Image used for representational purposes. File | Photo credit: Siddhant Thakur
Leading country lender SBI on Saturday (March 7, 2026) on the eve of International Women’s Day announced the launch of a $500 million syndicated social term loan exclusively aimed at empowering green boot women.
This syndicated transaction is a milestone for SBI and the global ESG financing landscape, for the noble cause of women’s empowerment, the bank said in a statement.
Focused on accelerating social impact, this funding demonstrates SBI’s commitment to reducing the “gender gap” and makes a significant contribution to United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 5 – “Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls”.
Speaking on the occasion, SBI Chairman CS Setty said, “On this women’s day, we are happy to announce that as a responsible organization, we are deeply committed to promoting women’s empowerment as a cornerstone of sustainable development.” This major social loan embodies the bank’s commitment to environmental, social and governance (ESG) principles with a sharp focus on creating opportunities for women, he said.
“We believe that real progress depends not only on economic growth, but also on our ability to drive positive social change, empower women and build an inclusive society for all stakeholders,” he added.
The transaction is the first of its kind from SBI, which aims to promote gender equality and inclusive economic growth, and is expected to be the largest gender-focused loan globally, marking a landmark sustainable financing initiative by an Indian financial institution, the lender said.
Published – 07 March 2026 18:48 IST
