KUWAIT: In its continuous efforts to raise financial awareness in the investment community and shed light on the latest developments and trends in the international investment community to participants in the Kuwaiti capital market, Boursa Kuwait organized a series of sessions and workshops during the month of October, the latest of which was a collaboration with the Certified Financial Analysts Society (CFA) and its chapters in Kuwait and Bahrain on sustainable finance, held on Wednesday, October 18, 2023.

The workshop was held in commemoration of World Investor Week, which ran its seventh installment this year. World Investor Week is an initiative launched by the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) and supported by the World Federation of Exchanges (WFE). The annual event brings together stock exchanges, capital market authorities and asset management firms to champion the cause of investor education and safeguarding.

Naser Meshari Al-Sanousi, Senior Director of Marketing and Communication at Boursa Kuwait spoke on the occasion, saying, “Boursa Kuwait continuously partners with local and international institutions to develop and enhance the market, and deepen its participants’ understanding of the latest tools and financial instruments used in the international investment community. Boursa Kuwait is proud of its strategic partnership with the CFA Society, and continues to collaborate with the Society for the sixth year in a row, in an effort to raise financial literacy levels and awareness in the Kuwaiti capital market through organizing awareness sessions and workshops with informative topics, in addition to enriching the Boursa Academy website with content that empowers investors.

The session was conducted by Zeeba Askar, Chartered Financial Analyst from the CFA Society Bahrain, who provided attendees with an overview of sustainable finance, its market size, examples of effective sustainable capital market issuances in the region. The session also delved into an examination of the guidelines for bonds and sukuk, which are a form of fixed income, and detailed the different types of bonds, including green and social bonds. Askar also spoke about the increasing relevance of sustainable bonds in a variety of industries including energy, infrastructure, transport, information technology & communications (ICT), essential services and food security, as well as affirming their versatility and wide applications across various sectors.

Zeeba Askar, President of the CFA Society Bahrain, was ecstatic about her collaboration with Boursa Kuwait and the opportunity to share insights on sustainable capital markets with a focus on green and social bonds, saying, “This session provided a pragmatic and informative overview of sustainable finance, including region-specific insights and actionable guidance for sustainable bond investments. Developing sustainable capital market instruments will shape the future of the industry and create business opportunities while serving to achieve the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.”

Organizing workshops and developing informative content on its Boursa Academy Online platform and social media channels comes as part of Boursa Kuwait’s Corporate Sustainability strategy which aims to meaningful impact on the communities where it operates. Through these initiatives, the bourse seeks to equip all market participants with an in-depth understanding of the functioning of capital markets and various tools and techniques required to make informed investment decisions and effectively meet investors’ needs. It is also in line with Goal 4 – Quality Education – and Goal 17 – Partnership for the Goals - of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).