Ekaterine Mikabadze, First Vice Governor of the National Bank of Georgia, participated in the World Bank’s sixth Best Annual Report and Transparency Awards (BARTA) event. 

The BARTA awards aim to promote best practices in corporate reporting, fostering a more transparent and competitive business environment. As in previous years, the National Bank of Georgia supported this initiative. Notably, the number of participating companies and the overall quality of transparency continue to improve each year.  

During her speech at the event, Ekaterine Mikabadze highlighted that the BARTA awards contribute to the country’s sustainable development, as high transparency levels of companies build trust in the capital market. 

“When a company’s financial and governance reporting effectively conveys its vision, goals, risk assessment, and internal policies, it strengthens investor and consumer confidence,” she noted. 

She also emphasized the growing significance of environmental and social responsibility within the financial system as a key driver of sustainable development. 

“In recent years, there has been increasing interest in green, social, sustainability, and sustainability-linked (GSSS) bonds from both issuers and investors. In Georgia, eight such bonds were issued in 2023-2024, with a total volume exceeding 590 million GEL by the end of 2024. I would particularly like to highlight the progress made under the NBG’s supervisory mandate. In 2024, new requirements under the Corporate Governance Code for issuers of public securities came into effect, enhancing transparency in compiling and publishing reports,” she added. 

As part of the event, a panel discussion was held featuring David Abesadze, Head of the Securities Market Supervision Department of the National Bank of Georgia. 

This year’s BARTA awards recognized winners in 10 different categories, including the newly introduced Best Debutant Company award.