BCCA hosts major discussion on sustainable finance in Azerbaijan

On May 15, 2026, British Chamber of Commerce in Azerbaijan (BCCA) Sustainability and Energy Committee hosted a panel discussion on Sustainable Finance, AzerNEWS reports.

The panel brought together representatives from the Central Bank of the Republic of Azerbaijan (CBAR), Azerbaijan Business Development Fund (ABDF), Baku Stock Exchange (BSE), and Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) to explore how the integration of ESG principles and green financial instruments will serve as the primary drivers for Azerbaijan’s long-term economic resilience and global competitiveness.

Moderated by Gurban Karimbayli, Head of Sustainable Development Department at AZAL, the session emphasized that sustainable finance has evolved from a matter of corporate responsibility to a strategic economic priority. "Today, sustainable finance is no longer just an environmental or reputational issue, it is a strategic driver of investment, resilience, competitiveness, and long-term business value creation," Karimbayli noted.

Mr. Rustam Tahirov, Director of the Financial Sector Sustainable Development Department at CBAR, shared critical updates on the country’s regulatory roadmap. He highlighted Azerbaijan’s recent achievement of becoming a full member of the Network for Greening the Financial System (NGFS) as of April 30, 2026, which is expected to enhance opportunities for sustainable investment and green capital allocation in the country. Mr. Tahirov detailed the CBAR’s progress on National Green Taxonomy and the implementation of an ESG Risk Radar, designed to help financial institutions identify and mitigate climate-related vulnerabilities.

Mr. Emil Mammadov, Chief Financial Officer at ABDF, focused on the practical application of sustainable finance for local enterprises. He emphasized that the Fund is prioritizing soft loans for green and digital projects, with interest rates as low as 5% and tenors up to 10 years. Mammadov stressed that ESG integration is no longer optional but is now a "survivability factor" for companies seeking long-term resilience and competitiveness in a globalized economy.

Discussing the potential of capital markets, Dr. Farid Abbaszada, Head of Trading Floor at BSE, provided an eye-opening perspective on the scale of the sector. He noted that the total size of the sustainable capital market has reached a staggering $9.1 trillion USD globally, highlighting the immense opportunity for Azerbaijan to attract green investment through instruments such as green bonds and sustainability-linked bonds (SLBs).

This panel clearly demonstrated that sustainable finance is no longer a niche topic. It is increasingly becoming a core pillar of economic resilience, investment attractiveness, competitiveness, and long-term value creation, while also highlighting the importance of cross-sector partnerships, dynamic materiality, and countering short-termism in strategic decision-making.