First Bank stakes N25b on sustainability

With a renewed commitment towards corporate social responsibility initiatives, First Bank of Nigeria Limited has stated that it expended N25 billion on sustainability programmes within the last 30 years.

According to the bank, the initiatives, which cut across sustainable financing to community projects, are geared towards increasing the financial institution’s intervention and impact in the Nigerian society.

Speaking during a courtesy visit of the Bank’s marketing and communications team to The Guardian at the weekend, Head, media and external relations, Babatunde Lasaki, explained that the bank’s approach towards corporate social responsibility initiatives is geared towards adopting a sustainable approach in empowering people and creating an environment for stakeholders to impact on each other.

Lasaki noted that in the last 121 years of doing business in the country, efforts have been geared towards ensuring that the bank adopts and implements a sustainability framework for its programmes in a way that does not jeopardize the future of other stakeholders.

Head, Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability, Ismail Omamegbe, added that the bank, in the wake of emerging shift in stakeholder needs which optimizes social responsibility above business profitability, there is collaborating with other stakeholders to increase capacity, sustainability, and deliver service to the community.

“As a responsible corporate citizen, we would continue to foster partnerships that build sustainable businesses. Our sustainability programmes are hinged on three tripods of education, health and welfare, as well as economic empowerment.

“We also focus on financial literacy, community infrastructural development, hope rising, with focus on people living with disabilities and sustainable financing, to further encourage responsible lending.

“We believe the media have a significant role to play in disseminating information bordering on our achievements and to further promote sustainability practice. We hope to partner with you in building vibrant and mutually beneficial partnerships”, he added.