It can at times feel hard to find worthy causes and initiatives that National Bank of Bahrain (NBB) doesn’t foster and fund.
Giving has been NBB’s theme since its inception. In 1980, it enshrined philanthropy in its core values by creating Donations and Contributions, a programme that channels 5% of net annual profit to local communities. So for 2021, when it posted net profit of BD50.7 million ($134.4 million), the bank is on track to channel around $6.72 million to charitable causes.
This is a financial institution that prefers to look ahead. In early 2022, it launched Education Finance, a programme backed by the American University of Bahrain and the British University of Bahrain that funds the education of poorer students.
Learning-themed initiatives abound. NBB funds programmes at Al Hekma International School, which transforms students into entrepreneurs. It collaborates with Bahrain FinTech Bay, a financial technology hub based in Manama, helping individuals to hone their digital skills. The bank also works with Lamea, an initiative championed by the youth and sports ministry that supports young talent at all levels.
In healthcare, it supports numerous worthy causes, including the Smile for Children with Cancer initiative, supported by Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa. Last year, the bank sponsored a two-day campaign, led by the Arabian Gulf University, to spread awareness about the causes of heart disease.
The list of healthcare facilities to which NBB donates is long. It helped to finance a new multiple sclerosis hospital in Muharraq, covering all building costs. Construction of the Khalifa City Health Centre in Jaww, completed in 2021, was covered by NBB, which also donates to primary healthcare centres across the kingdom.
The bank’s social contract extends much farther. It funds and supports a raft of housing programmes that help those on lower incomes, including the Mazaya Social Housing Scheme. It absorbs the land and registration fees on one of the projects within the scheme, offering customized mortgage-loan facilities to home buyers.
“Our brand purpose to continue enriching the lives of generations is manifested through our Donations and Contributions programme, which has been a cemented practice in the bank since its inception,” says Jean-Christophe Durand, chief executive of NBB. “It is both our duty and our privilege to honour our commitment towards supporting the community, whose prosperity has been essential to our success.”
Many owners of small and medium-sized enterprises, hit hard by the pandemic, have turned to the bank for help. It responded by unveiling Tamweel Al Watani, a lending scheme that provides SMEs with access to unsecured loans worth up to BD100,000, repayable over a period of up to five years. It also renewed its alliance with StartUp Bahrain and Startup MGZN to bring together entrepreneurs, investors and civil servants in order to help small companies to flourish.
It is both our duty and our privilege to honour our commitment towards supporting the community, whose prosperity has been essential to our success
Jean-Christophe Durand
In April 2021, the bank held a virtual graduation ceremony for the first class of Rise graduates. The training programme, launched in 2019, helps bankers to learn and hone new skills in areas including environmental, social and governance issues and sustainable finance. Last year, the bank published its inaugural financial and sustainability report, and it continues to support the kingdom’s goal of zero carbon emissions by 2060.
NBB is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workforce. In 2021, women accounted for 37% of its total workforce and held 20% of middle-management positions. It creates flexible working arrangements for all employees and works hard to create a working environment that builds a sense of belonging.
