Leading financial institution, Union Bank, has today released the 6th edition of its annual Citizenship, Sustainability and Innovation (CSI) report, which provides an update on the bank’s initiatives across environmental, social and economic areas during 2021.
Like previous editions, this year’s report highlights Union Bank’s continued efforts toward positively impacting the people and communities it serves through sustainable and responsible business practices, while also driving innovation. In 2021, the bank focused on community-led projects which directly impacted the lives of over 250,000 Nigerians in 20 communities across the six geopolitical zones of the country. These initiatives covered infrastructure support, education, health and general safety.
Speaking about the release of the report, Chief Brand and Marketing Officer, Union Bank, Ogochukwu Ekezie-Ekaidem said:
“Support for our communities is a top priority for us at Union Bank. As this report indicates, we made significant progress on several impact-driven initiatives that underscore our values, going beyond our beneficiary list for the previous years. In addition to employee-led volunteer projects, we also witnessed great advancement in gender equality and inclusiveness through our various programs and partnerships. I am proud of the work we do for our stakeholders through corporate responsibility and our innovative approach to furthering sustainability. We remain committed to driving social impact for our people.”
Further demonstrating the bank’s giant strides towards embracing clean energy and reduction of its environmental footprint, the report shows that the number of solar-powered branches and Automated Teller Machines (ATM) increased from 111 and 407 respectively in 2020, to 143 and 507 for the year under review.
The report also covered a major milestone in the innovation space for Union Bank with the successful launch of a future-forward technological hub called SpaceNXT. A purpose-built space to foster entrepreneurship, learning and co-creation for the Nigerian tech ecosystem.
The latest report reaffirms Union Bank’s position as one of the biggest advocates of sustainability and responsible corporate business practices.
Some segments of this report were presented in alignment with the Nigerian Sustainable Banking Principles (NSBPs) and United Nations’ Sustainability Development Goals (SDGs) and was prepared in compliance with the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) standard which underscores the bank’s commitment to accountability and transparency when reporting its initiatives.
