By Charles Lotara
Ecobank Group has won the prestigious prize as Africa’s Best Bank for Corporate Responsibility in the Euromoney Awards for Excellence 2020.
Euromoney awarded the Pan African bank in recognition of its focus on sustainability and partnerships as well as its core capabilities in delivering positive social and environmental outcomes across Africa.
In a statement circulated by APO Group, Carl Manlan, Chief Operating Officer of the Ecobank Foundation said the organization focuses on capacity building of the staff and other relevant resources to collaborate and work toward the transformation of the continent.
“At Ecobank we leverage human capabilities and other core resources to partner for African transformation. We are passionate about co-designing partnerships to drive change at community levels across our Pan-African footprint. The Euromoney Award for Excellence recognizes our collaboration with African communities and like-minded partners,” he said.
Ade Ayeyemi, the Ecobank Group CEO who spoke to The City Review via email earlier said the award came as a result of a commitment to hard work and pursuing the mission and vision of Ecobank Group.
“The Ecobank Foundation is doing amazing work in delivering on its commitment to improving the quality of life of people across the African continent.
“The Foundation should be rightly proud of its ceaseless impact and the real difference that it is making in numerous parts of the continent. Through the Foundation, our Group leverages its resources and capabilities to contribute to the economic and social development of Africa,” Ayeyemi said.
Ecobank Corporate Responsibility primarily focuses on areas of health, education, and financial inclusion.
A three-year campaign to raise awareness of Non-Communicable Diseases and educate communities by providing key information about the dietary and lifestyle changes required to help prevent NCDs such as cancer and diabetes also inspired Ecobank to the continental throne.
Ecobank says to improve African economies’ health recovery, the group contributed US$3 million in the form of cash, healthcare equipment, and medical supplies besides deployment of financial capabilities in helping the African Union’s Centre for Disease Control response to fight against the coronavirus pandemic.
Earlier this month, Ecobank rolled out its ‘Zero Malaria Business Leadership initiative.’ Launched in partnership with Speak Up Africa, it aims to eliminate malaria across Africa through private sector-led initiatives that increase financing and take stronger and better-targeted actions to support national malaria control programs.
In May this year, Ecobank partnered the African Union Development Agency and announced key focus areas of a joint initiative to save Africa’s Micro Small and Medium Enterprise from the devastating impact of the coronavirus.