acting as a Joint Bookrunner, we successfully priced a USD 500 million 10-year RegS Green bond for the Pakistan Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA). This issuance marked WAPDA's inaugural entry into the international capital markets and is the first-ever USD-denominated Green Issuance by a Pakistani corporation. The Orderbook peaked at USD 2.8 billion and closed at USD 2.2 billion (4.4x oversubscribed).

Empowering green manufacturing

Standard Chartered proudly contributes to the sustainability journey of Century Paper & Board Mills Limited. The company uses FCS-Certified wood pulps, agricultural residuals and recycled material, procured with the aid of our LCs and local payments via our Straight2Bank platform. This approach exemplifies how we are partnering with our clients for the greener future in Pakistan.

Transforming waste into resource

We're actively facilitating solutions, like financing the import of Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified wood pulp and supporting the local purchase of recyclable materials for Bulleh Shah Packaging. We're also financing the import of new technology that reduces the reliance on virgin wood pulp. This helps protect our precious forests.

Reversing Pakistan's carbon footprint through renewable energy financing

We are proud to support renewable energy initiatives for our clients. Through a renewable energy financing programme, we provided a long-term solar financing loan to Unilever for the installation of solar solutions for their factories. These solar solutions not only help reduce the carbon footprint but also optimise operational costs. This partnership demonstrates the positive economic and environmental impact of sustainable practices, paving the way for a greener future in Pakistan.

We have big ambitions for our business and for driving growth. We’re using technology to boost financial inclusion, and developing disruptive business models

We at Standard Chartered are closely aligned to the pulse of our clients and are constantly evolving by bringing product innovations to meet their changing demands. The global consumer of today wants convenience in all they do - whether it is shopping, air travel or financial transactions.

In line with global trends where client preference is continuously shifting towards digital channels as compared to a uni-dimensional brick and mortar setup, Standard Chartered has employed an integrated multi-channel strategy investing heavily in the digital space.

SC Mobile is a key investment in this area through which we are attempting to bring the latest technology in the banking space to our clients who are increasingly tech savvy. This transformation has helped us reach our clients in ways that they prefer to interact with us-through quick and convenient ways to bank. Our mobile adoption rate is 63% with 277,000 active users. Similarly, ourStraight2Bank platform offers a comprehensive suite of online, cash/trade-based solutions for our corporate clients.

We are closely working with the State Bank of Pakistan on the National Financial Inclusion Strategy and are working on multiple initiatives including Aasaan Digital Accounts, RAAST, SME financing etc.

We have also worked to accelerate acquisition through digital onboarding and have continued to concentrate on Digital migration. Our efforts for Straight-through Digital Service have not only enhanced client experience but also brought efficiency to banking operations. Our service adoption has reached 78%.

As we support Pakistan's technological transformation, we're offering clients accessible and convenient financial services, which provides us with an amazing opportunity to drive financial inclusion and play a part in its economic growth. We remain steadfast in our mission to be a trailblazer in the banking sector, fostering a digitally driven environment that harmonizes innovation, client experience and service excellence.

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