ACTIVITIES MARKING FIRSTBANK CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY AND SUSTAINABILITY, CRS, weeks, third edition, kicked off, Monday, July 1 and end on 6th; and will take place in Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones. It will, also, extend to FirstBank business locations in Ghana, Gambia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, DR Congo and United Kingdom.
FirstBank CRS week is used to amplify the bank’s culture of “Employee Giving & Volunteering Programme’’. It focuses on reinforcing the values of the bank’s Start Performing Acts of Random Kindness, SPARK, initiative, through wide range of strategically designed activities.
Folake Ani-Mumuney, FirstBank Group Head, Marketing and Corporate Communications, statement, said SPARK is a values-based initiative designed to raise consciousness that promotes kindness to one another; and 2019, CR&S week aimed at reinforcing the bank’s corporate culture of encouraging giving and volunteering among its employees and the larger society.
“We believe that every act of kindness goes a long way in leaving an indelible impact in the lives of people which indeed underscores why it is important for everyone to Start Performing Acts of Random Kindness. No matter how little, every act of kindness indeed makes the world a better place,’’ she said.
Activities planned for the week include Nice Comments Day, set aside to engage in words of encouragement, support and show kindness to people in one’s neighbourhood, regardless of familiarity or close ties. Ani-Mumuney said the bank recognises the effect of kind words, that they are largely instrumental to lighting up one’s day and bring out the best in one.
Other activities for FirstBank CRS week, would be visits to less privileged homes, and promoting SPARK initiative in schools. The objective of taking SPARK initiative to schools is to embed the values of SPARK amongst school children at young age. It becomes part of them as they develop into adulthood. The values of SPARK initiative include compassion, civility, charity and connection, Ani-Mumuney’s statement noted.
SPARK initiative benefited one baby Ijeoma who had heart condition that required N4 million to save her life, which the parent could not afford. She was nominated through SPARK initiative, and got corrective surgery in India in partnership with Vama Wave Foundation.
SPARK initiative has impacted 100 beneficiaries, capital to boost petty trade, school fees for students and those with health challenges. Disaster relief support has been provided for over 600,000 internally displaced persons in Nigeria’s north east and Benue flood victims.
SPARK has, also, provided support for and partnerships with over 22 charities and foundations including the Down Syndrome Foundation; Sickle Cell Foundation; National Association of the Blind; Nigeria Red Cross Society; Pacelli School for Blind and Partially Sighted; International Women Society; United Nations Global Compact.
FirstBank, a Nigerian multinational bank, believes that act of kindness is critical to promoting peaceful co-existence amongst people, building a prosperous society, and the nation at large.
