Companies news
NBB achieves green milestones
The National Bank of Bahrain (NBB) has accomplished several key milestones in environmental conservation by reducing harmful waste consumption and successfully lowering its CO2 emissions during 2021.
The bank annnounced that as compared to 2020, last year it saw a 15.8 per cent reduction in diesel consumption, an 8pc decrease in electricity consumption within its headquarters, a 7.9pc reduction in CO2 emissions from electricity and diesel consumption at the NBB headquarters.
As part of its efforts towards becoming a paperless organisation, NBB recycled 24pc of paper consumed in 2021.
Among several initiatives launched by the bank during 2021 to instil a culture of environmental conservation across the community, was a solar panel financing solution for customers who wish to install solar energy panels in their homes, and in a bid to embed environmentally conscious practices within its products and services, NBB also introduced auto loan financing with exclusive rates for customers seeking to purchase hybrid or electric vehicles.
The bank additionally extended its support to the first eco-friendly hospital in the kingdom, the new King Hamad American Mission Hospital, financing construction and the installation of solar panels at the hospital.
NBB said it remains committed to integrating sustainability across business operations and implementing sustainability practices as part of its established 3-year sustainability roadmap.
It was the first bank in the kingdom to attain the ISO 14001:2015 Environmental Management Systems (EMS) certification which aims to help organisations reduce their environmental impact.
Furthermore, the bank has extended its support to the latest food sustainability project by the Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning Ministry as part of its sustainability journey towards being a responsible bank.
NBB will finance the project’s process of designing, building, operating, and handover of a hydroponic farm, which aims to reduce water consumption for plants, thereby minimising the country’s carbon footprint.
Commenting on the ongoing sustainability trajectory, NBB chief executive Jean-Christophe Durand, said: “NBB takes pride in its role to promote and implement environmental conservation strategies and initiatives.
We believe in our continued efforts, working to reduce the organisation’s waste and carbon footprint on a daily basis, and strive to instil the less-is-more principle across the sector and the kingdom.
NBB is committed to being a national enabler, supporting the kingdom’s directives, and play our part in fulfilling the declaration of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, at COP26 to reduce emissions in the kingdom by 30pc by 2035.”
Dana Buheji, group chief human resources and sustainability officer at NBB, said: “NBB continues to realise its sustainability roadmap through various organisational initiatives, which aim to guide the community towards adopting a principle based on sustainable living.
Over the past year, we have undertaken partnerships to promote a shift within the community.
Our partnership with CleanUp Bahrain enabled us to hold our largest group-led volunteering event as well as finance the Green Up project; a national initiative to plant 810 trees along the 16th December Highway. The bank has significantly improved its environmental performance over the past year.”
Source: https://www.gdnonline.com/Details/1060633/NBB-achieves-green-milestones
