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Commitment letter

NLB Bank Kosovo proudly endorses the Women Entrepreneurs Finance Code (hereinafter the “WE Finance Code” or the Code), a global initiative that aims to close financing gaps and remove barriers for women‑owned and women‑led micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs). As a signatory, NLB Bank commits to work with national partners to provide leadership, strengthen data systems and take concrete actions that empower women entrepreneurs and advance gender equality in the financial sector.

 

As a Signatory to the WE Finance Code, NLB Bank Kosovo commits to the following under each of the three pillars of the Code:

 

Leadership Commitments:

  1. NLB Bank Kosovo has nominated (Dafina Hasani-Ibrahimi- Head of Corporate and Sadije Skeja- Responsible person for Micro segment) as it’s WE Finance Code Champion. They will represent the institution in the national coalition, coordinate internal implementation of commitments, and serve as the focal point to align policies and practices with coalition objectives.
  2. NLB bank will prepare and classify client and portfolio data according to the nationally agreed definition of women‑owned and women‑led MSMEs (WMSMEs). Women‑owned enterprises will be defined as those with at least 51 percent female ownership, while women‑led enterprises will be those where a woman is an executive, representative or authorized person of the business. This classification will be used for portfolio segmentation and reporting.
  3. NLB Bank will actively promote women‑led MSMEs through targeted marketing campaigns. At least two campaigns per year will highlight products and services for women entrepreneurs using digital and social platforms. The bank will showcase success stories and new women clients to raise visibility and encourage broader community support.

Data Commitments:

  1. NLB Bank will disaggregate its loan and deposit portfolio by sex and regularly report the share of WMSMEs to the Central Bank of Kosovo. Systems and data structures will be adapted to comply with CBK requirements.
  2. NLB bank will implement the national WMSME definition across its client database, enabling systematic tracking and analysis. Data sets based on the core banking system will be created and reported.
  3. NLB bank will adapt its management information systems to allow sex‑disaggregated reporting to the Central Bank. Data will be recorded and reported on women‑led portfolios separately, supporting better product design and decision‑making.
  4. NLB Bank will include sex‑disaggregated portfolio data in its Annual Report and publish aggregated data online to ensure transparency. These reports will illustrate the share of WMSMEs in the overall portfolio and progress over time.

Action Commitments:

  1. NLB Bank will review its lending products to ensure they address the specific needs of women‑led businesses. Preferential conditions on specific products will be introduced, building on the bank’s dedicated product for women developed with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).

  2. NLB bank will design and promote account packages for WMSMEs that include digital banking services, lower account maintenance fees and preferential loan interest rates. These packages will increase affordability and attract more women entrepreneurs to formal banking.

  3. NLB Bank will include a dedicated section in its Annual Report starting from 2026, presenting sex‑disaggregated data on employees, clients and portfolio. The report will highlight progress in supporting women entrepreneurs, actions undertaken under the WE Finance Code and the bank’s journey to meet its commitments.

  4. NLB Bank will educate its sales staff on financing opportunities for women entrepreneurs and deliver targeted workshops for women‑led MSMEs. Training topics will include financial literacy, strategic planning, negotiation skills and business formalization, and will be linked to available financing windows. Workshops will also be delivered for loan officers in partnership with the EBRD.

  5. To deepen client relationships, NLB Bank will promote cross‑selling by encouraging women‑led MSMEs to utilize multiple financial products beyond loans—such as deposit accounts, guarantees, credit cards and digital services. Progress will be tracked by measuring the average number of products used by women clients each year.

    NLB Banka do të vazhdojmë bashkëpunimin me partnerët e saj dhe me koalicionin e gjerë, për të krijuar një ndikim të qëndrueshëm dhe domethënës për gratë sipërmarrëse në Kosovë.