In honor of this year’s "Environment Month"

Kuwait, 18 April 2021: As part of its ongoing commitment to achieving environmental sustainability, Gulf Bank participated in The Scientific Center’s first virtual Eco-Summit last week. The environmental summit, which was sponsored by Gulf Bank, featured a number of speakers and experts in the field of environmental sustainability, including: Lujain Al-Qenaei, Assistant Manager for Corporate Communications at Gulf Bank; Dr. Fotouh Al-Ragom, Energy Efficiency Program Manager at Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research; Dr. Alanoud Al-Ragom, Associate Research Scientist at Coastal Management Program (CMP), Environment and Life Sciences Research Center (ELSRC), Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR); Samia Al-Duaij, Environmental Specialist; Talal Al-Wazzan, Co-founder at Imdad; Shaker Al Essa, Founder of Recycle Kuwait; Salman Laeri, Managing Partner at NRG International for General Trading; Dalal Behbehani, World of Naz Founder & CEO; and Bashar Al-Huneidi, Founder of Kayak4Kuwait.

The Eco-Summit was one of the focal activities on The Scientific Center’s “Environment Month 2021” program, and was held in the Center’s IMAX theater while simultaneously being broadcast live on Instagram, offering all interested parties the chance to engage with local experts, activists and professionals who are involved in leading Kuwait toward a more sustainable future. The speakers addressed critical environmental issues, including the challenges Kuwait faces in relation to environmental pressures, and shared attainable solutions, from those that can be easily implemented by people at home, to large-scale programs that can help create a more sustainable future for our country.

Gulf Bank’s participation in The Scientific Center’s Eco-Summit highlights the pivotal role that the banking sector plays in achieving sustainability. Gulf Bank’s Assistant Manager for Corporate Communications, Lujain Al-Qenaei, highlighted Gulf Bank’s various sustainability initiatives at the environmental, community, and economic levels, which include partnering with national firms to recycle paper and plastic. On an operational level, Gulf Bank is also keen to develop and implement various digital banking services, assisting customers with online and mobile banking for a more seamless (and paperless) banking experience. In addition, the Bank is focusing on the environmental impacts of resources consumption, waste and emissions, biodiversity, and more.

On a community level, Gulf Bank regularly volunteers its efforts at various initiatives throughout the year, including Earth Hour, beach clean-ups, and more. Gulf Bank is also committed to its longstanding partnership with INJAZ Kuwait, a non-profit, non-governmental organization for education and training in workforce readiness, financial literacy and entrepreneurship. This strategic partnership has helped to support multiple environmental startups founded by local youth interested in sustainability, including Seuse, a startup which won INJAZ Al-Arab’s “Young Entrepreneurs Competition.” Seuse was created by a group of high school students from INJAZ Kuwait, and aims to recycle paper products and spread awareness on agricultural issues in an effort to tackle climate change and reduce waste, as well as recycling paper through the creation of handmade, paper goods. As a result of this partnership, Gulf Bank has also supported Agrivage, a company that composts food waste. It is worth noting that these initiatives have had a lasting impact, helping to not only reduce waste and emissions, but also raise awareness and environmental education at the community and societal levels.

“At Gulf Bank, we are committed to maintaining a robust sustainability program at the community, economic, and environmental levels through initiatives that are strategically selected to benefit both the Bank and the community at large,” said Lujain Al-Qenaei, Assistant Manager for Corporate Communications at Gulf Bank. “As one of the leading financial institutions in the region, Gulf Bank plays a vital role in contributing to the markets in which we operate in ways that extend well beyond finance, constantly implementing sustainable solutions across the board — from operations to hands-on community activities that raise environmental awareness and promote a more mindful approach to sustainability. We are thrilled to be a part of The Scientific Center’s first virtual summit, an initiative that is helping to shape the future of the communities we serve, and demonstrates our larger commitment to the world we live in.”

Gulf Bank’s social responsibility initiatives go hand in hand with international efforts, aligning with the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Also known as the Global Goals, the SDGs were adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015 as a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity by 2030. In turn, these goals also align with the national development plan, Kuwait Vision 2035 “New Kuwait.”