Our Commitment to Sustainability

Improving the wellbeing and overall health of our community has been one of the main pillars of SICO’s CSR agenda for many years. SICO and its staff members contribute to and participate in a variety of initiatives focused on improving healthcare and social services within the country. In the past, our collective and individual efforts have included hosting an event for children suffering from cancer and sickle cell anemia in collaboration with Dream Society Bahrain; sponsoring the Rotary Club of Manama’s Bahrain Annual Six-a-Side Football Tournament to raise money for the Bahrain Cancer Society; and organizing a team to participate in the Bahrain Marathon Relay, an annual event that raises funds for many charities in Bahrain.

SICO has partnered with various organizations over the years to participate in initiatives that aim to improve healthcare and the general standard of living across its communities through social impact initiatives. The Bank regularly extends support to a number of organizations and initiatives. Among the organizations SICO supports are:
• Think Pink
• Smile Bahrain
• Shamsaha
• Good Word Society

Throughout the years, SICO’s employees have organized and executed a number of initiatives, including blood drives, animal shelter support, book and clothing donations, Movember activities, diabetes support for children, and breast cancer awareness campaigns.

In 2024, SICO staff dedicated over 1,180 volunteer hours to community and health-related initiatives, including efforts that supported families during Ramadan and outreach programs for children with autism.

Since 2018, SICO has undertaken sponsorships that promote the wellbeing of youth and revitalize sports and youth athletics across Bahrain. Accordingly, SICO was the proud sponsor of the 2018/2019 and the 2019/2020 Kings Football Cup and the Prince Nasser Bin Hamad Premier League Football Tournament.

SICO also sponsored a local wellbeing initiative, the TeamBahrain30for30 challenge, which encouraged people to exercise for 30 minutes each day, with total donations going to support the Fina Khair campaign.

In 2024, SICO extended its support to inclusive sports initiatives by sponsoring equestrian athletes and youth football programs, reflecting its commitment to wellness and accessibility in sports.

In 2022, members of the SICO team arranged a Ramadan food drive in coordination with the Capital Governorate to help feed underprivileged communities, donating a total of 265 food boxes. SICO also met with the Deputy Capital Governorate Hassan Abdulla Al-Madani to discuss the Governorate’s sustainability programs and future collaboration plans. Also during Ramadan, SICO sponsored the efforts of Shamsaha, a crisis response center for women in search of empowerment, independence, and safety.

In 2023, during the holy month of Ramadan, SICO's team collected 90 food boxes containing essential items for distribution to families across Bahrain. SICO also met with the Deputy Capital Governorate, Hassan Abdulla Al-Madani, to discuss the Governorate’s sustainability programs and future collaboration plans. Also during Ramadan, SICO sponsored the efforts of Shamsaha, a crisis response center for women in search of empowerment, independence, and safety.

SICO responded to the call from His Majesty the King of Bahrain, the Royal Humanitarian Foundation, and the Central Bank of Bahrain by donating BD 10,000 to help alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. This contribution supports the royal initiative and reflects SICO’s commitment to positively impacting communities during times of need. It is not only a humanitarian duty to support the Palestinian community in Gaza, but also an act of solidarity during challenging times.

Additionally, when Turkey and Syria were hit by devastating earthquakes earlier this year, resulting in the loss of lives and displacement of thousands of people, SICO donated to the relief efforts launched by the Royal Humanitarian Foundation in Bahrain. SICO also invited its employees to participate by donating goods to the Syrian and Turkish embassies in Bahrain.

SICO also donated all of its old furniture from its previous offices to nine different societies around the country, including Uco Elderly Care, Batelco for Childcare, and Al Hidd Charity. It also donated some of the furniture to families in need in various areas around Bahrain. This contribution comes as part of SICO’s efforts to give back to its communities through acts of kindness and charity.

The Bank supports the Shaikh Ebrahim Center, which was established in 2002 as a forum for dialogue on philosophy, literature, poetry, culture, and the arts. Since its inauguration, it has hosted over 400 speakers, philosophers, poets, and thinkers, who have presented their thoughts in the center’s weekly lecture program. The center has also restored traditional Bahraini houses in Muharraq and Manama.

SICO Invest launched an initiative in 2022 granting people with special needs a 50% discount on the company’s trading fees for all types of transactions. The discount aimed to create awareness of capital markets and engage an underserved segment of society in productive financial activities, helping them plan ahead and strengthen their financial independence. This step is one of many initiatives that SICO Invest plans to undertake to fulfill its social responsibility towards fostering financial inclusion in the country.

In 2024, SICO continued its long-standing partnership with the Shaikh Ebrahim Center, which has now hosted over 500 global thinkers, poets, and philosophers. The Bank also reinforced its commitment to inclusion by supporting initiatives focused on autistic children and expanding financial access for underserved communities and SMEs through tailored investment solutions.

In 2024, SICO expanded its financial inclusion efforts, introducing innovative investment access and financing options tailored for underserved populations and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). These efforts are aligned with Bahrain’s broader goals for economic diversification and inclusive growth.

SICO remains committed to transparency and progress in its climate-related disclosures. The Bank publishes an annual Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions Report to monitor, manage, and reduce emissions across its operations.

In 2024, SICO conducted calculations of its GHG emissions
for the period from January 1 to December 31. Total emissions increased by 29% compared to the previous year, primarily due to the near doubling of staff at SICO’s KSA subsidiary and the larger sample size in the employee commuting survey, which included 101 participants and was extrapolated to represent the whole workforce for a more accurate picture.

Despite the increase in absolute emissions, GHG intensity per employee remained nearly unchanged, highlighting SICO’s continued focus on sustainable operational growth. The 2024 report also featured enhanced monitoring practices, including the introduction of Scope 3, Category 1 emissions (purchased goods and services), in addition to Scope 1 and 2 emissions.

Improvements were made to tracking systems and measurement accuracy, reinforcing SICO’s commitment to responsible emissions management and continuous reporting evolution.

For more details, please refer to our GHG Reports.

SICO is committed to minimizing its environmental impact and promoting sustainability both within the Bank and throughout the wider community.

Internally, SICO has implemented a robust “No Plastic, No Printing” policy and continues to digitize operations. Reusable water bottles have been distributed to employees, and plastic cutlery and cups have been eliminated. Recycling of paper, plastic, and e-waste remains ongoing.

In 2024, SICO introduced a new SWIFT solution that eliminates the need to print SWIFT messages entirely, a move that significantly reduces paper usage and enhances operational efficiency.

As part of its ongoing partnership with The National Initiative for Agricultural Development (NIAD)’s 'Forever Green' campaign, SICO completed its fifth tree-planting initiative in 2024, bringing the total to 2,700 trees planted. These efforts have sequestered 48.6 tonnes of CO2e, helping to improve air quality, preserve biodiversity, and support soil conservation — all in alignment with Bahrain’s national net-zero 2060 target.

SICO also maintained its focus on water conservation. Water-efficient technologies were adopted across facilities, complemented by internal awareness campaigns to reduce consumption and promote mindful resource management.

The Bank continues to raise awareness through initiatives like Go Green and employee engagement sessions. A previous session with marine ecologist Dr. Reem AlMealla explored Bahrain’s biodiversity and emphasized the link between ecosystem health and climate action.

SICO’s commitment to biodiversity, sustainable operations, and community engagement reflects its broader ESG vision — driving real-world impact while supporting national sustainability goals.

SICO continues to champion gender equality and female empowerment as a core value. Since 2014, the Bank has been led by Najla Al-Shirawi, Bahrain’s first female CEO of a financial institution.

In 2024, women held 30% of managerial positions, and 44% of the total workforce were female, with nine women in leadership roles. SICO also boasts the highest female representation on its board in Bahrain, with 44% of its board members being female.

Women lead several core business lines, including Brokerage — headed by Bahrain’s only female Chief Broker, whose team is 60% female — and Market Making, which is run by an all-female team.

SICO’s Equal Opportunity Committee, established in 2017, remains active in promoting gender inclusion and reviewing employment policies to ensure fairness in recruitment, promotions, and performance management. The Bank also signed the UN Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs) in 2024, aligning its efforts with global standards and national initiatives such as the Supreme Council for Women.

In 2024, SICO continued its involvement in the “Support and Accelerate Women’s Inclusion” (SAWI) initiative in partnership with Warsha Consultancy and the American University in Beirut. The Bank enhanced its policies regarding performance tracking, flexible work arrangements, and employee well-being, and introduced a new tool to monitor the effectiveness of inclusive policies.

SICO continues to prioritize internal development through targeted training programs in key areas, including banking, leadership, risk management, anti-money laundering, and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles. The Bank partners with global and regional institutions, such as BIBF, Bloomberg, and Thomson Reuters Compliance Learning, to deliver high-impact learning opportunities.
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2024
- A business ethics training course was introduced, with 62% of employees completing it by the end of the year
- All management members completed Diversity & Inclusion training.
- Mental health sessions were introduced to enhance resilience and workplace well-being.

SICO employees also participate in the Qodwa Mentorship Programme, in collaboration with the CFA Society Bahrain, which supports professional development and academic growth through experienced mentor-mentee pairings.

SICO strives to be an employer of choice in Bahrain by offering benefits that go beyond regulatory requirements. Highlights include:
- Paid maternity leave plus 120 days of remote work and 60 days of fully paid additional leave for new mothers
- Five days of paternity leave for male employees
- A flexible Work-From-Home (WFH) policy, allowing remote work up to 50% of the time. In 2024, 1,215 WFH days were recorded, with 73% of WFH hours in Bahrain granted to women
- Parental and children’s vaccination leave
- Dedicated wellness rooms for new mothers, prayer, and rest
- Health club allowance, study allowance for children, and life and family medical insurance
- Female Spouse Medical Insurance, introduced in 2022, remains in effect

SICO’s Employee Savings Scheme (ESS) enables staff to invest a portion of their salary with matched contributions from the Bank, offering investment options tailored to personal risk appetite and managed by SICO’s Global Markets team.

SICO’s offices at the Bahrain World Trade Center are designed with a focus on well-being and collaboration. Shared dining areas, prayer rooms, quiet spaces, and phone booths promote balance, focus, and connection.

SICO maintains a zero-tolerance policy toward discrimination, harassment, or forced labour, and proudly reported zero incidents in 2024.

The Bank’s Grievance Policy and open-door HR approach promote transparency, fairness, and psychological safety.

The team of dedicated and experienced professionals that make up SICO’s Client Relations department works to oversee requests, respond to inquiries, and provide guidance to both existing and potential clients. The department also prioritizes customer experience by making gradual and measurable changes. The primary purpose of the department is to build sustainable, long-term, and professional relationships with the Bank’s customers. Client Relations has a wide and varied scope of activities, including managing and advocating for clients’ needs across the Bank’s different business lines; onboarding new accounts; and completing and updating all client KYC details to ensure full compliance with Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB) regulations. In the future, SICO’s Client Relations department will continue to automate and empower clients to execute transactions digitally.

SICO’s economic contribution extends well beyond revenue generation and operational costs. The Bank supports job creation across various sectors, including legal, insurance, technology, and consulting, while also generating value through capital market activities such as initial public offerings (IPOs), mergers and acquisitions, and fund launches.

In 2024, SICO further strengthened its internal economic impact through the Employee Savings Scheme (ESS), a regional-first initiative designed to support long-term financial security for staff. The Bank matches employee contributions and invests them in a globally diversified portfolio managed by SICO’s Global Markets team. The ESS is administered by Intertrust Group in the Netherlands, with AON as its advisory partner.

SICO plays a crucial role in promoting financial literacy and enhancing workforce readiness across Bahrain. In 2024, the Bank launched new youth development initiatives, including a job shadowing programme for high school students and a competitive internship programme for university students in Bahrain, the UK, and the US.

The third round of the Women in Investment (WIM) Programme, conducted in partnership with the Supreme Council for Women and the CFA Society Bahrain, recorded a 90% employment rate for its participants, demonstrating a measurable impact in advancing gender equity in finance.

SICO also collaborated with Bahrain Polytechnic to launch the SICO LIVE Global Trading Game, a market simulation in which 25 students executed over 1,000 trades and generated virtual profits of more than USD 95,000. Additional long-standing support for CPISP, TradeQuest, INJAZ Bahrain, and the Lamea Project reinforces the Bank’s role in shaping Bahrain’s next generation of financial leaders.

As a pioneer market maker in the region, SICO continues to play a vital role in enhancing market liquidity, narrowing price spreads, and supporting post-IPO listings. In 2024, SICO’s Market Making division contributed approximately 30% of the Bahrain Bourse’s total traded value, nearly doubling its participation from 2023.

Despite a decrease in income to BD 312,000 (down from BD 452,000 in 2023), the division’s impact grew significantly due to new market-making mandates and greater engagement across sectors. The Bahrain Liquidity Fund (BLF) also continued to support trading activity and investor confidence, contributing to the overall development of Bahrain’s capital markets.

SICO is actively involved in the development of Bahrain’s financial sector and fintech ecosystem. Through its partnership with Bahrain Fintech Bay, SICO supports innovation, entrepreneurship, and digital transformation.

The Bank is also a longstanding sponsor of CFA Society Bahrain, contributing to industry knowledge, education, and professional development. SICO’s CEO, Najla Al-Shirawi, and senior executives frequently participate in regional conferences and panels, affirming the Bank’s leadership in advancing financial services across the GCC.

In 2024, SICO introduced a paperless SWIFT system as part of its digital transformation agenda, eliminating internal printing, enhancing operational efficiency, and reducing environmental impact.

SICO has made several innovations throughout 2022 that have furthered its digital transformation agenda. Online trading platform SICO LIVE’s customer onboarding was updated with the launch of eKYC services operated by the BENEFIT Company in collaboration with the Information & eGovernment Authority (iGA), under the supervision of the Central Bank of Bahrain. This new feature utilizes the national eKYC platform, an extensive online database enabling financial institutions to easily authenticate client identities and retrieve KYC data electronically without the need for in-person interactions. The new automated system allows customer onboarding to take place in real time, seamlessly and securely.

The relocation of SICO’s offices to the Bahrain World Trade Center (BWTC) in 2022 involved the creation of a new, state-of-the-art data center, which stands today as a major step forward in the advancement of the Bank’s digital infrastructure. In preparation for the move, SICO digitized all of its paper archives – around 1.2 million files. These were all uploaded digitally and transferred to the Bank’s servers and portals, making them readily available for all end users. Plans are also in the works to begin the digitization of all the Bank’s backlog files with the goal of becoming a fully paperless operation. Printing across the Bank’s offices has become minimal, to be used only when necessary. For interactions that still maintain a fax requirement, e-faxing has been set up to further reduce paper usage.

As SICO continues to adopt new digital solutions and integrate more advanced systems, protection against cyberattacks has become increasingly vital to the safety and continuity of operations across the Bank’s business lines. In 2022, SICO signed a partnership deal with Beyon Cyber, a company that offers end-to-end cybersecurity solutions. The collaboration will improve the maturity of SICO’s IT infrastructure and strengthen its cybersecurity architecture, offering increased confidence in its ability to safeguard against any external hazards. Beyon Cyber provided SICO with a managed Cybersecurity Operations Center (CSOC), with a dedicated professional team for 24/7 monitoring of all SICO’s systems to ensure that they are all effectively protected against any potential cyber threats using advanced AI technology.

In 2023, SICO further strengthened its cybersecurity practices by implementing an advanced security solution based on Artificial Intelligence (AI) to have a 360-degree monitoring of the entire IT infrastructure, providing real-time detection and protection against targeted cyber-attacks.

SICO is committed to upholding the highest standards of corporate governance. This entails complying with regulatory requirements, protecting the rights and interests of all stakeholders, enhancing shareholder value, and achieving organizational efficiency. The Bank has Board-approved policies for risk management, compliance and internal controls, in accordance with the rules and guidelines from the Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB). SICO’s Board of Directors consists of nine Directors, two of whom are Independent Directors, two Executive Directors (including the Vice-Chairman), and five Non-Executive Directors.

SICO has adopted a whistleblowing policy and operates under the supervision of the CBB in compliance with Decree Law No. (4) of 2001 and its amendments (collectively, “the AML Law”) with respect to the Prevention and Prohibition of money laundering. The CBB has adopted and is compliant with the recommendations issued by the Financial Action Task Force (“FATF”), which are the international standard for effective anti-money laundering regimes and the requirements of the Basel committee (Customer Due Diligence for Bank’s paper), that are relevant to conventional bank licensees. The Kingdom of Bahrain is a member of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), which is a member of FATF, and also a member of MENAFATF, which is an associate member of FATF.
Explore Corporate Governance Details
Learn more about Anti Money Laundering Statement

SICO conducts itself in accordance with the highest standards of ethical behavior. A Code of Conduct for SICO Staff has been developed to govern the personal and professional conduct of all employees. The Code of Conduct outlines areas of conflict of interest, confidentiality, fair and equitable treatment, ethics, and managing customer complaints. A Whistleblowing Policy and Procedures is also included within the Code of Conduct for SICO Staff.

SICO is committed to maintaining the confidentiality, integrity, and security of information collected from customers, in accordance with all applicable privacy laws. For the purposes of privacy laws in Bahrain, SICO acts as the ‘Data Manager’ in respect to any personal information received from clients.

The manner in which information is collected, shared and processed through all means including corporate offices, subsidiaries, affiliates, the SICO website, as well as any other direct or indirect interactions with the Bank is defined by SICO’s privacy policy.

Please click here for our full Privacy Policy

SICO is a leading regional asset manager, broker, and investment bank headquartered in the Kingdom of Bahrain with a growing regional presence in Saudi Arabia and the UAE. SICO has a well-established track record as a trusted regional wholesale bank offering a comprehensive suite of financial solutions, backed by a robust and experienced research team that provides regional insights and analysis of many of the region’s major equities and fixed income securities. Our mission as an organization is to inspire, enable, and create sustainable value for our stakeholders, clients, people, and the communities we serve.

We acknowledge that ESG is continuously gaining traction in the region, and we want to be ahead of the curve by aligning our operations with international best practices, as well as global and regional peers who are working to become responsible investors, integrating ESG considerations in our investment decision process.

The long-term performance of the investment portfolio can be affected by ESG issues (such as the increased focus on sustainable development, climate change, or the global transition to more sustainable and inclusive economies), and by integrating ESG criteria as part of our investment process, we are gaining a deeper insight into potential underlying risks to prospective gains and mitigate them accordingly.

Developing a comprehensive ESG framework as defined by the UNPRI, the world’s leading proponent of Responsible Investment, is very important for SICO. As a regional wholesale bank, SICO remains committed to promoting responsible investment, and is continuously working to integrate ESG considerations into the fabric of its operations, which allows SICO to create long-term value for its stakeholders.

Furthermore, SICO is committed to promoting transparency in the presentation of its investments and, therefore, adopts the highest international standard and global practices, such as the Global Investment Performance Standards (GIPS), to protect the interests of its shareholders and clients above all else.

This Responsible Investment Policy covers SICO’s Equity and Fixed income asset management department and the Strategy, Partnership and Treasury department. This document seeks to assist in creating an efficient process by acting as a point of reference and providing a series of initiatives to be carried out by all the relevant employees involved in the integration of ESG considerations into SICO’s investment decision process.

This policy has been developed to provide guidance to the organization on how ESG factors should be integrated into its investment decision process as an additional lens to support the identification of potential risks likely to affect our investment portfolio. We expect this policy to evolve over time to reflect changes in business practices and the regulatory landscape. Accordingly, we monitor this policy annually and will typically review our approach when required.

ESG is a component of our investment due diligence process which involves integrating additional views of an investment that go beyond a common quantitative analysis. SICO’s investment teams will have access to sufficient ESG data to assess existing and expected investments and monitor investments for significant developments.

The firm will establish an ESG Senior Management Committee consisting of Senior Management as well as senior members of the corporate and asset management departments and control functions. This committee will be the main governance structure to drive and manage ESG initiatives for the different departments involved (Asset Management Dept. and Strategy, Partnership and Treasury department). The committee meets at least twice a year to assess SICO’s efforts across the organization as a whole and each of the different departments and identify those areas which will help SICO to further improve its performance in terms of ESG. Furthermore, the oversight of the responsible investment activities at SICO is also integrated across the investment departments mentioned before.

The Asset Management Committee (AMC) is the responsible body reviewing the investment strategy of the different Portfolio Managers and all investment activities performed by the Asset Management Department and acts as a control mechanism to manage the risks inherent in the investment process, including those associated with ESG topics.

The Asset, Liabilities, and Investment Committee (ALIC) acts as the principal body responsible for overseeing SICO’s capital and financial resources, as well as the balance sheet and all the treasury activities, including the investment strategy, asset, country, and industry/sector allocations, and the balance risk sheet, including those associated with ESG topics. The committee is also responsible for formulating and reviewing the Bank’s investment policies, strategies, and performance measurement and assessment.

Our ESG Investment approach is based on the following principles:
- At a minimum, compliance with applicable local and international laws and regulations (“Applicable Laws”).
- At a minimum, compliance with all applicable laws relating to the Environment, Labour, Health & Safety, and the prevention of extortion, bribery, and financial crime (including tax evasion).
- We consider topics such as climate, gender equality, local community development, and corporate governance to be additional risk areas to be included in our investment portfolio analysis, as well as current threats to society and the environment.
- While our overriding duty, as mandated by our clients, is to maximize the investment returns without undue risk of loss, our investments will not consider companies that do not comply and monitor compliance with all the applicable laws at the national/local level. The compliance assessment will be conducted based on publicly available information.
- We have a responsibility to engage with companies to both protect and represent our clients’ interests.
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Our ESG Investment approach entails the integration of ESG considerations within SICO’s investment process, combining traditional internal financial analysis with additional third-party data (e.g., ratings) associated with environmental, social, and governance topics. A list of potential ESG factors considered in the investment analysis include, among others:
- Environmental: climate change, energy resources, waste management, and water resources and pollution.
- Governance: Business integrity, Board independence and composition, and expertise, and Transparency/Accountability.

Given the differences in the investment decision process of our various investing lines of business, SICO takes a bespoke approach to the integration of ESG considerations within each of our asset management departments. However, our general approach focuses on integrating ESG factors in our existing investment decision process to identify, assess, and mitigate potential risks and benefit from potential opportunities linked to our investment portfolio.

SICO's investment teams are responsible for integrating third-party ESG data across their research activities, including analysis of investment trends, market potential, investor segments, investment opportunities, credit research, and debt analysis, as well as for identifying potential risks likely to impact our investment portfolio.

Furthermore, the third-party ESG data is also used to obtain information on the impact of selected ESG issues on general market conditions and specific investment avenues, present critical research information and risk parameters to the investment teams, while ESG considerations are also included as criteria within SICO’s due diligence processes.

Within our Equity Investment operations, we integrate third-party ESG data to identify potential risks and opportunities in our asset managers’ investment analysis and decision-making process, as an additional mechanism to determine if any of our investments might be impacted by any reputation or business issues. The process is led by the Buy-side Research team, who uses the information provided by third-party rating agencies to incorporate ESG data in the investment analysis, including:
 - Obtaining ESG scores for the companies in the investment universe from the third-party ratings provider. When the ESG score of a company is below a certain minimum threshold decided by the Head of Buy Side Research, the research team will request a detailed report from the rating agency to evaluate the company further in terms of ESG related risks.
- When deemed necessary by the research team, create specific ESG questionnaires to assess the ESG risks and opportunities associated with our investments to be circulated among our investees.

Furthermore, the screening of our investments against certain ESG factors might lead to their exclusion based on the identification of significant risks in the following areas:
- Environmental: activities involved in breaches of national, regional, or local laws on environment protection.
 - Social: activities that might have a potentially harmful effect on health (such as tobacco or alcohol manufacturing), violate human rights (such as violations of the United Nations Global Compact) or are controversial (such as weapons manufacturing); and
- Governance: activities that might have a breach in terms of business ethics (such as violations of the United Nations Global Compact’s premises).

Within our Fixed Income operations, we also integrate third-party ESG data in our investment analysis and decision-making process of our asset managers, to enhance risk-adjusted returns and manage downside risk through the identification of risks and opportunities that might not be otherwise identified without the application of the ESG lens.

The process is led by the Buy-side Research team, who uses the information provided by third-party rating agencies to incorporate ESG data in the investment analysis to:
- Support the identification of potential impacts caused by unforeseen ESG risks on specific sectors and issuers, and assessment of the creditworthiness of debt issuers.
- Integrate ESG factors in the fixed income valuation practices and forecasted financial/ratios.

Our treasury operations include investments in different types of products such as direct investments (Equity and Fixed Income), Externally Managed Funds (such as Mutual or Hedge Funds), SICO’s Funds, and Derivatives.

Within the operations of this department, we integrate third-party ESG data (e.g., ratings) in the investment analysis and decision-making process. Particularly for our Externally Managed Fund Investments, we strive to identify the level of incorporation of ESG considerations by the Fund Managers in their own investment decisions through:
- Discussions with the Fund Managers on whether and how they consider ESG factors in the construction of their investment portfolio; and
- Integration of ESG questions in the various RFPs and meetings with new Fund Managers to have a better understanding of their ESG Investment approach.

At SICO, we believe that a diverse and inclusive workplace is essential to our success as a leading regional investment firm. Our commitment to diversity and inclusion (D&I) supports better decision-making, stronger innovation, and a culture where everyone can thrive.

We ensure fair and equitable recruitment, promotion, and career development practices, with all qualifications and requirements based solely on legitimate business needs and merit.

We aim to maintain and build on our strong female representation across all levels of the company, including senior management and the Board.

We foster an environment that respects and values differences in background, experience, and perspective.

We provide regular training on anti-discrimination, anti-harassment, and inclusive practices for all employees.

We are committed to tracking and reporting workforce composition by gender, age group, and employment type, as part of our dedication to accountability and inclusive growth.

Our commitment to D&I is integral to achieving SICO’s mission and building lasting value for our clients, our people, and our communities.

At SICO, we believe that the continuous development of our employees is key to delivering long-term value for our clients, shareholders, and communities. We are committed to providing a work environment that fosters learning, growth, and excellence at all levels of the organization.

 - Offering structured learning opportunities that enhance technical, leadership, and soft skills relevant to our business and the evolving financial sector.

Supporting continuous professional development through both internal and external training programs, including on-the-job learning, external courses, and sponsorship for academic and professional qualifications relevant to employees’ careers at SICO.

Providing customized and specialized training tailored to the specific needs of different teams, such as:
 - ESG integration training for investment teams to ensure alignment with our Responsible Investment and ESG strategies.
 - Technical and job-specific training delivered by internal experts, external advisors, or specialized trainers to build sector-specific capabilities.
 - Executive management leadership courses focusing on emotional intelligence, stakeholder engagement, delegation, and other leadership skills essential for sustainable success.

Promoting a culture of knowledge sharing, mentorship, and talent mobility across jurisdictions and functions to foster professional growth and organizational resilience.

Identifying learning and development needs through structured processes including performance appraisals, on-the-job monitoring, and in response to regulatory, technological, or business changes.

Ensuring equal access to development opportunities, regardless of gender, nationality, or background.

Delivering onboarding, core, technical, compliance, and leadership training that align employees with SICO’s strategy, values, and regulatory obligations.

This commitment supports SICO’s ability to attract, retain, and empower top talent, and aligns with Bahrain Vision 2030 and SICO’s ESG strategy to build a high-performing, inclusive workforce.