FirstBank is one hundred and twenty years and has through its existence shown consistent support to corporate responsibility and sustainability through the citizenship approach. This approach requires that the Bank considers the needs of all stakeholders not only for business performance but largely for mutually beneficial relationship.
To reinforce this, the GMD/CEO of FirstBank stated at the recently concluded FirstBank Sustainability Centre International Sustainability Conference, that the Bank has designated over 20 branches with access to wheelchairs across the country. Some of these branches include: Yaba, Broad Street (Elephant House), Magodo, Owode (Ikorodu), Kano Hadeija Road, Kaduna Main, Birnin Kebbi, Kaduna South, Yenagoa, Abuja Maitama, Abuja Asokoro, Ijede Ikorodu, etc. This intervention further demonstrates the bank’s effort towards providing financial services for people living with disabilities.
The bank is committed to put the stakeholder first in making decisions; building strong relationship with customers, communities, and employees to underpin its sustainability initiatives. FirstBank’s strategy to deliver value through corporate citizenship is hinged on four pillars which include: driving sustainable finance, empowering people, supporting communities, and contributing to environmental sustainability. These pillars reinforce the bank’s focus to lead the drive for inclusion and diversity in the polity.
FirstBank has empowered communities through capacity building initiatives such as the SMEConnect Platform to engage SMEs, FirstBank Sustainability Centre designed to build capacity on sustainability and related issues among other initiatives. So far, over 200,000 SMEs have benefitted from financial services and loans schemes, and over 478,000 unbanked got financial services. The FirstBank Sustainability Centre recently sponsored a workshop for women-led SMEs to empower about 60 women as well as the International Sustainability Conference to promote sustainable business practices.
In promoting sustainable finance, the Bank is focused on responsible lending and financial inclusion to ensure customers remain an integral part of business while it mitigates the environmental and social business impacts in the process to maintain overall sustainable growth and development. According to Folake Ani-Mumuney, Head, Marketing & Corporate Communications “The Bank would remain committed to promoting sustainability & corporate responsibility programmes. We believe in the long-term and being an enduring partner for the long haul journey”.
About FirstBank
First Bank of Nigeria Limited, a subsidiary of FBN Holdings Plc, is Nigeria’s leading financial services institution by total assets and gross earnings and one of the largest corporate and retail banking financial institutions in sub-Saharan Africa (excluding South Africa). Since its establishment in 1894, the Bank has consistently built relationships with customers focusing on fundamentals of good corporate governance, strong liquidity, risk management and strong capitalization.
FirstBank operates an extensive distribution network with over 750 business locations (623 branches, 61 quick service points and 69 cash centers/agencies), over 2,464 ATMs and over 9 million customer accounts. The Bank provides a comprehensive range of financial services and has international presence through its subsidiaries, FBN Bank (UK) Limited in London and Paris, Banque International de Credit (B.I.C) in the Republic of Congo, International Commercial Bank (ICB) in Ghana, The Gambia, Guinea, Sierra-Leone and Senegal as well as its Representative Offices in Johannesburg, Beijing and Abu Dhabi.
FirstBank is the recipient of many awards. The Bank has been named “The Best Bank Brand in Nigeria” three times in a row – 2011, 2012, 2013 – by the globally renowned “The Banker Magazine” of the Financial Times Group. FirstBank’s brand purpose is to always put its stakeholders, customers and partners at the heart of its business, even as it is poised to standardize customer experience and excellence in financial solutions across Sub Saharan Africa, in consonance with its brand vision “To be the partner of first choice in building your future”. The brand promise is to always deliver the ultimate “gold standard” of value and excellence. This commitment is anchored on the FirstBank’s inherent values of passion, partnership and people, to position its customers first in every respect.
For three consecutive years, 2012, 2013 and 2014, FirstBank was named the “Best Retail Bank in Nigeria” by the Asian Banker International Excellence in Retail Financial Services Awards. Other recent awards include the “Best Bank in Nigeria” in the Euromoney Awards for Excellence, “Best Bank in West Africa” and “Most Innovative Bank in Africa” in the African Banker Awards, “Best Bank in Nigeria” in the EMEA Finance African Banking Awards for the fourth time, “Best Foreign Exchange Services in Africa” in the EMEA Finance Treasury Services Awards, “Best Banking Group in Nigeria” by World Finance Banking Awards, and “Best Financial Reporting Company” by Africa Investor.