CSR Policy
1. Introduction
Bank of Sharjah is socially committed, having contributed significantly to the socio-economic development of Sharjah and the wider United Arab Emirates.
Bank of Sharjah (hereinafter referred to as 'the Bank') is fully aligned with the vision of the Bank’s founder and Honarary Chairman, His Highness the Ruler Dr. Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, to establish a financial
institution that would cope with the planned development of Sharjah and the UAE. Bank of Sharjah is an institution that is motivated by its social responsibility to our community.
2. Background
The Bank is committed to responsible business practices to its employees, its customers and its community. Our commitment to society is deeply rooted in our values, and forms an integral part of our strategy. The Bank's drive for sustainable development complements its core strategy of partnering with businesses to contribute to their growth.
The Bank aspires to maintain its long-standing reputation, through its current strategies and the primary focus on the interest of its stakeholders remains a key focus.
The Bank believes passionately in the promotion of socio-economic development of the local community, welfare of its employees, the satisfaction of its customers and the protection of its local environment. The Bank has always been focused on responsible business practice and the development of the Bank's Corporate Social Responsibility policy is a step forward in documenting the Bank's historic on-going strategies.
3. Commitment to Social Responsibility
The Bank's core values are: Performance, Ethics, Transparency, Initiative, Commitment, and Quality. These values are imprinted in the way the bank does its business and how it contributes to society and the environment. The mission of Bank of Sharjah is to achieve strong and sustainable Performance for its shareholders. The Bank is committed to its personnel, clientele and community to accompany them in realizing their aspirations and objectives.
In the conduct of its business activities, Bank of Sharjah fulfills its social responsibilities by contributing to the sustainable development of society as a whole through offering higher added value to customers; shareholders and the market; the environment and society; and employees. Bank of Sharjah constantly strives to create a balance between creating value for the Bank and for society.
4. CSR Policy - Objectives
Bank of Sharjah's policy:
The world today is a witness to several mega trends which have significant impact on the continuing interaction between individuals, businesses and societies. These mega trends underpin some recent historic agreements such as the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Agreement. Bank of Sharjah believes that by prioritizing and taking action on these issues the Bank can drive social impact and economic growth.
Climate change:
In response to changes in the global climate, the Paris Agreement on climate change enacted measures that seek to limit the warming of Earth's temperature by no more than 2 degrees Centigrade.
Bank of Sharjah is committed to reducing its own environmental footprint.
Digital inclusion
7.2 billion mobile cellular subscriptions now exist worldwide (source: World Bank report). Using mobile technology the Bank can provide access to essential financial services to the larger population.
Bank of Sharjah has an active and growing mobile banking platform that is already the preferred medium of interaction chosen by a growing number of the Bank's customers.
Changing customer expectations
The customers of today increasingly expect businesses to play a proactive role in solving our world's most pressing challenges.
Bank of Sharjah is empowered to address the issues facing our business, society and the world by the trust of our employees, customers, shareholders and communities.
Investing in the community, especially in the youth.
There are 1.8 billion young people in the world today, and many of them don't have clear opportunities to advance.
Bank of Sharjah invests in the health, well-being and education in the community through a series of strategic community investments.
5. Emiratization
Bank of Sharjah is fully committed to support the implementation of the new Emiratization strategy launched by Central Bank of the UAE in 2017. The Bank has a clear plan and an execution roadmap to achieve the allocated target. The main pillars of the plan, include growing the existing talent pool, hiring experienced managers and staff, developing focused training curricula for employees, introducing various initiatives to help Emiratis with special needs succeed in the office environment, creating opportunities to work from distance, sponsoring education and increasing level of engagement and satisfaction of the employees.
The Bank is also passionate about training and the development of education for UAE Nationals and supports various endeavours in this regard.
6. Environment
It is critical for businesses to act responsibly with respect to the environment and take measures for reducing their environmental footprint. Bank of Sharjah realizes that the long-term health of our business is directly connected to improving and preserving our environment, and pursuing goals of sustainable development.
It is the Bank's view that no matter how small, every environmental initiative can make a difference. The Bank has taken initiatives for reducing the use of paper and promoting paper recycling. The bank has enhanced the electronic services offered to customers, in order to promote the use of e-statements. This seemingly small step significantly reduces the amount of paper used annually.
The Bank also has an agreement with "Bee'ah", a leading company in Sharjah which is committed to environmental change in the United Arab Emirates. "Bee'ah" is committed to providing the best Waste Management Solutions for having a cleaner, healthier and sustainableenvironment. The services provided by "Bee'ah" are not limited to Waste Management; it also provides a wide range of solutions in fields such as Renewable Energy, Environmental Management, Environmental Consulting, Public Cleansing and Sustainability. As part of the agreement with "Bee'ah", Bank's recyclable items such as used papers and plastics are collected for recycling.
7. Commitment to the community
Philanthropy has always been at the heart of Bank of Sharjah since inception. Supporting those in need within our community and beyond has always been a clear objective. Our Corporate Social Responsibility programmes often go far beyond what we report; being socially responsible and focusing on our local community is part of the Bank's culture.
Bank of Sharjah supports various charitable organizations and local community groups; including organizations which advocate for environmental responsibility and public health, among others, through sponsorship, donations or contributions. The Bank supports a range of institutions and local community groups including health initiatives such as the Pink Caravan, educational institutions such as the American University of Sharjah and a range of organizations focused on caring for children with special needs such as Sharjah City for Humanitarian Services.
Bank of Sharjah supports various educational, cultural, sporting and community events. The Bank is also passionate about training and the development of education for UAE Nationals and supports various endeavours in this regard.