Sustainable Fitch Raises Otbasy Bank’s Sustainability Rating
Otbasy Bank (a subsidiary of Baiterek Holding) has received an updated assessment from the international rating agency Sustainable Fitch. The bank’s score increased from 55 to 60, while its ESG Rating was reaffirmed at Level “3”.
The higher score reflects the bank’s continued progress in developing social programs, its transparent communication of ESG initiatives, and the effective integration of sustainability principles into its operations.
Sustainable Fitch emphasizes the significant social impact of Otbasy Bank, which plays a key role in implementing Kazakhstan’s national housing policy.
This year, Otbasy Bank helped 348 families raising children with disabilities and 372 individuals with disabilities of groups 1 and 2 celebrate housewarmings. The total amount of loans issued to these groups amounted to 8.5 billion tenge. In total, in 2025 the bank provided 1,577 preferential loans to socially vulnerable populations. The total housing area provided to these groups reached 101,240 square meters.
The current loan portfolio of the bank stands at 3.83 trillion tenge, representing 51% of the country’s entire mortgage portfolio.
Otbasy Bank serves 32.9% of Kazakhstan’s economically active population. It is the fourth-largest bank among second-tier banks by assets and equity, with a total loan portfolio of 3.8 trillion tenge.
As of November 1, 2025, 62,363 Kazakhstani families have received affordable loans and moved into their new homes through the bank’s products.
The housing construction savings system now has 3.2 million participants. The bank’s deposit portfolio amounts to 2.6 trillion tenge. In the first ten months of 2025 alone, a record 739,913 people opened new deposits with Otbasy Bank to begin saving and later obtain housing loans at the lowest interest rates in the country.
The bank continues actively developing its sustainable finance portfolio: the share of “green” mortgages has grown to 0.9% (30.7 billion tenge), while social mortgage programs account for 39% of the portfolio. Among the key products are the Nauryz program and Nauryz Zhumysker, With a Diploma to the Village, government-subsidized mortgage programs, as well as regional and corporate initiatives aimed at supporting young families, industrial workers, residents of rural regions, and socially vulnerable groups.
These and other initiatives play a central role in advancing the UN Sustainable Development Goals, including poverty reduction, improved living standards, economic growth, reducing inequality, and developing sustainable cities and communities by addressing housing shortages and improving living conditions for vulnerable populations.
Sustainable Fitch also highlighted the bank’s progress in risk management: ESG factors have been integrated into the risk-management system, and climate-related risks are assessed through stress testing and scenario analysis. The agency’s report notes that Otbasy Bank demonstrates “strong corporate governance and a high social profile.” Among the positive factors are gender balance—58% of employees are women—and high customer satisfaction.
Otbasy Bank will continue advancing its sustainability strategy, expanding its range of green products, and strengthening transparency in reporting in line with international standards.
