In February 2026, Mauritius hosted the “Indian Ocean Forward Faster” regional workshop, a landmark gathering for corporate sustainability in Africa. For Rawbank, this event marked a pivotal milestone in its corporate citizenship strategy and its alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
A strategic crossroads for collective action
The summit, organized by the United Nations Global Compact regional network in collaboration with UNITAR, brought together regional economic leaders to address a shared challenge: transforming theoretical commitments into measurable results. For Rawbank, the path forward is defined by the “Forward Faster” initiative—an ambitious framework that urges companies to accelerate their efforts in response to the social and environmental urgencies of the 2030 Agenda.
A dual mission: regional leadership and knowledge sharing
Rawbank’s presence in Mauritius was centered on two key responsibilities. As the Chair of the Board of the Global Compact Network DRC, the bank actively worked to strengthen ties between African networks, with the ambition of building a regional cooperation robust enough to address the continent’s specific challenges.
On an operational level, the institution utilized the three-day summit to benchmark its governance and inclusive finance models against international best practices. Discussions focused specifically on gender equality, financial transparency, and inclusion, reaffirming that tomorrow’s banking performance will be measured above all by its social impact.
Clean water: proof through impact
Rawbank’s commitment finds its most concrete expression on the ground. Moving beyond the conceptual realm of sustainable finance, the bank highlighted its priority action for access to clean water in the Democratic Republic of Congo. In a context where 45 million citizens face a critical shortage, Rawbank has already deployed 40 operational boreholes across 25 cities.
This project, which aims to reach 100 wells by the end of 2025 with the support of CENCO and the INRB, illustrates the institution’s core identity as a responsible citizen. It demonstrates that a truly responsible bank is, first and foremost, a stakeholder that invests in the health and future of its people.
By embracing the “Forward Faster” dynamic, Rawbank is doing more than merely attending an international forum; it is confirming its role as a catalyst for a more resilient Congolese economy, where social progress is becoming the ultimate standard of success.
