CBSL charts greener future with Sustainable Finance Roadmap 2.0

Sustainable Finance 2.0 moves beyond green to embrace inclusiveness and social impact

- BY JANANI KANDARAMAGE

• CBSL Governor Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe hails Roadmap as key to embedding ESG principles into business operations Says Roadmap prioritises climate and business risk analysis, value chain evaluation and technology-driven ESG measurement

• Focuses on broadening Inclusive Green Finance via NFIS Phase 2 for MSMEs, financial literacy, digitisation and financial consumer protection

• World Bank and IFC in Sri Lanka Country Manager Gevorg Sargsyan says building truly sustainable financial ecosystem in Sri Lanka is a collective endeavour

MARKING a significant shift in Sri Lanka’s journey towards a greener and more inclusive financial system, the Central Bank yesterday unveiled the Sustainable Finance Roadmap 2.0 for 2025-2029, an ambitious update to its 2019 framework.

This second iteration reflects the financial sector's strengthened commitment to building economic resilience amid escalating climate risks and social challenges. With a sharper focus on risk-informed decision-making, targeted action planning, and the financial empowerment of vulnerable communities—the Roadmap comes at a time when sustainable finance is becoming an essential pillar for national and global stability.

This latest framework was designed with the technical and financial support from the International Finance Corporation (IFC), in partnership with the European Union, under the Accelerating Climate Smart and Inclusive Infrastructure in South Asia (EU-ACSIIS) program.