NBB Honoured as Middle East’s Best Bank for Corporate Responsibility 2024

TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune - www.newsofbahrain.com

The National Bank of Bahrain (NBB) has established itself as a regional leader in corporate responsibility by winning its third prestigious award for ‘Middle East’s Best Bank for Corporate Responsibility’ at the Euromoney Awards for Excellence 2024. This win builds on the consecutive awards received by the Bank this year for ‘Bahrain’s Best Bank for Corporate Responsibility’ and ‘Bahrain’s Best Bank for ESG.’

Speaking on the occasion, NBB Chairperson Mrs. Hala Yateem said, “Winning this award is a testament to our transformative community impact. We are grateful to our dedicated teams and visionary partners who share our determination towards fostering the well-being of our community. This recognition reflects the Bank’s achievements in setting new precedents for corporate responsibility in the wider industry and its aim to lead by example. We look forward to further strengthening our efforts in this regard and reaffirming our role as a pillar of the Bahraini community.”

For their part, the Euromoney Awards for Excellence team stated, “NBB has supported an impressive range of causes and initiatives with funding and other resources, to a total of 81 organisations. The Bank has also channelled 5% of its profits into the local community since the 1980s.”

Receiving the ‘Middle East’s Best Bank for Corporate Responsibility’ award emphasises NBB’s longstanding commitment towards sustainability, social inclusion, empowering communities, contributing to youth development, and encouraging innovation.

NBB has consistently contributed to a number of education and youth empowerment initiatives, including supporting the Crown Prince International Scholarship Programme and the Isa Bin Salman Education Charitable Trust’s academic scholarships. Additionally, the Bank collaborated with Injaz Bahrain on the 13^th Young Entrepreneurs Competition for high schools, which aimed to promote entrepreneurship and innovation among youth.

NBB’s ongoing dedication to social inclusion has been evident through its support of community and sports programmes. The Bank partnered with the Bahrain Catalysts Disabled Association to celebrate the graduation of 200 outstanding students with disabilities. Furthermore, NBB cooperated with the Bahrain Paralympics Committee to enable the participation of seven athletes in the Hangzhou 2022 Asian Para Games, held during October 2023 in China. The Bank’s sponsorship endeavours also extended to the Northern Governorate’s Summer Camp for students and individuals with autism, which provided participants with a nurturing environment to develop skills through various engaging activities.

NBB’s other notable community investments included the ‘Minna wa Feena’ TV show which aired on Bahrain TV during Ramadhan in 2023. The series raised awareness around social issues faced by different communities in Bahrain and inspired the public to take positive action to resolve them.

As a longstanding partner of the Royal Fund for Fallen Servicemen, NBB proactively assists the Fund’s initiatives that provide relief to the children and families of martyred servicemen who made sacrifices in service to the Kingdom. Beyond borders, NBB participated in the Royal Humanitarian Foundation’s Gaza Campaign to deliver essential aid to Palestinians affected by the ongoing conflict. Moreover, the Bank joined hands with the Smile Initiative to organise a celebratory event for the recovery of five courageous children who won their battles against cancer.

In line with its focus on advancing the Kingdom’s financial sector, NBB worked with Bahrain FinTech Bay to sponsor FinTech Forward 2023. The purpose of the event was to highlight how technology can advance the industry and position Bahrain as a regional hub for innovation.

Addressing environmental challenges, NBB endorsed the National Initiative for Agriculture Development’s (NIAD) “Forever Green” campaign, with NBB employees and their families volunteering to plant over 230 trees. The Bank also sponsored and participated in the first Global Warming, Energy, and Climate Change Congress (GWECCC 2023).

Being named as the ‘Middle East’s Best Bank for Corporate Responsibility’ illustrates NBB’s core values and mission to serve as an active national partner for social development. The Bank remains committed to leveraging its influence to be a catalyst for change in the Bahraini community and beyond.