National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) is a public sector commercial Bank of the country that is fully aware of its social obligations. Over the years it has integrated its social welfare and community development initiatives to achieve sustainable growth in the social and economic sectors of Pakistan. The CSR program was initiated by its former President, Syed Ali Raza in 2009.
The bank runs is its CSR Program to facilitate the community at large. Additionally, the bank is also active in extending support to a number of recognized charitable institutions for the uplift of underprivileged members of the society. The foremost area of focus for CSR initiatives are directed towards promotion of education, health, women and child welfare, special persons, culture, sports and relief for affectees of natural disasters. Every year the bank invests huge funds for bringing positive change and improving the quality of life of neglected members of society.
NBP was recently awarded a “Gold Medal” by the President of Pakistan on the basis of overall contributions and donations for charitable, social, educational and public sector efforts. In recognition to the CSR programs undertaken, NBP was also awarded the National Forum for Environment & health (NEHF) CSR Business Excellence Award.
Education
NBP strongly believes that education plays a vital role in the economic development and poverty alleviation. Pakistan urgently needs investment in excellent academic facilities for imparting skills among young people to help them utilize their highest potential. NBP has invested resources for the development of future generations and extended financial support for the construction of HUB School, KBSL, Aga Khan University, Habib University and IBA Karachi, Khan Abdul Wali Khan in Peshawar and Sukkur IBA. Rural area schools have been given books and furniture.
To support NGOs like The Citizen Foundation School, NBP adopted one of the TCF Schools in Nawabshah. The bank awarded scholarships to more than 250 students from all over Pakistan under its scholarship program to institutions like Namal College, Jinnah Foundation School, Hunar Technical Institute, Tando Allahyar and Roshni School Gujranwala. NBP also focused on educational activities and upgraded computer labs of Shaikh Zayed Islamic Centre and Government Women College Karachi. The bank also adopts and distributes books to libraries at Islamabad. NBP sponsors activities of IBA, LUMS and NED students in an international event at Korea.
NBP has been sponsoring the Motivational Volunteer Empowerment Program (MOVE). The purpose of the move program or workshop is to effect social changes by training and engaging Pakistani youth in meaningful community development projects through in-house training sessions and facilitated field work.
Health
Due to the shortage of equipment, laboratories, doctors, paramedical staff and depleted infrastructure and buildings, the health care delivery system in Pakistan is short of standard healthcare facilities. Since the Government of Pakistan has limited resources, it is unable to fully meet medical needs of the population living in rural and urban areas of Pakistan. NBP, in partnership with various NGOs and institutions arranges various medical and eye camps in remote areas of various province of Pakistan and also helps in upgrading the infrastructure by providing financial and equipment support through concerned Patient Welfare Societies of various hospitals. In Pasheen and Kachlaq in Balochistan portable machines and medicines were donated by NBP. Approximately 7,000 wheel chairs have been supplied to various health institutions as well as specialized white canes for blind people. Dialysis machines have been supplied in remote areas in Sindh for patients who cannot afford to come to the cities. NBP has set up Arron plants and solar plants in Thar.
Special Persons.
Disability is not properly understood by various segments of the society and disabled are not treated with respect. NBP through its CSR initiatives plays a vital role for special persons by providing them opportunities to develop independence, confidence, and fitness through participation in competitive sports activities. The bank has organized Cricket tournaments for blinds and disabled persons. NBP also provides wheelchairs and tricycles.
Women and Child
NBP provides support to different NGOs for vocational training to help the needy and poor women. With an, NGO Kaus-e-Kazah, it has initiated a project called “NBP Empowered Women, Empowered Pakistan”. The core objective of this project is empowering women in Pakistan to sufficiently fulfill their daily needs as well as earn a healthy, respectable and socially acceptable form of livelihood. Furthermore, this project hopes that – in the long run – women of rural background, who are the only bread winners of their family will have a stable form of revenue with sustainable livelihood at four centers – Kishmore, Sindh; Jafferabad, Balochistan; Rawalpindi, Punjab and Abbottabad and Haripur, KP – while three more centers will be established soon in Chakwal, Punjab; Mirpur Khas, Sindh and Dadu Murad, Balochistan. This will mean two centers per province at a national level. Vocational camps in Thar and Northern areas for women have been set up and participants were given sewing machines to earn to live with dignity.
Culture
NBP sponsors cultural events on different occasions with the support of NGOs and cultural events organizers. Among them was Naat competition for the blind, All Pakistan Folk Singing Mela, Donkey cart race, book launch on culture, traditional songs competitions and cultural events on occasion of Christmas carol competitions.
Sports Achievements
NBP has emerged as the sports leader in its promotion and development in Pakistan in recent years. The motto of the bank’s leadership is to maintain high standards of bank teams in various games. Its multi-purpose Sports Complex in the Karachi Clifton area is the hub of sports activities athletics, tennis and swimming. Legendary cricketers Asif Iqbal, Wasim Raja and many others gave the bank a formidable team. Iqbal Qasim, left arm spinner, is the longest serving sportsman of NBP and has given the bank a flourishing sports department.
To participate in Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, NBP hired the services of Shan Masood, Mir, Hamza Roman Raees and few other Test and International Cricketers to strengthen its Cricket Team. Hockey, snooker and squash are also supported by NBP, with snooker being sponsored by the bank for the past seven years and last year. Pakistan stood second in the world tournament. As Lyari youngsters excel in football NBP sponsors and encourages them along with cities Faisalabad and Gojra. The bank also encourages women players in hockey, cricket and football and other games.
As plantation plays an important role for environment NBP has planted fruit trees on Peshawar-Islamabad highway for people to benefit from it. NBP has signed MOUs with universities in which students will plant trees and look after them for four years with 5 marks being received at the end of it. Nearly 5000 saplings have been given to the army and trees have been planted in schools, colleges and universities.