Yesterday, Tuesday, the Qatar Chamber hosted the activities of the ninth Islamic Financial Institutions and Banks Conference and Award for Partnership and Social Responsibility 2025, organized by the Regional Consulting Network, a member of the Regional Network for Social Responsibility, in partnership with the Chamber and the Union of Arab Banks, under the title “Sustainability Governance in the Islamic Financial Sector: From Commitment to Impact,” with the participation of a number of economic experts and bank leaders from the State of Qatar and sister Arab countries. Participating in the opening session of the conference were His Excellency Sheikh Dr. Thani bin Ali Al Thani, the honorary president of the conference and the international ambassador for social responsibility in the State of Qatar, the Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Qatar International Center for Conciliation and Arbitration, Mr. Ali Busherbak Al Mansouri, guest of honor of the conference and the acting general director of the Qatar Chamber, His Excellency Dr. Muhammad bin Saif Al Kuwari, the president of the conference and the international ambassador for social responsibility in the State of Qatar, and Dr. Ali Al Ibrahim, the general director. For the regional consulting network.
His Excellency Sheikh Dr. Thani bin Ali Al Thani said that the conference has become a pioneering platform that brings together thought leaders in the field of financial institutions and Islamic banks, and that it comes at a stage in which the world is witnessing an accelerating shift towards making sustainability a strategic choice, through applying the principles of good governance and linking financial efficiency with social responsibility.
He pointed out that Islamic finance supports the goals of sustainable development, as it is based on justice, participation, and prevention of harm – values that are consistent with the essence of sustainability and responsible economics, pointing to the efforts of the State of Qatar in establishing a culture of sustainability, and its continuous support for initiatives that enhance governance and responsibility in the financial sector, as well as the distinguished role played by Qatari financial institutions and Islamic banks in this field.
For his part, Mr. Ali Busherbak Al-Mansouri said that the conference constitutes a leading platform for best practices in the Islamic economy and the major role of these institutions in supporting the transition to a sustainable economy in order to achieve comprehensive development. Busherbak stressed the chamber’s keenness to support initiatives that seek to achieve economic and social growth.
In turn, Dr. Mohammed bin Saif Al Kuwari said that the conference comes at a time when the financial world is witnessing an accelerated shift towards sustainability governance, which has become an approach to achieving comprehensive development, and moving from the stage of formal compliance to adopting well-established institutional practices that embody the principles of responsibility and sustainability. He explained that banks represent an advanced model in this direction, as they combine commitment to ethical principles and achieving economic returns, which makes them An essential pillar in advancing the path of sustainable development.
Al-Kuwari added that with the escalation of environmental and social challenges, there is an increasing need to enhance sustainability and transparency frameworks in various economic sectors to ensure balanced and comprehensive growth, noting that the conference seeks to be a platform for dialogue that brings together experts and researchers in our Arab world, to present inspiring visions and experiences and transform them into influential institutional policies that support a more sustainable and just future.
He stressed his appreciation for the fruitful partnership with Qatar Chamber and its effective role in supporting initiatives that contribute to enhancing the concepts of governance and sustainability in the business environment.
In turn, Dr. Ali Al Ibrahim expressed his thanks to Qatar Chamber for hosting and supporting the conference, pointing out that the conference discusses a group of important topics related to sustainability in the Islamic financial sector.
The conference topics addressed a number of topics related to the concepts of governance and sustainability in Islamic finance and its importance, the approach of Islamic finance to issues of sustainability and social responsibility, the development of the concepts of Sharia compliance into integrated governance of the impact of Islamic financial institutions, and the role of Sharia oversight bodies in enhancing governance and sustainability.
The speakers also discussed the role of Islamic financial institutions’ departments in enhancing environmental and social governance and sustainability, institutional governance mechanisms, international and Islamic standards for sustainability governance, the challenges facing the alignment of Islamic principles with global standards, and the role of digitalization in enhancing sustainability governance in Islamic financial institutions and banks.
During the conference, Qatar Chamber was honored with the International Prize for Excellence in the Field of Partnership and Social Responsibility, in the Economic Institutions Category, and a number of entities and personalities were honored with the Prize for Financial Institutions and Islamic Banks for Partnership and Scientific Competence.
