Pearl Bank Uganda Limited has won the Gold Award for Integrated Report of the Year at the 2026 Financial Reporting (FiRe) Awards, emerging top among 106 participating organisations.
The bank also won the Banking Services – Tier 1 award at the ceremony held at Kampala Serena Hotel on November 4, 2026, marking its first Gold Award for integrated reporting under its new identity following the transition from PostBank Uganda to Pearl Bank.
The FiRe Awards Committee commended Pearl Bank for producing a comprehensive and well-organised integrated report that linked its stakeholders, material matters, strategic pillars and different forms of capital through clear navigation tools.
The committee also noted that the report quantified the bank’s business model inputs and outcomes, analysed its operating environment and outlined its strategy alongside allocated resources and performance against targets.
Pearl Bank’s Chief Financial Officer, Peter Ssenyange, said the awards recognised the institution’s progress in corporate reporting following its rebranding.
“Winning both the Gold Award for Integrated Report of the Year and the Tier 1 Financial Services Award under the Pearl Bank identity is a profound milestone,” Ssenyange said.
He said the integrated report provided a comprehensive account of the bank’s financial performance, strategy, governance and sustainability impact.
The bank’s recognition adds to its previous FiRe Awards achievements, including the Banking Services award in 2025 and bronze awards for integrated reporting in 2023 and 2024. Ssenyange was also named CFO of the Year in 2025.
Uganda Clays Limited emerged second, winning the Silver Award for Integrated Report of the Year, while Centenary Rural Development Group took bronze.
The committee recognised Uganda Clays for presenting a compelling account of its turnaround, particularly its explanation of the materiality assessment process, from identification to board approval, and changes made compared with the previous reporting year.
Centenary Rural Development Group was commended for producing a comprehensive integrated report supported by an environmental, social and governance (ESG) report that mapped its disclosures against IFRS S1 and IFRS S2 sustainability standards, while openly identifying areas where it was yet to comply.
Stanbic, NSSF named FiRe Awards Titans
In a new category introduced this year, Stanbic Uganda Holdings Limited and the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) were recognised as the first FiRe Awards Titans for their sustained performance in corporate reporting.
Stanbic Uganda Holdings received the distinction after accumulating eight Gold Awards, while NSSF was recognised with four Gold Awards.
The Titans category is reserved for organisations that have consistently achieved high standards in corporate reporting, demonstrated the ability to compete in regional awards and won at least three FiRe Awards Gold accolades.
The committee said the recognition of NSSF reflected an organisational culture built around transparency, sound governance, accountability and responsible management of resources entrusted to the fund.
Other organisations recognised among the top 10 producers of noteworthy integrated reports were BRAC Uganda Bank, CARE International in Uganda, Infectious Diseases Institute, Makerere University Retirement Benefits Scheme, MTN Uganda, Quality Chemical Industries and Housing Finance Bank.
Technology takes centre stage in sustainability reporting
The 16th edition of the FiRe Awards was held under the theme, “Driving Sustainability Reporting through Technology and Innovation.”
In a speech read on his behalf by CPA Noah Matovu, FiRe Awards Committee Chairperson CPA Stephen Ineget said technology and innovation were becoming central to how organisations collect, analyse and communicate sustainability information.
“In an increasingly digital and sustainability-conscious world, ICPAU recognises that credible sustainability reporting can no longer rely on traditional approaches alone, and technology and innovation are now central to how organisations gather, analyse, and communicate information accurately, in a timely manner, and with transparency,” Ineget said.
The chief guest, Uganda Communications Commission Executive Director George William Nyombi Thembo, said credible corporate reporting was essential for building investor confidence and attracting capital.
He observed that investors, lenders and development partners rely on accurate and timely information to assess organisational performance, resource management, risks and future opportunities.
“Quality corporate reporting is therefore fundamental to building trust, attracting investment and strengthening confidence in our institutions and businesses,” Nyombi Thembo said.
Capital Markets Authority Chief Executive Officer Josephine Ossiya highlighted the potential of digital systems, sensors and connected platforms to improve the collection and verification of sustainability data.
She said technology could allow organisations to capture information as it is generated rather than relying on annual estimates, making reports more accurate and easier to verify.
However, Ossiya cautioned that technology alone could not guarantee credible disclosures, saying boards remained accountable for the information their organisations published.
“A report produced quickly by a system is only as good as the data and governance behind it,” she said, adding that accountants and auditors remained responsible for safeguarding the integrity of reported information.
Uganda Securities Exchange Chief Executive Officer Paul Bwiso also underscored the partnership between the exchange and the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Uganda (ICPAU), saying reliable reporting builds the trust required to attract capital.
ICPAU President Timothy Ediomu urged organisations to prepare for the adoption of the IFRS Sustainability Disclosure Standards, which Uganda adopted in 2024.
He said the implementation roadmap provides for mandatory adoption beginning in 2028, while organisations are being encouraged to adopt the standards voluntarily ahead of the deadline.
Ediomu said early adoption would help organisations prepare their systems and personnel while improving transparency, investor protection and access to international capital markets and green financing.
He also cited the potential of sustainability reporting to encourage foreign direct investment.
The FiRe Awards are organised by ICPAU in partnership with the Capital Markets Authority and Uganda Securities Exchange. Introduced in 2011, the awards seek to improve financial and business reporting by encouraging organisations to adopt international reporting standards and corporate governance best practices.
Since their introduction, more than 1,500 organisations have submitted annual reports for evaluation.
The organisers said the awards had contributed to improvements in corporate reporting, including greater disclosure of organisational strategy and sustainability issues, progress in financial reporting among small and medium-sized enterprises, and increased transparency in the public sector.
The 2026 awards were sponsored by New Vision, Bank of Uganda, the Office of the Auditor General and the Uganda Insurers Association.