CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY 2016 CSR 2016 EnCC.indd 1 3/3/17 7:02 PM TABLE OF CONTENTS CSR 2016 EnCC.indd 2 3/3/17 7:02 PM Introduction 2 Youth 4 Education 14 Community Service 32 Health and Fitness 46 CSR 2016 EnCC.indd 1 3/3/17 7:02 PM CSR 2016 GULF BANK CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY PROGRAM WINS AWARDS FROM ARABIAN BUSINESS MAGAZINE AND GUST UNIVERSITY Corporate social responsibility forms To address one of the main strategic an important component of Gulf challenges facing our country and Bank’s mission and goals. The Bank the region, Gulf Bank is committed to was founded in the heart of Kuwait supporting and sponsoring a number in 1961, and its CSR program aims of educational and entrepreneurial to give back to the very community programs for youth. The key from which it was founded. This sponsorships in this area include our CSR report provides an account of ongoing support for INJAZ – Kuwait the most notable and important to deliver educational and sponsorships undertaken by the entrepreneurial skills training Bank for the benefit of our beloved programs for high school and Kuwait and its people. university students. The Bank’s graduate development program In 2016, the Bank was awarded the ‘Ajyal’ is also widely recognized for ‘Special CSR Award - Kuwait’ for its its training program to develop overall CSR program from the well- holisitic bankers for the benefit of known Arabian Business Magazine. both the Bank and Kuwait. The Bank We were also recognized for our also sponsored several other contributions to education and educational related activities culture by winning the ‘Al-Shakoor throughout the year. Lifetime Achievement Award’ from Gulf University of Science and The Bank also believes it is critical Technology (GUST). Gulf Bank’s CSR to support events related to gender programs cover a specific range parity and the empowerment of of areas we believe to be of great women, as it is a key global and local importance to the future of our challenge. In May, we organized the country. ‘Women in the Corporate World’ 2 CSR 2016 EnCC.indd 2 3/3/17 7:02 PM CSR 2016 conference which raised awareness GulfBank also believes in the importance of the gender diversity and key issues of supporting and promoting Kuwait’s facing women in the workplace. traditions and heritage through its The successful event culminated community service program of events. in a pledge of support for working Each year the Bank sponsors the women in Kuwait. ‘Memorial Pearl Diving Journey’ which As our country has a high rate is a tribute to Kuwait’s cultural and of obesity and diabetes, we are economic heritage and aims to teach committed to holding and sponsoring the younger generation about the a number of health and fitness lives of their ancestors. The Bank also related events and activities. This hold a series of activities and events in year was our second year holding Ramadan to engage with the community the ‘Gulf Bank 642 Marathon’ and and support our traditions. it was an unprecedented success. This run/walk event appeals to all We would like to thank our valued ages group and fitness levels and partners in these events, as well as is the only such accredited event members of the Gulf Bank family in Kuwait. We partnered with the who are always ready to volunteer UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) to their time to ensure our events are raise awareness of the plight of successful. Together we are making refugees. Other important fitness a difference and helping to build and health activities rounded out our a brighter future for Kuwait’s next sponsorship program in this area. generations. 3 CSR 2016 EnCC.indd 3 3/3/17 7:03 PM YOUTH 4 CSR 2016 EnCC.indd 4 3/3/17 7:03 PM 5 CSR 2016 EnCC.indd 5 3/3/17 7:03 PM CSR 2016 GULF BANK SUPPORTS BENCHMARK FORUM 2016 Bringing Together Creative Minds Gulf Bank was pleased to support the that may guide them down the road of Benchmark Forum 2016 - The Third development and success. The event Annual Design Entrepreneurship was free of charge. Forum organized by YourAOK. The Benchmark is a non-profit event Benchmark Forum took place at Al that aimed to educate designers Shaheed Park on 12 – 13 February 2016, and creative professionals by with an agenda full of activities that providing them with a merging skill- informed and inspired entrepreneurs set between design and business. and designers. The agenda included lectures Benchmark Forum brought together by professionals in the industry, innovative business minds and creative mentorships programs for designers designers to share their experience wanting to open their own design and inspire young entrepreneurs and businesses, an online marketplace to provide them with the mentorship will be displayed and sold on behalf 6 CSR 2016 EnCC.indd 6 3/3/17 7:03 PM CSR 2016 of the designers (youraok.net). digital portfolios allowing clients to easily browse through profiles YourAOK is a networking platform and visual works to hire artists, that brings together creative photographers or designers. YourAOK professionals, design firms, and aims to provide Kuwaiti youth with the product suppliers together. It offers skill-set required to create their own them a multimedia platform with feasible business. 7 CSR 2016 EnCC.indd 7 3/3/17 7:03 PM CSR 2016 GULF BANK: GOLD SPONSOR OF FIKRA PROGRAM Transforming Ideas Into Business Projects Gulf Bank was a Gold sponsor intensive entrepreneurship training of Fikra Program that works to that provides aspiring entrepreneurs empower a new generation of with the technical skills and business entrepreneurs. The program seeks knowledge needed to launch their to encourage young Kuwaitis to turn own businesses such as leadership their business ideas from mere skills, comprehensive business plan, thoughts into viable well-designed investment opportunities and others. business plans and connect them After they successfully go through with potential investors. the training sessions they pitch The main goal of Fikra Program is their ideas to potential investors in to empower a new generation of the hopes of having their businesses entrepreneurs to develop successful funded. The first edition of the businesses and advance the local program resulted in establishing Kuwaiti market. Youth apply to the 33% of businesses, while 44% are program and are selected based still in the negotiation phase with on a number of criteria. It is an investors. 8 CSR 2016 EnCC.indd 8 3/3/17 7:03 PM CSR 2016 9 CSR 2016 EnCC.indd 9 3/3/17 7:03 PM CSR 2016 GULF BANK GOLD SPONSOR OF THE KUWAIT ECONOMIC SOCIETY’S INTENSIVE YOUTH FINANCIAL TRAINING INITIATIVE Gulf Bank was a gold sponsor of was to prepare youth for successful the Kuwait Economic Society’s first careers, develop talent, as well as youth financial training initiative. exchange experiences and improve The program, ‘Investing in Our Youth teamwork. is Unique’ under the broader theme This program was comprised of a series of ‘Our Gulf Deserves,’ trained youth of practical and consultative sessions in the fields of investment, financial over a period of seven months. Three stock trading, as well as technical different classes of students have and news analysis. participated in the intensive investment This unique investment development training program. Participants were program was for college students who appraised on qualitative and quantitative were enrolled in their third or fourth evaluations; they were given a trial year of study in the fields of finance, account of $50,000 to engage in accounting, business management, simulated trading. Those who excelled economics,and industrial engineering. in the program and trading were then Additionally, recent graduates in these selected to move onto a regional trading fields were also eligible to apply to the simulation exercise. Forty participants program. The objective of this initiative were selected from Kuwait and those 10 CSR 2016 EnCC.indd 10 3/3/17 7:03 PM CSR 2016 that excelled were awarded with a trip where they shared their experiences and enhanced their skills. Each training session culminated in a forum measured the participants’ performance and awarded the top performers. The first forum was conducted in January and focused on ways to invest in financial markets, with a focus on how to minimize risk. The second forum was conducted in February and explored investment opportunities to support youth in international markets. The third forum recently concluded and shed light on investment strategies in financial markets. Kuwait Economic Society was founded in 1970 as a civil society institution and partner in the economic development process of the country. The Kuwait Economic Society works on reforming policies of the state, improving the competitiveness and transparency of the Kuwaiti economy. It also offers consulting, economic services, in addition to financial studies for public and private sectors. The Society also promotes cultural and economic on the role of human capital in the awareness among members of the development of civil society activities, society, and enables generations of particularly in the economic and business professionals with the skills financial fields; it also builds bridges to build a knowledge-based society. The with the international institutions and Kuwait Economic Society also focuses economic organizations. 11 CSR 2016 EnCC.indd 11 3/3/17 7:04 PM CSR 2016 GULF BANK SPONSORS THE KUWAIT PAVILION AT THE VENICE BIENNALE Kuwait Curates GCC Effort at its Pavilion Gulf Bank was pleased to be a lead This was Kuwait’s third participation sponsor of the Kuwait Pavilion at the 15th in the event and in an unprecedented International Architecture Exhibition step included national participation — La Biennale di Venezia, kicked off from the Gulf at its Pavilion.