FirstBank is 120 years and has through its existence shown consistent support to corporate responsibility and sustainability through the citizenship approach. This approach requires that the Bank considers the needs of all stakeholders not only for business performance but largely for mutually beneficial relationship.
To reinforce this, the GMD/CEO of FirstBank stated at therecently concluded FirstBank Sustainability Centre International Sustainability Conference, that the Bank has designated over 20 branches with access to wheelchairs across the country. Some of these branches include: Yaba,Broad Street (Elephant House), Magodo, Owode (Ikorodu), Kano Hadeija Road, Kaduna Main, Birnin Kebbi, Kaduna South, Yenagoa, Abuja Maitama, Abuja Asokoro, IjedeIkorodu, etc. This intervention further demonstrates the bank’s effort towards providing financial services for people living with disabilities.
The bank is committed to put the stakeholder first in making decisions; building strong relationship with customers, communities, and employees to underpin its sustainability initiatives. FirstBank’s strategy to deliver value through corporate citizenship is hinged on four pillars which include: driving sustainable finance, empowering people, supporting communities, and contributing to environmental sustainability. These pillars reinforce the bank’s focus to lead the drive for inclusion and diversity in the polity.
FirstBank has empowered communities through capacity building initiatives such as the SMEConnect Platform to engage SMEs, FirstBank Sustainability Centre designed to build capacity on sustainability and related issues among other initiatives. So far, over 200,000 SMEs have benefitted from financial services and loans schemes, and over 478,000 unbanked got financial services. The FirstBank Sustainability Centre recently sponsored aworkshop for women-led SMEs to empower about 60women as well as the International Sustainability Conference to promote sustainable business practices.
In promoting sustainable finance, the Bank is focused on responsible lending and financial inclusion to ensure customers remain an integral part of business while it mitigates the environmental and social business impacts in the process to maintain overall sustainable growth and development. According to Folake Ani-Mumuney, Head,Marketing & Corporate Communications “The Bank wouldremain committed to promoting sustainability & corporate responsibility programmes. We believe in the long-term and being an enduring partner for the long haul journey”.
