Union Bank has released its third Citizenship, Sustainability and Innovation (CSI) report, an annual compilation which details the financial Institution’s strategic focus, initiatives and impact across these three areas during the year. Highlighting the bank’s focus on transparent reporting of its CSI efforts, the report was prepared in line with Nigerian Sustainability Business Principles (NSBPs) and the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) standards. Assurance of the report was also conducted by independent auditing firm, Deloitte. According to the CSI report, in 2018, Union Bank continued to expand it efforts in sustainability and citizenship by deepening key partnerships and strengthening its support for charities and local communities. The report showcases the bank’s efforts, highlighting various projects it embarked upon, including women empowerment initiatives like seminars for female entrepreneurs; the distribution of hygiene care products to girls on International Day of the Girl Child and partnership with Pearls Africa to organise the Girls Coding Summer Camp, among others. In line with its focus on boosting financial inclusion, Union Bank also provided inclusive banking services to Nigerians through the provision of 430 agent banks across the country. Also, the bank and its employees joined forces to sponsor and distribute 8,000 care bags to people in underserved communities under the UnionCares umbrella. During the year, Union Bank made significant progress in its efforts to minimise its environmental impact through expansion of its recycling initiatives and the installation of energy saving facilities across its branches. Speaking on the release of the report, the chief executive officer, Emeka Emuwa, expressed his satisfaction at the achievements of the bank in the areas of citizenship, sustainability and innovation in the past year and the direction of the bank for the ongoing year. He said, “This annual report lends credence to Union Bank’s positioning as an institution truly committed to improving the communities in which we operate. CSI is central to our core business and commitment to the triple bottom line of responsible financial, environmental and socio-economic development.” With innovation as a priority, the bank deployed various innovative solutions and initiatives such as the Robotic Process Automation (RPA) technology, the first of its kind in the Nigerian banking industry, as well as Ideas Bank and Union X, both in-house initiatives to encourage employees’ contribution to the digital transformation drive of the bank. Last year, Union Bank was named ‘Best Company in Environmental Excellence’ at the 2018 SERAs CSR awards, endorsing the impressive strides it made in these areas. The release of the third edition of its CSI report underscores Union Bank’s commitment to maintaining its leading position as a sustainability champion and a socially driven and responsible corporate organisation.
(Leadership Online)
