In keeping with its commitment to promote a healthy environment, Nigeria’s premier and leading financial inclusion service provider, First Bank Nigeria Limited, has announced an ambitious 50,000 tree planting project in Nigeria.
The project, which is one of First Bank’s initiatives to reduce its carbon footprints and promote environmental sustainability as part of its overarching sustainability and ESG (Environment, Social & Governance), will be embarked on in partnership with the Nigeria Conservation Foundation (NCF).
The vision, according to First Bank authorities, is in line with the Nigeria Conservation Foundation’s Forest Programme tagged “Green Recovery Nigeria” (GRN), which is designed to help increase Nigeria’s forest cover from its current state of about 4-7% to 25% by 2047.
Group Head of Marketing and Corporate Communications for First Bank, Ms. Folake Ani-Mumuney, announced this during the company’s annual Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability Week, a platform where colleagues and customers of the bank come together to participate in the global annual volunteer (Start Performing Acts of Random Kindness), SPARK initiative.
She pointed out that for the past seven years, First Bank colleagues and customers have come together to participate in the global annual volunteer (Start Performing Acts of Random Kindness) SPARK initiative, to give back to, and foster positive change within the communities where the bank live and work.
According to her, the programme has since its inception, impacted over 200,000 lives across eight countries.
Ani-Mumuney, also stated that in line with FirstBank’s commitment to achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 5 (SDG) of women empowerment, the Bank supported cancer foundations focused on women and skills acquisition for women on the 25 and 26 October 2023.
“This has seen an impact of over 200,000 lives across eight countries, over 103 charities supported as well as over 121,015 volunteer hours achieved. The activities of the 2023 edition,” she said, pointing out that the activities for this year included; Tree Planting, Women Empowerment, SPARK Schools Engagement, Orphanage Homes, the less privileged engagement, and Kind Comments Day.
She said; “In partnership with Nigeria Conservation Foundation, FirstBank employees and partners will progress its planting activity which targets 50,000 trees in less than two years. Additionally, in line with FirstBank’s commitment to achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 5 (SDG) of women empowerment, the Bank will support cancer foundations focused on women and skills acquisition for women.
“As a member of UN Women, First Bank employs the relevant women empowerment tools to empower women internally and externally as well as partner with International Women Society to drive skills acquisition. The Kind Comments Day is an advocacy campaign encouraging staff, customers, and other stakeholders to say kind things about one another. It focuses on inspiring and encouraging people to be deliberate about the use of kind words in relation to others.
“This activity is aimed at engaging school students through the Bank’s employees on financial literacy and inculcating and equipping young people with entrepreneurship skillset and mindset to inspire self-belief despite the increasingly daunting economic challenges while preparing them for the future of work.”
Ani-Mumuney, noted the importance of kindness while reiterating First Bank’s commitment to promoting culture and harmony in communities through kindness.
“At First Bank, we are committed to promoting the culture of kindness as it continues to engender positive relationships with our host communities. By making kindness a way of life, we build stronger communities, foster empathy, and create a positive ripple effect that extends far beyond this week, It’s great to see our volunteers demonstrate their continued commitment to positively impact our communities.
“In the spirit of kindness, I encourage everyone to join us in celebrating the First Bank Corporate Responsibility & Sustainability week as we make kindness a part of our daily lives, interacting with one another in impactfully memorable ways”, she said.
