NDB’s CSR strategy - employees carry out community projects
Employee involvement is a critical component of NDB’s CSR strategy,
where the employees carry out community projects throughout the year
taking community involvement beyond the core business activities. The
key focus areas for these initiatives are ‘Education’ and
‘Entrepreneurship’ - the two categories under the Banks Strategic CSR
Program.
Completing another successful year of volunteering, NDB’s staff
dedicated their time and talents for the benefit of the community. The
nature of the projects varied, from renovating a laboratory, to setting
up a playground.
CEO of NDB Russell de Mel said “Thinking outside the contemporary
business practices to engage in socially responsible endeavours,
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) today has become an integral part
of NDB. We support our employees’ efforts to volunteer for the causes
they care about. Through these initiatives we were able to foster
passion, enthusiasm, team work among the NDB employees and also
compassion for the community. We strongly believe that CSR activity
should be beyond writing a cheque”
The motto of the S.D.S Jayasinghe Central School in Dehiwala is
“Vidyawen Usasweema Shreshtai” (Advancement in Science is Noble).
However, the laboratory of the school was in a dilapidated state. With
over 1500 students attending the school and over 500 aspiring to pursue
the science stream, renovating the laboratory was a pressing need.
Therefore the Administration, Security, Maintenance and CCPU Departments
at NDB undertook this as their project. The renovated and well-equipped
science laboratory is now a source of motivation for the students,
inspiring them to pursue their dreams.
Dharmashoka Vidyalaya in Kandana is attended by over 800 students
from low income families in the area. The school has minimal facilities
and were not in a position to fund any development or improve the
existing facilities. There was no water facility to the school premises
and water was partly supplied by a dilapidated well in the school
premises which was used for sanitation purposes only. In the dry seasons
this well also dries up adding to the discomfort of the students.
The Audit, Group Risk and Compliance Departments made this their CSR
project setting up the infrastructure to provide drinking water
facilities to the students.
The Peliyagoda Roman Catholic Primary School, Kelaniya conducts
classes from Year 1 to Year 5, with a population of 500 pupils from low
income families. The electricity supply to the school had been
disconnected as robbers had damaged the wiring system and taken off the
wiring codes, plugs points, and switches. As a result the school
teachers and the children faced a lot of difficulties in conducting
school activities inside the classes, especially on gloomy days. The
school also did not have a Children Play Park which is another important
facility for a primary school as it provides important stimuli to
promote physical and
psychological development of children. The SME, Auto Finance and
Refinance Departments repaired and restored the electricity connections
of the school and also set up a children’s play area.
The Corporate Office, IT, Legal and HR Departments made this their
prime focus and partnered with the Centre for Banking Studies of the
Central Bank for a unique CSR initiative aiming at enhancing societal
value and provide pre-employment training to students who have a passion
for Banking. Thirty students from Chundikuli Girls College and St. Johns
College in Jaffna were given an overview of the Banking System in Sri
Lanka. This skills development program also included a one-day
leadership program covering trust building activities, games and various
other initiatives, which broadened the participants’ personal outlook on
life.
The Marketing, Retail Credit Operations, Project Finance, Corporate
Banking and Finance Departments undertook to upgrade the facilities of
two schools in Hambantota. A children's play area was constructed in
Udamalala Maha Vidyalaya and musical instruments were donated to the
Hambantota Kanishta Vidyalaya.
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