Lagos, Nigeria – As part of Union Bank’s efforts to positively impact the communities within which it operates, the bank recently joined governments, organisations and individuals across the world to mark World Environment Day by training primary school students on the benefits of upcycling to the environment.
Introduced in 1974 by the United Nations, the aim of World Environment Day is to facilitate awareness and encourage action across the world for the protection of the environment. According to a statement by the United Nations:
“This annual celebration provides us with an opportunity to broaden the basis for an enlightened opinion and responsible conduct by individuals, enterprises and communities in preserving and enhancing the environment.”
This year, the global theme for the day was ‘Beat Plastic Pollution’ and Union Bank played its part by organising educative training workshops on upcycling for primary school students in Lagos State.
Union Bank is committed to being a champion for sustainable business practices and the move from a traditional linear economy to a circular economy. Upcycling, a process of converting waste materials into new materials or products of greater use, encourages extracting the maximum value from resources by reuse which is an important pillar of a circular economy.
Over 50 Union Bank employee volunteers facilitated the workshops which impacted about 500 students in Lagos from schools including St. Mary’s Private School & Agidingbi Primary School. The students were educated on the importance of preserving the environment and were taught how to convert Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) bottles into pencil cases.
Speaking on the Bank’s activities to mark World Environment Day, Union Bank’s Head, Corporate Communications and Marketing, Ogochukwu Ekezie-Ekaidem said:
“Union Bank is committed to being recognized as a sustainability champion and a socially responsible bank. As leaders in the Nigerian financial sector, we are deploying the latest technology for eco-efficiency and developing new processes to ensure we are accountable across our value chain.
We will play a more active role in driving the development and long term sustainability of our immediate and larger societies while continuing to be responsive to our stakeholders’ expectations of accountability and growth. With these workshops, we are teaching the next generation to also have a sustainability mind-set”.
Union Bank’s dedication to local communities and contribution to social development has necessitated an investment in talent and education, citizenship, sustainability and innovation. This commitment is articulated and progress captured in annual sustainability reports, the second of which was recently published in the second quarter of 2018.
The Bank has invested in providing Nigerians with access to inclusive financial services, by championing financial literacy for students in schools across the country. In March this year, the Bank’s employees and executives including the Chief Executive Officer, Emeka Emuwa tutored over 3,000 students from 30 schools across the country as part of activities to mark Global Money Week and Financial Literacy Day.
Last year, during its Centenary anniversary, the Bank organised the Centenary Innovation Challenge, to find and support novel ideas that address the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in entrepreneurial ways which enable economic and societal growth and build an inclusive society for young Nigerians.
With its focus set on the future, Union Bank continues to lead the way in shaping a better, more sustainable future for generations to come.
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Note to editors:
About Union Bank Plc.
Established in 1917 and listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange in 1971, Union Bank of Nigeria Plc. is a household name and one of Nigeria’s long-standing and most respected financial institutions. The Bank is a trusted and recognizable brand, with an extensive network of over 300 branches across Nigeria.
In late 2012, a new Board of Directors and Executive Management team were appointed to Union Bank and in 2014 the Bank began executing a transformation programme to re-establish it as a highly respected provider of quality financial services.
The Bank currently offers a variety of banking services to both individual and corporate clients including current, savings and deposit account services, funds transfer, foreign currency domiciliation, loans, overdrafts, equipment leasing and trade finance. The Bank also offers its customers convenient electronic banking channels and products including Online Banking, Mobile Banking, Debit Cards, ATMs and POS Systems.
More information can be found at: www.unionbankng.com
Media Enquiries: Email yowonubi@unionbankng.com
