First Bank has announced the commencement of its Annual Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability Week to promote socio-economic development in the country.

The activities of the 2023 edition, which is scheduled for October 23 to October 28, 2023, include tree planting, women empowerment, SPARK schools engagement, orphanage homes, the less privileged engagement, and Kind Comments Day.

First Bank made this known in a statement on Thursday, October 26.

It noted that the event held in partnership with Nigeria Conservation Foundation, would see the bank’s employees and partners progressing its planting activity which targets 50,000 trees over a three-year period from 2023.

The bank added: “Tree planting is one of FirstBank’s initiatives to reduce its carbon footprints and promote environmental sustainability as part of its overarching sustainability and ESG (Environment, Social & Governance) strategy and in alignment with the Nigeria Conservation Foundation’s Forest Programme – Green Recovery Nigeria (GRN) which is designed to help increase Nigeria forest cover from its current state of about 4-7% to 25% by 2047.

“Additionally, in line with FirstBank’s commitment to achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 5 (SDG) of women empowerment, the Bank will support cancer foundations focused on women and skills acquisition for women on 25 and 26 October 2023.

“As a member of UN Women, FirstBank employs the relevant women empowerment tools to empower women internally and externally as well as partner with International Women Society to drive skills acquisition.

“The Kind Comments Day is an advocacy campaign encouraging staff, customers, and other stakeholders to say kind things about one another. It focuses on inspiring and encouraging people to be deliberate about the use of kind words in relation to others.”

First Bank stated that its staff will on Friday, October 27, visit schools for the SPARK school engagement which is aimed at engaging students on financial literacy and inculcating and equipping youths with entrepreneurship skillset and mindset to prepare them for the future.

The bank noted that the event would be rounded off with visits to orphanage homes and the less privileged engagement on Saturday, October 28.

It disclosed that orphanages, including the Internal Displaced Persons (IDPs), would be visited in six geo-political zones in Nigeria as well as other SSA markets.

Speaking, the Group Head, Marketing and Corporate Communications of First Bank, Folake Ani-Mumuney, said: “At First Bank, we are committed to promoting the culture of kindness as it continues to engender positive relationships with our host communities.

“By making kindness a way of life, we build stronger communities, foster empathy, and create a positive ripple effect that extends far beyond this week.

“It’s great to see our volunteers demonstrate their continued commitment to positively impact our communities.

“In the spirit of kindness, I encourage everyone to join us in celebrating the First Bank Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability Week as we make kindness a part of our daily lives, interacting with one another in impactfully memorable ways.”