KCB Group Plc has announced a major milestone in its sustainability journey, disbursing KES 48.8 billion in green financing loans to support environmentally sustainable projects across renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, green buildings, clean transportation, water management, and climate-smart investments. Of this, KES 9.9 billion was independently verified as climate-eligible using the Climate Assessment for Financial Institutions (CAFI) tool.
At the same time, the lender screened transactions worth KES 587.9 billion under its Environmental and Social Due Diligence framework across Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, and Rwanda. This enabled the Group to surpass its strategic target of allocating 25% of total lending to green projects, reaching 25.84% in 2025, up from 21.6% in 2024.
The disclosures are contained in the 2025 KCB Group Sustainability Report, themed “Transitioning Economies”, marking a defining moment in the Group’s strategy to position sustainable finance as a driver of inclusive economic transformation across East Africa.
Commenting on the progress, KCB Group CEO Paul Russo emphasized that the Bank is intentionally aligning its financing decisions and business strategy to support climate resilience and sustainable enterprise growth.
“KCB seeks to be a bigger player in shaping a robust and sustainable financial ecosystem throughout East Africa by continuously developing tailored green financing solutions for MSMEs, households, and corporates. This will be enabled through strengthened partnerships with global climate financiers, product innovation, and accelerated transition to a low-carbon and climate-resilient economy,” said Russo.
KCB Group Environmental Conservation & Clean Energy Initiatives
Beyond financing, KCB continued to invest in practical conservation initiatives. In 2025, the Bank surpassed its target of planting 1.5 million trees, planting over 3.5 million through more than 200 regionwide tree-planting events in collaboration with 1,778 schools and partners.
KCB Group also advanced clean energy adoption in the education sector by supporting 266 schools with cleaner cooking systems through KES 782.5 million in financing, reducing reliance on traditional biomass fuels.
KCB Group further scaled its solarization agenda, with installations now operational in 16 branches, including Maasai Mara, Wajir, Mandera, Watamu, Lamu, Loitoktok, Kakuma, Namanga, and the Karen Leadership Centre. Plans are underway to expand solar power to 30 additional branches this year.
As a result, the Group registered a 2% reduction in fuel and electricity use, contributing to an overall 13% reduction in emissions across operations.
Inclusive Financing & Community Empowerment
Through the KCB Foundation, the Group supported over 265,300 jobs and empowered 16,549 youth with workforce readiness and skills development. Additionally, 38,635 youth-led businesses benefited from structured support under the 2Jiajiri Young Africa Works programme, bringing the total number of supported enterprises to 67,090.
KCB Group also advanced its inclusive financing agenda by disbursing KES 149 billion to women-led businesses under the Female-Led and Made Enterprise (FLME) programme, part of its five-year commitment to unlock KES 250 billion for women entrepreneurs.
In partnership with UNHCR, the Group deepened financial inclusion among displaced communities, enabling 20,299 refugees to access formal banking services. Loans worth KES 71.4 million were disbursed to refugee entrepreneurs, supporting their integration and economic participation.
Reporting Standards & Assurance
The 2025 Sustainability Report marks KCB’s third sustainability report to undergo a limited assurance review, prepared in reference to the IFRS S1 and S2 Standards. Published alongside the 2025 Integrated Report, it demonstrates the Group’s voluntary early adoption ahead of the mandatory 2027 reporting deadline.
KCB Group has firmly positioned itself as a regional leader in sustainable finance, surpassing its green lending target and embedding climate resilience into its operations. With expanded tree planting, clean energy adoption, inclusive financing, and refugee empowerment, the lender is driving both environmental stewardship and inclusive economic transformation across East Africa.
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