FirstBank celebrates its annual Corporate Responsibility & Sustainability Week, promoting kindness in over 7 countries.
FirstBank’s CR&S Week is a dedicated week designed to provide employees with the opportunity to devote their time and resources to defined causes consistent with the bank’s strategic approach to CR&S;
FirstBank CR&S Week takes place in Nigeria and 7 other countries: UK, Ghana, Democratic Republic of Congo, Guinea, Sierra Lone, Senegal and Gambia; Since its inception in 2017, FirstBank CR&S Week 2017 has quickly become a household name in the bank’s host countries.
To further his ongoing commitment to impacting the lives of people in his host communities in seven countries: Nigeria, United Kingdom, Ghana, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Guinea, Sierra Lone, Senegal and The Gambia.
First Bank of Nigeria Limited has announced the fifth edition of its Corporate Responsibility & Sustainability (CR&S) week, scheduled for August 22-27, 2022.
The event under the motto: “Friendliness …. A Way of Life reflects the single-minded goal of making a difference in the world by inspiring and institutionalizing kindness.
SPARK is an acronym for Start Performing Acts of Random Kindness and is a values-based initiative that aims to raise awareness that we can choose to be kind.
FirstBank’s CR&S Week is a special week designed to give employees the opportunity to devote their time and resources to defined causes in line with the bank’s strategic approach to CR&S.
The CR&S week offers employees the opportunity to use their time and resources for defined purposes.
The week’s activities are one aspect of the Bank’s Employee Giving & Volunteering Program, which was established to encourage employees to give back to the community and inculcate an integral culture of giving.
The Bank hosted the first edition of CR&S Week in 2017 with a main focus on three key initiatives/activities, namely donations and visits to orphanages/less privileged homes/internally displaced people; Careers Advice Day; and the Staff Promoting Acts of Random Kindness (SPARK) initiative – now Start Performing Acts of Random Kindness.
The CR&S week became increasingly successful in the years that followed and quickly made a name for itself in the bank’s host countries.
There are five main activities to be implemented during this year’s CR&S week in Nigeria, FBNBank UK and SSA markets.
These activities include SPARK APP, Kind Comments Day, Visits to Orphanages/Lesser Homes, SPARK School Engagement and Women Economic Empowerment.
The biggest highlight of the week will be the launch of the SPARK APP.
The app is strategic on the bank’s journey to institutionalize “A Day of Kindness” nationally and position the bank globally as a corporate citizen by using new media to advance sustainability practices.
SPARK app is a sensational application designed to keep people informed through various kindness based quotes and inspirational phrases displayed on the phone screen especially when the phone is idle.
Kind Comments Day is an initiative focused on inspiring and encouraging everyone to consciously relate or interact with someone using kind words.
In addition, with Women Empowerment, the bank will support VVF patients who need surgery and equip them with professional skills to help them reintegrate into society.
The commitment of the SPARK schools is implemented through the national competition of the JAN SPARK school integration.
The activity aims to reward the different participating students after their SPARK activity. The partnership with JAN integrates SPARK into the JAN corporate program where students learn the values of SPARK.
The SPARK schools competition has been linked to the company program’s regional competition to ensure they absorb the values taught during the training.
One of the highlights of the event is the visit to orphanages and the less fortunate in various cities, conducted by Bank volunteers.
This week said Dr. Adesola Adeduntan, CEO of FirstBank: “CR&S week is another opportunity to strengthen our commitment and expand our reach beyond the communities where we operate in Nigeria and through our affiliates.
Over time, our goal has remained the same, to create platforms through which our positive impact can be felt.
“For us in the FirstBank Group, we don’t just go to say we care, we go the extra mile and show it,” he concluded.
Over the years that FirstBank has celebrated its annual CR&S week, it has impacted life in its host communities in Nigeria, the UK and in its SSA affiliates.
These impacts include partnering with the Lagos State Government to provide a primary health center in the community of Ijedodo, Lagos State; Engagements with over 60 charities, non-governmental organizations, orphanages, correctional facilities, schools and internally reported persons (IDP) camps resulting in touching the lives of over 20,000 underprivileged individuals in society including widows, orphans and children with disabilities .
