Standard Chartered launches its 2012 Sustainability Review, highlighting the bank's focus on fulfilling its social purpose and supporting social and economic development across the markets where it operates. Having a presence of 121 branches in 24 cities, the bank is an integral part of the social fabric of Pakistan, delivering against its three sustainability priorities; sustainable economic growth, being a responsible company and investing in communities.
The bank's community efforts in Pakistan support global and local sustainability initiatives linked to health and prosperity of the communities in which it operates. In 2012, the bank increased its contribution in Pakistan in a number of ways:
Avoidable blindness
-- Seeing is Believing; the bank's global initiative for health that tackles avoidable blindness commences its tenth year in 2013 and through Pakistan's local programme, Standard Chartered is attributed with 20% reduction in cataract blindness in the country.
-Under a local initiative, Pakistan Urban Paediatric Eye Care Programme, the bank has committed to screen 1.7 million less privileged children in five major cities of Pakistan for visual impairments.
-- More than 566,000 cataract operations and corrective surgeries have been performed to date.
-In recognition of the bank's overall efforts, Standard Chartered is the only corporate partner of Government of Pakistan on avoidable blindness eradication.
Education
-- Furthermore, the bank's education programme has extended more than 3,000 scholarships to deserving students across Pakistan along with providing support to institutions for both vocational and higher learning.
-- Rs 53.1 million have been used to award scholarships to deserving students across Pakistan
Employee Volunteering
-- The bank offers each staff member three days paid leave for community volunteering. In 2012, Standard Chartered staff in Pakistan responded by giving and participating in 4,555 volunteering days.
Mohsin Nathani, Chief Executive, Standard Chartered Pakistan, said "Our bond with the Indo-Pak subcontinent is 150 years old and we fully understand how banking plays a crucial role in the functioning of the economy. We are aware of our responsibility towards the community and our brand promise; Here for good is our commitment to long term growth and development of the country."-PR