Arab Bank stood apart in 2024 with its deeply integrated approach to community engagement, anchored on two complementary channels: the Abdul Hameed Shoman Foundation (AHSF), established in 1978, and the bank’s comprehensive CSR programme, “Together”.
The Together programme demonstrates Arab Bank’s strategic focus on six key community pillars: health, poverty alleviation, environmental protection, education, orphan support and women’s empowerment. What distinguishes this approach is the bank’s success in creating a multi-dimensional ecosystem that engages employees, customers and NGO partners in addressing community challenges.
Customer donations through the programme reached more than JD2.125 million (today $3 million) in 2024, a 4% increase from 2023, reflecting strong customer engagement through innovative donation mechanisms integrated into everyday banking services. The bank has successfully transformed routine banking interactions into opportunities for social impact through ATMs, online banking, a dedicated credit card, branch networks and digital payment services.
Employee engagement figures tell an equally compelling story of commitment. Arab Bank saw 776 employees participate in community volunteering initiatives in 2024, marking a 15% increase from the previous year. These volunteers contributed 4,755 hours across 117 diverse activities, representing a 16% increase in volunteering hours. The total volunteering instances reached 1,503, growing 16% compared to 2023, demonstrating the bank’s success in fostering a culture of social responsibility within its workforce.
Arab Bank’s regional impact in 2024 was particularly evident through several new initiatives
The bank’s partnership approach extends to strengthening the capabilities of the NGOs it works with. Its capacity-building programme benefited 220 NGO employees in 2024, a 33% increase from the previous year, delivering 11 courses and 1,765 training hours, representing a 55% increase in training provision.
Arab Bank’s regional impact in 2024 was particularly evident through several new initiatives. In Jordan, the bank supported the King Hussein Award for Cancer Research to advance research on cancer in the Arab world. Environmental initiatives included tree-planting projects at Dibbin Forest Reserve and the Mount Nebo area. In education, the bank supported the establishment the Arab Bank Cybersecurity Lab at the University of Jordan’s King Abdullah II School of Information Technology. Women’s empowerment was addressed through an economic project funding 21 greenhouses using hydroponic technology, benefiting 14 women.
In Palestine, the bank focused on education through school renovations and supporting 3,300 underprivileged students with school supplies, while in Egypt, the bank addressed healthcare access by equipping surgical clinics at Baheya Foundation and reducing hospital waiting lists.
The Abdul Hameed Shoman Foundation enhanced its community impact in 2024 by opening a new public library branch in Ma’an, Jordan, doubling visitor numbers to its facilities, distributing awards for scientific research and cultural contributions, and launching new programmes to enhance Arabic digital cultural content.
