SL hosts its first GABV Asia-Pacific Chapter Meeting

From left: GABV Executive Director Martin Rohner, Sunrise Banks USA CEO David Reiling and SDF Chairman Channa De Silva

By Divya Thotawatte 

Hosting the Global Alliance for Banking on Values (GABV) Asia-Pacific Chapter Meeting for the first time ever, Sri Lanka opened the 2025 gathering in Colombo last Wednesday, bringing together over 20 values-based financial institutions from across the region. 

This regional chapter meeting, a milestone moment for the country’s growing recognition in the global responsible banking movement, was hosted by Sarvodaya Development Finance (SDF). Centred on the theme of ‘Value-Based Banking,’ the two-day program, held on 15 and 16 October at Cinnamon Life City of Dreams, featured insightful discussions on advancing financial inclusion, promoting ethical investment, and redefining banking through community-based innovation. 

As the meeting coincided with the annual GABV Board Meeting, the event was also attended by CEOs and senior leaders from across the world who discussed strategies to empower small and medium enterprises (SMEs), advance sustainable agriculture, and explore the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to strengthen values-based banking practices.

SDF Board Chairman Channa De Silva underscored the significance of holding the meeting in Sri Lanka at a time of national recovery. “Over the last five years, we had four years of negative growth, ranging from 2.3 to 7.8%. Last year, we recorded a 5% positive growth. So it is very important for the banking sector and the country to give bankers of the world a different perspective of Sri Lanka.”

He added that Sri Lanka’s growing focus on sustainable finance was beginning to attract investor confidence, explaining that Sarvodaya Development Finance had issued Sri Lanka’s first sustainable rate-linked bond in the stock market the week before. “It was snapped up within hours on the first day itself,” he said, highlighting the market’s appetite for impact-driven finance.

This year’s meeting was designed as an immersive, collaborative exchange where participants could engage with industry peers, policymakers, and civil society leaders. Delegates included GABV board members, international CEOs, and senior representatives from leading financial institutions such as Sunrise Banks (USA), Southern Bancorp (USA), Qudos Bank (Australia) EkoBanken (Sweden), Centenary Bank (Uganda), Bank Muamalat (Malaysia), BRAC Bank (Bangladesh) and banks from India, Nepal, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Papua New Guinea and, Kyrgyzstan. 

Welcoming the delegates to the discussion, Sarvodaya Development Finance CEO Nilantha Jayanetti said, “The conversations we will lead here, from sustainable lending and SME empowerment to values-driven innovation, are directly aligned with our national journey toward recovery and resilience. As a nation and as an institution, we believe finance must rediscover its moral compass to serve people, planet, and prosperity in equal measure.”

Beyond formal sessions, participants also took part in a Learning Journey to Moratuwa, the birthplace of the Sarvodaya Movement, to witness first-hand how community-led development principles continue to inspire the modern values-based banking movement.

The Asia-Pacific region is one of the fastest-growing chapters within the GABV network, reflecting increasing regional interest in ethical and community-focused banking models.

GABV Regional Representative for Asia-Pacific and Nepali senior banking leader Upendra Poudyal said that the network had grown steadily, though intentionally, over the past decade. “Until 2015, we had five banks from the Asia-Pacific region. Now we have 15 banks. We are not growing rapidly, but we do want to be represented in all countries. The sustainability is in the DNA of the organisation, and that is what makes it special.”

Representing the United States, Sunrise Banks USA CEO David Reiling described the GABV as a collective of the most innovative banking you can imagine in the world.

Speaking on the role of the global network, GABV Executive Director Martin Rohner, representing Switzerland, said, “The GABV is a very special movement. First of all, it’s a CEO level network. We try to bring the chief executives of our member institutions together to discuss issues around values-based banking. There, we learn from each other and… it is one of the very few global networks in finance that actually covers both global norms and global status.” 

Founded in 2009, GABV is a global network of over 70 independent banks, credit unions, and microfinance institutions committed to using finance to deliver sustainable economic, social, and environmental development. Collectively, its members serve more than 60 million customers across 45 countries, with combined assets exceeding $ 200 billion. 

The GABV Asia-Pacific Chapter Meeting 2025 spotlighted Sri Lanka’s growing contribution to the global dialogue on responsible banking, reaffirming that ethical finance is not just a movement, it is the future of sustainable growth.