Table of Contents • Why Corporate Social Responsibility? 2 • Community Service 4 • Other CSR Initiatives 38 • Education 52 • Human Resources 60 1 WHY CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY? “For a beTTER & MORE PROSPEROUS KUWAIT” 2 3 COMMUNITY SERVICE 4 5 Community Service Gulf Bank Switches Off for Earth Hour 2011 in Kuwait eliminating any unnecessary usage of lighting in the Al-Saleh building and all their branches across Kuwait. Gulf Bank participated in Earth Hour, a global initiative to raise awareness of climate change. On Saturday, March 26th at Earth Hour is an initiative led by the World Wildlife Fund and 8.30pm, the Bank not only switched off all unnecessary lights, is renowned across the world, with businesses and consumers lowered A/C units and turned off all non-essential electrical joining in ‘the great switch off’. devices at the Head Office, but went a step further by also 6 7 Community Service Gulf Bank proudly sponsors the Holy Quran Braille The Holy Quran Braille printing initiative falls in line with printing initiative the Bank’s Ramadan program and its responsibility towards the community during the Holy month. The Bank proudly Gulf Bank in partnership with the Kuwait Blind Association contributed to this initiative in its support of all people with sponsored a Holy Quran in Braille printing initiative. visual difficulties, giving them a chance to read the Holy Quran with blessings of the Holy month. 8 9 Community Service Gulf Bank sponsors the biggest Girgai’an bag event at Al Kharafi Activity Kids Center Gulf Bank sponsored the biggest Girgai’an bag event at the Al-Kharafi Activity Kids Center on August 10th, under the Patronage of Mrs. Sabeeka Al-Jassir, Chairperson of the Al Kharafi Activity Kids Center. The event began with a welcome speech by the Center’s organizer followed by an impressive theatrical play performed by the children of the Center. Children were kept entertained by Bu Tubailah and the 99 characters from Gulf Bank, who distributed Girgai’an bags. Those who attended the event also took part in several activities including; creating the biggest Girgai’an bag, Henna drawing, face painting and hair braiding. A group of children performed for the audience. Concluding the event, Mrs. Aisha Salim, Director at the Al Kharafi Activity Kids Center, delivered a speech during which she honored Gulf Bank, the main sponsor of the event. 10 11 Community Service Gulf Bank’s sponsors the 5th Autism Annual Nassour, Gulf Bank’s well known cartoon mascot was present Charity Bazaar at the stand to entertain the children while they had their faces painted, and the staff handed out gift bags to all the visitors. Gulf Bank sponsored the 5th Autism Annual Charity Bazaar, which was organized by the Kuwait Center for Autism and On Saturday, April 2nd, International Autism Day, famous took place from 31st March to the 2nd April, in tandem international chef, Adla Al-Sharhan fashioned a number of with International Autism Day. The event was held under delectable mouthwatering delicacies dedicated to children the Patronage of the Governor of Hawally, H.E. Lieutenant with autism. In addition, there was a viewing of a short ten General Abdulla Al Faris (now retired), as part of an initiative minute international video about autism and how it affects to raise awareness about autism and autistic children within people’s lives, dedicated to the people of Kuwait. the community. 12 13 Community Service Gulf Bank’s Blood Donation Day attracts enthusiastic donor response Gulf Bank concluded its Blood Donation Day at the Mubarak Al Kabeer branch in the Bank’s Head Office on Monday, 19th September, 2011. The one day event was open to all customers, staff and walk-in visitors. The Central Blood Bank set up a specially equipped medical clinic in the branch for all enthusiasts from 9:00am through to 1:00pm. This one day event comes within the framework of a number of initiatives adopted by Gulf Bank in blood donation and the need to increase the storage of blood at the Central Blood Bank, who had suffered from a shortage of certain categories of blood which potentially threatened the lives of many patients. 14 15 Community Service Gulf Bank sponsored C.A.N. Club’s Football Tournament in association with C.A.N. The Cancer Awareness National Campaign 16 17 Community Service Gulf Bank revives Ramadan Spirit by putting a Girgai’an smile on patients’ faces Gulf Bank staff concluded their annual visit to the children’s hospital units associated with the Kuwait Association for the Care of Children in Hospitals (KAACH), in order to share the joys of girgai’an with them. The Hospital visits included: Farwaniya, Jahra, Ibn Sina, Al Razi, Amiri, NBK, and Zain. These visits created an authentic Ramadan ambience for the patients, giving them a chance to relive the joyful moments of Ramadan and offering them colorful filled Girgai’an bags, in addition to several activities that included face painting, henna, hair braiding, as well as a handshake from The 99 cartoon characters of Gulf Bank. 18 19 Community Service 20 21 Community Service 22 23 Community Service 24 25 Community Service Gulf Bank Celebrates National and Liberation Day with famous Nassour character, who put a smile on the faces of Children’s Units of Farwaniya and Jahra Hospitals the children and adults alike. In addition, all the children enjoyed getting their faces painted with the Kuwaiti flag and A group of Gulf Bank staff visited the Children’s Units of girls had their hair braided in the Kuwaiti national colours. the Farwaniya and Jahra hospitals to celebrate National and The Bank also presented the children with celebratory gift Liberation Day with patients and hospital staff in style.The visit bags with national day memorabilia. created a party atmosphere for the children led by Gulf Bank’s 26 27 Community Service Gulf Bank Continues its Pledge of Giving Others The “Paint Kuwait Red” campaign included several events New Hope in Life with ‘Paint Kuwait Red’ that aimed to increase awareness and importance of blood donation. These events included: the release of about 300 Gulf Bank continues to connect with the community, and balloons, lighting of Kuwait Towers, the Avenues Mall and contributed as the Golden Sponsor to the “Paint Kuwait Green Island enshrouded in red, including a stand for ‘Club Red” campaign, organized by ‘Club 25 Kuwait’, to celebrate for Blood’ donations at the Avenues. the World Blood Donor’s Day. The campaign was officially inaugurated by Dr. Hilal Al-Sayer, Minister of Health, along The campaign, organized by ‘Club 25 Kuwait’ was part with several prominent guests, including Mrs. Margret of a 10-year old global initiative that originated in Africa, Al- Sayer, Founder and Director of Bayt Abdullah Children’s specifically in Zimbabwe, to encourage youth to live healthy Hospice, Dr. Rana Al- Abdulrazzak, Medical and Donor Affairs life-styles and play an active role as blood donors. The concept Director at the Kuwait Central Blood Bank, Dr. Ghanim Al- was to encourage healthy individuals to donate blood at least Najjar, Political Science Professor at Kuwait University and 25 times throughout their lifetime. The ‘Club 25 Kuwait’ Mr. Yousef Abdulhameed Al-Jassim, Kuwait’s prominent TV initiative is the 61st blood donning volunteer club worldwide presenter on Thursday, 16th June 2011, near the Kuwait and first of its kind in the Middle East. Towers. 28 29 Community Service Gulf Bank Sponsors World Anti-Drug Day Celebration in tackling the harmful consequences and the detrimental impact of drug addiction through its support of World Under the patronage of H.E. the Deputy Prime Minister, Anti-Drug Day with the National Anti-Drug Committee. Over Minister of Interior, and the Head of the National Anti-Drug 192 United Nations representatives attended to convey the Committee, Sheikh Ahmad Al Hamoud Al-Sabah, Gulf Bank message of ‘Yes to your Life, No to Drugs’, the campaign’s proudly sponsored the World Anti-Drug day celebration, slogan. The celebration included many exhibits, most which took place on 26th June 2011 at the Scientific Center significant of which was an exhibition being held at the in Salmiya. Scientific Center, specially constructed for a large audience across different segments of society in an effort to further Gulf Bank is committed to supporting the Kuwaiti community deepen the awareness of harmful drug usage. 30 31 Community Service Gulf Bank Visits Site of Bayt Abdullah Hospice The Bank has been involved throughout all the phases of the Gulf Bank visited the site of the Bayt Abdullah Children’s project starting from the preliminary layouts, hence making Hospice, which was nearing its structural completion. The Gulf Bank’s visit to the site an update of the progress of the hospice, which was opened in January 2012, was being fixed project. Mrs. Margaret Al-Sayer, Founder and Director of with advanced state-of-the-art medical equipment to receive KACCH, shared the latest developments of Bayt Abdullah and treat children suffering from cancer. with Gulf Bank’s team while hosting the visit and provided the team with an overview of the project’s recent progress. Visiting the site in early May was Mr. Fawzy Al-Thunayan, General Manager - Board Affairs at Gulf Bank, and a team Towards the end of the visit, Mr. Al-Thunayan presented Gulf from the Bank who presented a contribution from Gulf Bank Bank’s donation to Mrs. Al-Sayer, who expressed her thanks to the Kuwait Association for the Care of Children in Hospitals and appreciation for the pivotal role Gulf Bank has made in (KACCH). This donation falls under Gulf Bank’s annual caring for hospitalized children.