The Chief Executive Officer of Union Bank of Nigeria Plc, Mr. Emeka Okonkwo, has disclosed that the bank released N350 million to the fight against the spread of COVID-19 in Nigeria in 2020.
This, he added was in line with the bank’s sustainability finance policy that aimed to uphold the tenets of the Social Development Goals (SDGs) and the Nigerian Sustainability Banking Principles (NSBPs).
Okonkwo made this disclosure recently when he presented the bank’s 2020 Citizenship Sustainability and Innovation (CSI) report that gave detailed account of Union Bank’s continued efforts towards creating a more sustainable future by further embedding responsible business practices and innovations that positively impact people and communities.
Okonkwo said: “Our 2020 CSI report lends further credence to our commitment to a more sustainable world. Notwithstanding the turbulent events brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, we remained firm in our resolve to positively impact the communities within which we operate.
“As the world battled unprecedented challenges brought on by the pandemic, we pivoted our citizenship initiatives to address urgent needs and embarked on a journey to meaningfully impact our employees and the communities we serve.”
He also revealed that the number of Union Bank’s branches and Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) that run on the solar grid have increased to 111 and 407 respectively, which have reduced, “the bank’s environmental footprint and demonstrating a firm commitment to environmental responsibility.”
Other key highlights of the report, according to Okonkwo, “include the bank’s multi-pronged approach to support the fight against COVID-19, donating a total of N350 million to the Coalition against COVID-19 (CACOVID), the Lagos State COVID-19 Emergency Food Response Programme and the 54 Gene, an African genomics research services and development company.”
He added that employees of the bank, through the 2020 Employee Volunteer Day initiative with the theme, “The Gift of Water,” provided potable water to over 15,000 Nigerians.
“In addition, on the platform of Edu360, Union Bank provided much-needed support to education sector stakeholders, through knowledge-sharing sessions and other key projects and partnerships,” he said.
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