Access Bank’s 2016 EVP impacted over 160 communities
Some 160 communities nationwide benefited from Access Bank’s 2016 Employee Volunteering Programme (EVP) undertaken by about 1,300 staff.
Advertisement
The feat marks an increase in the number of beneficiary communities from 136 in 2015, focusing on various social intervention initiatives such as education, health, environment, sports, arts and culture.
Access Bank’s EVP has been voted “Outstanding Business Sustainability” Corporate Social Responsibility programme by the Karlsruhe Sustainable Finance awards in 2016.
Helping to deepen the Bank’s community engagements, these projects have directly impacted the lives of some 8,000 people including children, women and the under-privileged in society, with 4,000 persons being indirect beneficiaries of the numerous projects which were deliberately targeted at critical areas of national development.
Since 2015, the Bank’s CSR projects have focused on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted by the United Nations and the 2016 projects covered Goals 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10 and 13. The alignment of the Bank’s CSR initiatives to these SDGs enables a meaningful contribution by the Bank in helping the country achieve its millennium development goals.
A statement by the Bank also underscores a strong belief that the inclusion of employees in achieving these SDGs elicits a deep sense of fulfilment as well as building a strong advocacy for employee empowerment as a meaningful tool for national development.
Key projects undertaken in 2016 include the adoption of the Tetteh Ocloo State School for the Deaf by the Access Women Network, an all-female staff group within the Bank. The school received financial support for refurbishment of classrooms and assembly hall as well as furnishing of their dormitories.
Volunteering employees of the Bank also partnered the Ring Road wing of the Ghana Rotary Club and ‘Run for the Cure’ to organise a blood donation exercise and marathon aimed at raising awareness about giving blood for life and breast cancer respectively.
Some institutions in various communities who were also project beneficiaries include Sunyani Prisons, Mampong School for the Deaf, Kpenoe EP Primary School, University of Ghana, Ohwimase M/A Basic School, Nsawam Government Hospital, Kemsco M/A Junior High School and many others.
Speaking on the rationale for the EVP focusing on the SDGs, the Head of Corporate Communications at Access Bank, Mr. Nana Adu Kyeremateng mentioned sustainability as a critical aspect of the Bank’s business and stressed on the importance of being involved in the communities in which the Bank operates to ensure the Bank’s objectives of creating value for these communities are met.
“By adopting the SDGs in 2015, we did not only ensure it helps us achieve our community impact objectives, this also guaranteed a systematic approach to supporting the country meet these goals by 2030 and that is our commitment”, he added.
Access Bank’s Employee Volunteering Programme (EVP) was launched in 2010 with a framework which allows staff to contribute their ideas, skills and financial resources for community development. This novel programme continues to set the Bank apart in its drive for sustainable banking.
The EVP remains an innovative vehicle for driving sustainable development and a key complement to the Bank’s Corporate Social Responsibility strategy.
These social investments together with its outstanding financial performance and business expansion moves have contributed to Access Bank being adjudged winner of several industry awards including the 2015 CSR Excellence Awards “Best CSR Bank”, bringing the Bank closer to achieving its vision of being the World’s Most Respected African Bank.