Green sukuk - outperformance or double trouble?
On 20 September, we hosted the first session in our Global Islamic Finance and the SDGs Series 2022.
Mustafa Adil, LSEG (London Stock Exchange Group) delivered an update on the state of the green sukuk market, before a panel featuring Richard de Belder, UKIFC, Raja Amir Raja Azwa, HSBC Amanah Malaysia, Hitesh ASARPOTA, Emirates NBD and Sam Dodd, LSEG (London Stock Exchange Group) debated whether green Islamic products like sukuk represented outperformance or 'double trouble'.
Mustafa's presentation explained that the market is rapidly growing, with green sukuk more oversubscribed than traditional sukuk. State and quasi-state issuers still represent the majority of the market, but corporate issuers are growing, now standing at 36%. To grow the market further, common standards are needed.
A key theme from the panel discussion was the potential for green sukuk to attract investors who would not otherwise be interested in the sukuk market, but were interested in the sustainability aspects of the product. This has the potential to increase price, making the market more attractive for issuers. Another beneficial aspect of green sukuk is that use-of-proceeds requirements can increase confidence of Shariah investors.
Sign up now for the remaining sessions on 21 September.
The best Islamic Finance Qualifications in 2022
Islamic finance has been hailed as a means to catalyze economic growth in the UK in 2022. For those of just starting out in the field- or looking to solidify our practice within it- now might be the perfect time to gain a qualification.
Islamic Finance Qualifications are a great way to integrate a Shariah and faith-based perspective to your pre-exisiting financial knowledge. Gaining an Islamic Finance Qualification represents a fantastic opportunity to learn how to implement Shariah principles in a business and insurance capacity, and to increase your subject-awareness more broadly.
Knowing what qualification to take can be a challenge, whatever stage of your career you’re currently at. To help you take your next step on your Islamic Finance journey, we have put together a directory of UK-based and remote qualifications to suit your learning needs.
UK-Based:
- Islamic Finance Msc, University of Birmingham:
Islamic Finance – MSc – 2022/23 Entry | Birmingham City University (bcu.ac.uk) - Islamic Finance Msc, University of Dundee
Islamic Finance MSc | University of Dundee - Durham: Durham Centre for Islamic Economics and Finance – Durham University
- The Islamic Foundation, Markfield Institute
- Islamic Finance & Banking Islamic Banking and Finance | Bangor University
- The Islamic Foundation, Markfield Institute
Remote Learning / Outside of the UK:
- CISI: Islamic Finance Qualification (cisi.org)
- ACCA: The Islamic Finance Qualification (IFQ) | ACCA Global
- The Global University of Islamic Finance: INCEIF | » Professional Certificate in Islamic Finance
- The Accounting and Auditing Organization for Islamic Financial Institutions: AAOIFI
- Ethica Institute: Ethica Institute of Islamic Finance
The UKIFC has specialist capability in advising government agencies, regulatory bodies and financial institutions on creating enabling frameworks for Islamic finance, as well as empowering Shariah scholars and finance professionals. To find out how we can help you or your organisation, contact info@ukifc.com
New: Guidance Note for Islamic Finance Institutions
We’re delighted to announce that our latest Guidance Note for Islamic Finance Institutions reporting under the UN PRB is available now. The report was launched as part of our in-person events at COP26 in partnership with the Global Ethical Finance Initiative.
This guidance note addresses the specificities of Islamic financing modalities and providing common approaches for Islamic finance institutions (IFIs) to showcase the inherent similarities between Islamic finance principles and the UN Principles for Responsible Banking (PRB) in the PRB Reporting and Self-Assessment Template
Click here to download.
UKIFC and ISRA launch report on Islamic finance and the SDGs
The Islamic Finance Council UK (UKIFC), in partnership with Malaysia based International Shari’ah Research Academy for Islamic Finance (ISRA), has launched the first report in a thought leadership series that aims to assist and encourage active engagement in support of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by the global Islamic finance sector.
The report, Islamic Finance and the SDGs: Framing the Opportunity, provides an introduction to the SDGs within the context of Islamic finance, emphasising the opportunity the SDGs present to the Islamic finance sector.
The SDGs seek to address global economic, social, governance and environmental challenges by 2030 and have been adopted by 193 countries. They recognise that ending poverty and other deprivations complement strategies that improve health and education, reduce inequality, and spur economic growth – all while tackling climate change and working to preserve our natural environment.
With a $2.5 trillion per year financing gap the UKIFC has committed to a 24 month action oriented programme of activities to address barriers blocking Islamic Financial Institutions from embracing the SDGs. The report follows the launch of a global Islamic Finance and SDG Taskforce that is supported by the UK Government and involves senior level participants from across the globe.
With Covid-19 exposing the fragility of people and the planet the SDGs is a recognised global framework upon which we can, collectively, build our social, environmental and economic resilience. With its underlying Shari’ah principles, Islamic finance is naturally aligned to, not only support but, lead the financial services sector’s efforts towards achieving the Global Goals.
TAKEAWAYS FROM THE REPORT INCLUDE:
- There has been limited participation from Islamic finance sector in leading UN initiatives (such as Principles for Responsible Investment, Principles for Responsible Banking and Principles for Sustainable Insurance) that support financial institutions to align with the SDGs.
- To achieve SDG targets, Islamic Development Bank Member Countries need annual funding of between US$700 billion and US$1 trillion which represents around 40% of the total global SDG financing gap.
- Opportunity for Islamic finance to tap into emerging global liquidity pools seeking SDG-aligned products.
- Alignment with the SDGs supports the tayyib (pure, good) concept which contends that the focus of Islamic finance products and services should be on the evaluation of wider societal impact rather than an overly legalistic analysis of Shari’ah compliance.
- With assets expected to reach US $3.8 trillion in 2022, through its adeptness at innovative financial structuring, Islamic finance is well placed to create instruments that drive capital towards the SDGs.
With a deep rooted commitment to social benefit Islamic finance should be at the front and centre of this new, sustainable economic paradigm. With the SDGs emerging as the shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future, it is time for the global Islamic finance sector to step up and demonstrate its credentials for driving finance for positive change.
Executive Director of ISRA, Dr Akram Laldin, said:
“Islamic finance has a lot in common with impact investment and can play a major role in addressing the problems faced by society. It also has the potential to bring added value to the efforts to mobilize resources for the sake of realizing the SDGs.”
Richard de Belder, Advisory Board Member of the Islamic Finance Council UK, said:
“The UKIFC firmly believes that the Shari’ah principles which underpin Islamic finance make the sector well positioned to lead in promoting the SDGs to achieve global economic and social justice combined with sustainability and to drive home the point that we are all vice regents with temporary custody of the world’s finite resources and so need to act in a way that recognises this.”
Charles Haresnape, CEO, Gatehouse Bank, said:
“The environmental and social challenges facing the world impact everyone and equally we must all play our part in affecting change for the better. Islamic Finance institutions already champion fairness and ethics through Shariah principles and by working to align our business activities with the UN’s SDGs we can further solidify that commitment. As the first UK Shariah-compliant bank to become a signatory to the principles we have seen first-hand how oversight from the UN encourages us to scrutinise the impact of our activities and importantly, assess where we can improve. This is an important global scheme that we would encourage other Islamic finance providers to be part of to drive positive change.”
Stella Cox, CEO, DDCap Group, said:
“The 17 SDGs are an incredibly important resource as they provide a roadmap to address some of the world’s most pressing matters, from battling climate change to reducing social inequality and raising global living standards. Every institution, regardless of size, can and should seek to align its work with the objectives of the 17 goals. Furthermore, there is a natural alignment between the SDGs and the core values in our industry. UKIFC’s Islamic Finance and SDGs Thought Leadership Series provides us with the opportunity to call to action and inspire greater engagement of the global Islamic banking and wider financial industry in delivering against the targets set within the SDGs. We are proud to support the UKIFC’s valuable work during the publication of this important series of reports.”
Umer Suleman of UKIFC appears on BBC Radio 4's Beyond Belief
Umer Suleman of UKIFC appeared on BBC Radio 4’s Beyond Belief, to discuss Islamic finance, ethical finance and the Edinburgh Finance Declaration with presenter Ernie Rea.
“It is estimated that religious institutions own trillions of dollars’ worth of investments but some have acknowledged that their financial choices have not always reflected their principles. Can faith values help people to choose how to invest their money in ways that align with their ethics? Can new technologies like blockchain provide greater transparency and control, and where are the potential pitfalls for people looking to invest their money?
Joining Ernie Rea to discuss ethical investing are Rabbi Mark Goldsmith of the Edgware & Hendon Reform Synagogue and member of the International Interfaith Investment Group; Devie Mohan, an expert in the relationship between finance and technology; Martin Palmer President of Faith Invest and Umer Suleman a member of the UK Islamic Finance Council and a Sharia Finance Consultant.”
Listen now on BBC Sounds.
UKIFC Launches Brochure to Promote Shariah-Compliant FDI in Scotland
The UKIFC, in partnership with BDO, Gatehouse Bank, Ocorian and Shepherd + Weddernburn has launched a brochure to promote Shariah compliant real estate investment opportunities in Scotland.
With the London real estate market cooling Scotland is a strong and attractive investment destination and, with expertise in both conventional and Islamic finance, it offers competitive Shariah-compliant real estate opportunities.
A number of Shariah-compliant deals have been completed in Scotland in recent years. With a growing and stable economy, underpinned by strong yields, returns on Scottish commercial real estate exceeded the UK average in 2018. Investment reached a record level of £2.5 billion in 2018, up 46% from 2017.
With an enabling legal and regulatory framework and a network of specialist advisers and financiers Scotland provides significant potential for investors seeking Shariah-compliant commercial property structures.
Click HERE to view the brochure.
New Islamic finance taskforce to deliver global sustainable growth.
A new international taskforce is to be created with the support of the UK Government to engage the Islamic finance industry with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. The high-level Islamic Finance and Sustainable Development Goals (SGDs) taskforce will be anchored in London and run by the Glasgow-based Islamic Finance Council UK (UKIFC). Economic Secretary to the Treasury John Glen said the new initiative will ‘drive forward innovation around the world’. The UK Government will be the founding country partner when it begins in 2020, with an aim to promote understanding and encourage adoption of the UN SDGs amongst Islamic financial institutions. Gatehouse Bank has confirmed participation and interest has already been expressed from Malaysia and Dubai, as well as other UK organisations.
The UN’s SDGs are the blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all, addressing issues such as climate change, education and equality. But a recent analysis from UKIFC and Malaysia-based ISRA found a considerable lack of knowledge, misunderstandings and minimal engagement by Islamic financial institutions with the SDGs. Islamic finance is one of the fastest growing sectors in the global financial industry, with assets expected to reach US $3.8 trillion in 2022. Innovative financial structuring in the sector can help create instruments that drive capital towards the SDGs. The UK – and London in particular – has already become a centre for Islamic finance, helping finance developments such as The Shard and the Olympic Village. In 2014, the UK Government cemented the UK’s position as a hub for Islamic finance by becoming the first western country to issue sovereign Sukuk – Islamic bonds. With the City’s strength in conventional financial services, the strong legal framework and progressive outlook it continues to intellectually innovative and assist developments in the global Islamic finance arena.
The UKIFC was established in 2005 as a specialist advisory and developmental body focused on promoting and enhancing the global Islamic and ethical finance industry. It was the first global specialist Islamic finance body to sign up to the UN Principles of Responsible Banking (PRB). With Gatehouse Bank the only fully Shariah-compliant signatory, the UK is leading the way in relation to the Islamic finance sector’s engagement with the global framework that aligns with the SDGs. In 2016, the Church of Scotland and the UKIFC signed a partnership agreement to co-develop an ethical finance solution open to all society, regardless of race, religion or ethnic background and based on the shared values between the faith traditions. The UKIFC supported this month’s Ethical Finance 2019 global summit in Edinburgh, which brought together over 400 senior representatives from more than 200 companies and organisation.
The Economic Secretary to the Treasury, John Glen MP, said:
“The UK is a world leader in Islamic Finance, so I am pleased we’re now a founding country partner and observer member of the new Islamic Finance SDG Taskforce. “This Taskforce will bring together the global Islamic finance community so it can help us meet our international, environmental and sustainability objectives – using UK expertise in sustainable finance to drive forward innovation around the world.”
Richard de Belder, Advisory Board Member of the Islamic Finance Council UK, said:
“Delivering the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals will require private sector involvement. “But business-as-usual in the global financial arena will not deliver the 2030 goals. “A step-change in private investment in SDGs is required, and Islamic finance, as one of the fastest growing sectors in the global financial industry, provides a unique opportunity for innovative solutions. “We need a fairer system of financial management that delivers more than just profit and the inherent principles within Islamic finance are naturally aligned to the sustainability agenda. “This new taskforce will explore ways to bring people and institutions together to help achieve the UN SDGs.”
Charles Haresnape, CEO, Gatehouse Bank, said:
“We welcome the opportunity to support and participate in the Islamic Finance and Sustainable Development Goals Taskforce. “Our Shariah-compliant finance principles mean that our products and services are ethical by design and as a founding signatory of the UN’s Principles for Responsible Banking, Gatehouse Bank has committed to strategically aligning its business with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. “We are confident that the taskforce will play a significant role in identifying innovative solutions for sustainable finance in the future.”
ENDS
NOTES TO EDITORS
The Islamic Finance Council UK (UKIFC) is a specialist, not-for-profit, advisory and developmental body focused on promoting and enhancing the global Islamic and ethical finance industry. It has helped six countries develop enabling regulatory frameworks for Islamic finance, enhancing financial inclusion to over 15 million people, established the award-winning Ethical Finance Round Table series running since 2010, launched the world’s first joint venture between Islamic finance and the Church of Scotland, and delivered development sessions to over 500 Islamic scholars across the globe.
The framework of an Islamic financial system is based on elements of Sharia (the law of Islam) which governs Islamic societies. The fundamental concept of Islamic finance is that money has no intrinsic value and should only be used as a measure of worth.
Announcement – UK thought body is the first specialist Islamic Finance organization in the world to endorse the new UNEP-led guidelines for responsible banking.
Today Islamic Finance Council UK (UKIFC) became the first advisory body dedicated to Islamic finance to endorse the United Nations Environment Finance Initiative’s (UNEP FI) Principles for Responsible Banking (UN PRBs), joining 64 other international banks and stakeholders.
The UN PRBs represent an opportunity for the Islamic Banking industry, which is made up of over 1,300 financial institutions and windows, and is growing at 6% annually. It is a USD2.4 trillion contributor to the international banking marketplace forecasted to reach USD3.8 trillion by 2023 (Islamic Finance Development Report 2018).
The Principles are the first global framework to enable banks to integrate sustainability across their operations and enhance their positive impact with in the regions they operate in. Arab African International Bank (AAIB) (Egypt), Commercial International Bank (CIB) (Egypt), CIMB Bank (Malaysia) and Garanti Bank (Turkey), which operate in muslim-majority countries, are amongst the founding signatories.
The PRBs strongly align with the principles of Islamic Finance. Alignment and Impact are embedded in the foundational goals of the Maqasid al Shariah, a framework of purpose in Islamic practice that focuses on the objective of wealth and the preservation and continuity of life. Achieving communal prosperity and financial transparency underpin Shariah compliant finance, based on a law designed to protect all members of a society. Fairness and inclusion are themes of Islamic finance that resonate with the remaining four UN PRBs (Clients, Stakeholders, Governance and Transparency). Adopting the UN PRBs will encourage more innovation in the use of Islamic finance instruments to achieving the SDGs, such as green Sukuks.
Omar Shaikh, Member of the UKIFC’s Advisory Board said: “The UKIFC is the leading organization in Islamic finance actively promoting greater integration with the broader ethical finance marketplace. The underlying principles of Islamic finance align well with people, planet and purpose. The enhanced nature of stakeholder involvement in Islamic finance sits particularly well with the ethos of UNEP FI’s Principles for Responsible Banking 6 principles and for this reason we welcome and endorse them.”
Simone Dettling, head of the Banking team at UNEP FI said: “It is fantastic to see this coalition growing so quickly. The Principles for Responsible Banking are rapidly setting the global standard for what it means to be a responsible bank. We invite banks that haven’t endorsed them yet to join and show their commitment to the sustainable banking system of the future.”
The Principles, developed by 28 of the world’s leading banks, are currently out for global public consultation until May 2019 and will become available for signature in September 2019, during the UN General Assembly. Shariah compliant banks and intermediaries are encouraged to join the coalition by endorsing the Principles.
The UKIFC contributes to research and advisory on the alignment of the UN SDGs with the Maqasid al Shariah in the Islamic Banking industry, shaping the industry’s role in the broader ethical finance industry and promoting shared values across faith-based finance and investment institutions (The Edinburgh Finance Declaration).
ENDS
For media enquiries, please contact: Chris Tait at chris@ukifc.com
Notes to editors
Islamic Finance Council UK
The UKIFC is a specialist advisory and development body focused on promoting and enhancing the global Islamic and ethical finance industry. The organisation was launched in 2005 by a group of likeminded professionals who sought to make a contribution to the development of the Islamic finance industry. The UKIFC specialises in four core areas, being: 1) Ethical finance – helping to promote better co-ordination and understanding of the shared values between Islamic finance and the broader ethical finance arena; 2) Advisory – specialist capability in advising government agencies, regulatory bodies and financial institutions on creating enabling frameworks for Islamic finance; 3) Executive training – delivering bespoke capacity building programmes aimed at practitioners and regulators focused on commercial issues; and 4) Thought leadership – authoring reports, community education and providing industry comment towards influencing regulation and encouraging the development of the sector based on strong research and insights.
Principles for Responsible Banking
The six Principles for Responsible Banking that banks commit to are:
1) Alignment: We will align our business strategy to be consistent with and contribute to individuals’ needs and society’s goals, as expressed in the Sustainable Development Goals, the Paris Climate Agreement and relevant national and regional frameworks. We will focus our efforts where we have the most significant impact.
2) Impact: We will continuously increase our positive impacts while reducing the negative impacts on, and managing the risks to, people and environment resulting from our activities, products and services.
3) Clients & Customers: We will work responsibly with our clients and our customers to encourage sustainable practices and enable economic activities that create shared prosperity for current and future generations.
4) Stakeholders: We will proactively and responsibly consult, engage and partner with relevant stakeholders to achieve society’s goals.
5) Governance & Target-setting: We will implement our commitment to these Principles through effective governance and a culture of responsible banking, demonstrating ambition and accountability by setting public targets relating to our most significant impacts.
6). Transparency & Accountability: We will periodically review our individual and collective implementation of these Principles and be transparent about and accountable for our positive and negative impacts and our contribution to society’s goals.
For more information about the Principles visit www.unepfi.org/banking/bankingprinciples
- The Principles were launched by the Founding Banks’ CEOs on 26 November 2018 in Paris at the UN Environment Finance Initiative’s biennial Global Roundtable and the 4th Climate Finance Day, under the patronage of the French President Emmanuel Macron.
- The Principles are now in a six-month global public consultation period until 31 May 2019 before they will be signed by banks from around the world. Banks and stakeholders are invited to provide feedback and input to guide their further development, and to signal their support by becoming Endorsers of the Principles for Responsible Banking.
Event Listings for Edinburgh Ethical Finance Week - 22nd - 25th October 2018
As part of the Global Ethical Finance Initiative international leaders in ethical finance will be convening in Edinburgh at Ethical Finance 2018 taking place on 22nd - 23rd October 2018. The conference will be delivered in partnership with United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Scottish Government and RBS.
Ethical Finance 2018 will explore themes including regaining trust in financial institutions, measuring impact, aligning capital to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the $7trn demand for ethical investment products from faith and philanthropy groups.
The conference forms part of a wider ethical finance week that includes a series of events, organised and supported by Baillie Gifford, Church of Scotland, The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland (ICAS), Ethical Finance Hub and the Financial Innovation Lab, that will take place in Edinburgh between the 22nd - 25th October 2018.
Please see below for details:
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ETHICAL FINANCE 2018* - 9am - 5pm, 22nd - 23rd October 2018
Hosted by RBS at the Gogarburn Conference Centre, Edinburgh and delivered by UKIFC in partnership with Scottish Government, UNDP and Responsible Investor
*includes an evening reception at Edinburgh Castle (6.30pm - 8.30pm, 22nd October 2018)
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INTERFAITH COLLABORATION ON ETHICAL FINANCE CELEBRATORY DINNER - 7pm - 9.30pm, 23rd October 2018
Hosted by Church of Scotland at Greyfriars Kirk, Edinburgh in partnership with UKIFC.
www.globalethicalfinance.org/edinburgh-declaration/
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UNDP ROUND TABLE: ROLE OF BLENDED FINANCE FOR THE SDGs - 1.45pm - 4pm, 24th October 2018
Hosted by Ben Macpherson MSP at the Scottish Parliament, Edinburgh and delivered by UKIFC in partnership with UNDP and Baillie Gifford.
Ethical Finance Round Table Overview
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INCLUSIVE FINANCIAL INNOVATION IDEATION EVENT - 10.30am - 4pm, 25th October 2018
Hosted by the Finance Innovation Lab at Foundation Scotland, Edinburgh.
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SUSTAINABLE FINANCE DISCUSSION - 6pm - 8pm, 25th October 2018
Hosted by ICAS at CA House, Edinburgh in partnership with Ethical Finance Hub.
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Over the past 8 years, along with our partners, the UKIFC has pioneered and developed a number of ethical finance initiatives in Edinburgh. Moving forward, these activities are being consolidated under one neutral umbrella - Global Ethical Finance Initiative (GEFI) - which aims to create a compelling proposition that positions Scotland as the "Davos" of ethical finance.
We believe Scotland is well positioned to become a global leader in ethical finance by facilitating dialogue and enabling innovative businesses, initiatives and thinking. To do so we welcome your participation and support so please come along to the Ethical Finance Week events and feel free to share with colleagues and associates.
If you wish to discuss the new Global Ethical Finance Initiative or any of the events in more detail please contact chris@ukifc.com or call Chris Tait on +44(0) 7931 103573.
JOB VACANCY - Senior Consultant and Researcher
We are currently recruiting a Senior Consultant and Researcher for a 12 month full time (or 4 days per week pro rata) contract based in Glasgow or London.
The successful candidate will be responsible for leading and undertaking consulting assignments, high-quality research and report writing activities for the organisation as well as supporting other colleagues.
The role will involve effective self-management and delivery of a range of developmental projects and client assignments across our four core work streams. The role will also include operational responsibility such as the management of budgets and resources.
UKIFC Senior Consultant and Researcher Job Specification
Please send your CV and a 300 word summary outlining why you are suitable for the role to umer@ukifc.com by 31st July 2018.