TAIPING, Perak: Bank Rakyat has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives across all its business divisions, in line with its 70th anniversary celebration this year.
Bank Rakyat chief marketing and communications officer Nizam Sani said the bank has allocated RM115,000 for its CSR programmes from September until November this year.
The investment marks a significant increase compared to previous years as the bank is more focused on its CSR efforts, and the beneficiaries this year are also notably different.
"This year, the investment is larger due to our anniversary, and the CSR programs are tailored to reach new groups of beneficiaries," Nizam said at a media dinner hosted by Bank Rakyat here recently.
Among the notable initiatives supported by the bank are "Citra Kasih", "Kebun Nuri Nutrisi" "Kembara Media" and the upcoming "Semarak 70".
"As part of 'Semarak 70', Bank Rakyat will distribute zakat donations to 70 mosques or musollah, with each receiving RM500," Nizam said.
Highlighting the success of one of its initiatives, Nizam noted that "Kebun Nuri Nutrisi" has contributed to achieving Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4 by supporting B40 and underprivileged students through financial assistance generated from managing vegetable gardens.
For this initiative, he said Bank Rakyat collaborated with the Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority (Fama) and other agencies to establish gardens at various schools, teaching students how to produce, harvest and sell vegetables.
"Maktab Rendah Sains Mara (MRSM) Langkawi has been particularly successful, with a chain restaurant sourcing chilies from them. While the students did not have a brand, they used their school's logo, allowing them to learn about branding and supply chain management, creating a strong ecosystem," he said.
Looking ahead, Nizam shared that Bank Rakyat will also focus on embracing environmental, social and governance (ESG) principles, with particular attention to electric vehicles (EV).
"In terms of our products, we already have a special EV-focused product as part of our campaign. Additionally, more ESG-focused products are in the pipeline and will be launched later this year," he added.