NDB Bank was honoured at the Best Corporate Citizen Sustainability Award 2020 with two awards: ‘Top Ten Corporate Citizen’ and ‘Consistent Commitment and Continuous Improvement - Governance’, at the annual event organized by the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce.
Winning this award a total of 06 times to date, the Bank has been recognised as an organisation that is committed to responsible business practices and sustainable value creation.
NDB has been a front-runner to the development of the country for over four decades, with a value creation strategy that drives innovation and growth whilst addressing important social and environmental challenges in communities.
Integrating Environmental Sustainability into business operations, due consideration is given to environmental compliance internally as well as externally, encompassing the Bank’s customers as well as suppliers. The Bank’s most significant contribution to environmental value addition is through propagating environmental consciousness beyond organisational boundaries. Partnering with the ‘Wildlife and Nature Protection Society’ of Sri Lanka, the Bank impacted over 16,000 students through the ‘Education for Conservation’ Project.
In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Bank responded to the crisis in the country and contributed substantially to assist the brave frontline medical staff by providing personal protective equipment and much-needed funding towards controlling the pandemic. Demonstrating the Bank’s responsiveness in the face of a global crisis, NDB continued to offer uninterrupted banking services to customers island-wide.
Despite the substantial financial pressure, the Bank did not resort to laying off staff or reducing salaries/benefits. NDB employees were given the option of working from home, with a minimum of staff members serving at office premises on a roster basis. The Bank’s “Organizational effectiveness and efficiency program” under the sponsorship of the Group CEO and the Bank’s automated processes contributed to the smooth functioning of the Bank during the lockdown periods. This is a testament to the Bank’s commitment, preparedness, planning and resilience.
NDB adopts a strategic approach towards Corporate Sustainability, aligning the initiatives with national priorities, expectations of stakeholders as well as the Bank’s own social, environmental and economic objectives. The projects are aimed at driving meaningful change in the communities the Bank operates in while strengthening the brand and nurturing relationships.
As the only EDGE certified corporate in Sri Lanka for gender equality in the workplace, supporting the socio-economic empowerment of women is a priority for the Bank, both from a commercial and sustainability angle. Through the Bank’s unique Banking-on-women initiative NDB aims to provide a holistic value proposition for women, to partner them through different stages of their lives. Women empowerment is driven through capacity building programmes as well as through dedicated funding lines. The programmes focus on basic business management skills and financial discipline required to successfully manage their ventures. The programmes are open to both existing women SME & Micro customers of the Bank. The content of the workshops is carefully structured to impart essential business knowledge while motivating and uplifting the participants’ morale.
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