Zenith Bank\u2019s Group Managing Director\/CEO, Mr. Ebenezer Onyeagwu, has
\nemerged CEO of the Year for a second consecutive year at the
\nSustainability, Enterprise and Responsibility (SERAS) CSR Africa Awards
\nheld at the weekend in Lagos. According to the judges, he was selected
\nfor a number of reasons, including engendering a culture that promotes
\nthe continued investment in social initiatives in support of the United
\nNations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Under his leadership, the
\nZenith Bank’s social investments totalled NGN3.285 billion in 2020,
\nrepresenting nearly 2% of the Bank’s profit after tax.<\/p>\n
The judges found him worthy for his commitment to promoting
\nsustainability and responsible business practices in Nigeria, by his
\nfrontal leadership of sustainability in Zenith Bank, thereby enabling
\nbest industry practices in the banking sector, and for his passion for
\nreducing carbon emissions in the Bank’s operations.<\/p>\n
Zenith Bank Plc also emerged winner in four other categories at the
\nSERAS CSR Africa Awards, carting home the awards for “Best Company in
\nReporting and Transparency\u201d, “Best Company in Infrastructure
\nDevelopment”, “Best Company in Gender Equality and Women Empowerment”,
\nand the coveted “Most Responsible Organisation in Africa”.<\/p>\n
Zenith Bank was adjudged the Most Responsible Organisation in Africa,
\nwinning the overall best sustainability award, for its continued
\ncommitment to the tenets of Sustainability and Corporate Social
\nResponsibility, within its immediate community and in the society at
\nlarge.<\/p>\n
The Bank also emerged as the winner in the category for Reporting and
\nTransparency for its consistency in disclosing and communicating its
\nsustainability journey and progress annually vis-a-vis environmental,
\nsocial, and governance (ESG) goals, in line with the guidelines and
\nprotocols set by the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), Nigeria
\nSustainable Banking Principles (NSBP), NigerianExchange (NGX), United
\nNations Global Compact (UNGC), and United Nations Environment Programme
\nFinance Initiative (UNEP FI). The Bank also ensures the assurance of its
\nsustainability report by reputable independent third parties. In 2021,
\nthe Bank’s 2020 sustainability report was assured by
\nPricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) and disseminated through the Bank’s website
\nfor the public and sent to all relevant stakeholders, including the
\nUnited Nations Global Compact (UNGC).<\/p>\n
In the infrastructure development category, the Bank was voted winner
\nfor its nation-building initiatives and investments, including
\nsupporting efforts towards establishing basic services and functional
\nsecurity, governance, and economic and infrastructure systems,
\nespecially in Nigeria. As a testament to this and in demonstration of
\nits commitment to the development (often referred to as reform,
\nrestructuring and rebuilding) of the Nigeria Police Force for the
\npreservation of law and order, protection of life and property, and law
\nenforcement in Nigeria, the Bank supported the Lagos State Security
\nTrust Fund with N500,000,000.00 for the provision of security-enhancing
\nfacilities and infrastructure. This is in addition to contributions to
\nother state security trust funds.<\/p>\n
Zenith Bank was adjudged winner in the category for the Best Company in
\nPromotion of Gender Equality and Women Empowerment for its Z-Woman
\ninitiative, which offers credit facilities to women-owned businesses at
\na single-digit interest rate and for a gender-balanced workforce (Women
\nmake up about 50% of employees). During the reporting period, the number
\nof women and women enterprises supported by the Bank, through the
\nZ-Woman initiative, grew by 88.7%, from 391 in 2019 to 738 in 2020.<\/p>\n
The Sustainability, Enterprise and Responsibility Awards (SERAS) is an
\ninitiative of TruCSR which celebrates and promotes investments by
\ncorporate organisations in the society through CSR and sustainability
\ninitiatives. It made its debut in 2007, and participation was opened to
\nother countries of Africa in 2016.<\/p>\n
The 2021 awards featured 387 projects by 97 organisations across Africa.
\nThe SERAS Jury Board consists of global thought and best-practices
\nleaders from around the world such as Maria Sillanpaa (Finland); Nyasha
\nGwatidzo (Zimbabwe); Adesuwa Onyenokwe (Nigeria); Amjed Achour
\n(Morocco); Charles Ojei (Nigeria); Ellen Gunning (Ireland); Gina
\nDin-Kariuki (Kenya); Indira Kartallozi (England); Lampe Omoyele
\n(Nigeria); Paul Kapelus (South Africa); and Scott Walker (England).<\/p>\n
Zenith Bank\u2019s Group Managing Director\/CEO, Mr. Ebenezer Onyeagwu, has emerged CEO of the Year for a second consecutive year at the Sustainability, Enterprise and Responsibility (SERAS) CSR Africa Awards held…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":89686,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-89685","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\n