‘Value-Based Banking’ GABV Asia-Pacific Chapter Meeting 2025 in Colombo

The Global Alliance for Banking on Values (GABV) will host its Asia-Pacific Chapter Meeting 2025 in Colombo, Sri Lanka, from 15 to 16 October, bringing together CEOs and senior leaders from over 20 member banks across the region. 

Centred on the theme of “Value-Based Banking”, the program will explore how ethical, inclusive, and sustainable financial practices can drive long-term impact across communities and economies. 

The event, which will be held at Cinnamon Life – City of Dreams, will begin with an Inaugural Session on 15 October, from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., with the participation of guests from Government institutions, banks, non-bank financial institutions (NBFIs), and other distinguished invitees.

This year’s gathering, hosted by Sarvodaya Development Finance PLC (SDF), marks a milestone moment for Sri Lanka and the region. The meeting will be held alongside the annual GABV Board Meeting, bringing together global thought leaders in sustainable finance for the first time in Colombo. 

The discussions will centre on strategies to empower small and medium enterprises (SMEs), advance sustainable agriculture, and explore the use of artificial intelligence to strengthen values-based banking practices.

The two-day event is designed as an immersive, collaborative exchange where participants will engage with industry peers, policymakers, and civil society leaders. 

Delegates will include 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), and Centenary Bank (Uganda).

Also represented are Bank Muamalat (Malaysia), BRAC Bank (Bangladesh) and banks from India, Nepal, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Papua New Guinea, Kyrgyzstam. Together, they will share insights and best practices on transforming financial systems to serve long-term societal and environmental goals.

Sarvodaya Development Finance CEO Nilantha Jayanetti said: “Sarvodaya Development Finance is honoured to host this year’s GABV Asia-Pacific Chapter Meeting in Colombo. For Sri Lanka, this event represents more than a conference, it is a moment of reflection and renewal”. 

“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,” he added.

The GABV Asia-Pacific Chapter Meeting serves as a platform for member banks to share their experiences in advancing financial inclusion, promoting ethical investment, and redefining banking through community-based innovation. 

The Colombo sessions will also explore Sri Lanka’s path to recovery following its economic challenges and examine how values-based finance can contribute to national rebuilding and social progress.

Participants will also take part in a Learning Journey to Moratuwa, the birthplace of the Sarvodaya Movement, one of Asia’s most enduring community development models. This visit will highlight how local social enterprise principles continue to inspire the modern-day values-based banking movement.

Founded in 2009, the Global Alliance for Banking on Values (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 promises to spotlight 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.