Corporate Social Responsibility
Our pledge to society
As a trusted corporate citizen, we aim at uplifting the communities we operate in through our Corporate Social Responsibilities initiatives. Through various community interventions, we effectively reinforce our values and achieve our business objectives. We partner with key governmental and non-governmental stakeholders to select credible social partners and projects that have a sustainable impact on our communities.
Our priority areas are education, environment and health.
Alongside our CSR initiatives, we want to bring a meaningful contribution to the Mauritian Society by having a social, economic and environmental relevance by applying sustainable principles and enhancing our reputation as a sustainable bank.
Our main pillars
Education
We believe that education is a means to change the world and future of bright and needy youngsters. Our projects under the education pillar are:
- The Standard Bank Scholarship Programme
The scholarship programme has been running for the past nine years. This scheme allows bright students with limited financial means to follow undergraduate courses in Mauritius.
In 2021, the total number of students who benefited from the Standard Bank scholarship has exceeded 100, with the Bank financing their university fees as well as providing a monthly stipend to each beneficiary.
- Les amis de Zippy
A program that aims to improve the skills of young children aged between 6 – 7 to develop coping mechanisms to cope with everyday difficulties. Some schools were identified for this project.
- Counselling support to teenagers
In partnership with the ‘Service Diocésain de l’Éducation Catholique’ (SeDEC), we also support teenagers through a counselling project. A few colleges were identified for this project and counselling support is provided to teenagers, their parents and teaching and non-teaching staff.
Environment
We firmly believe that it is our responsibility to manage the environmental and social impacts that our activities, products and services have on society and to respond to critical environmental issues. As part of our CSR initiatives, we have supported environmental projects such as mangroves and endemic flora reforestation with various NGOs.
Moreover, we have implemented a series of measures at the office to decrease our carbon footprint and staff members are also encouraged to do so. Initiatives such as recycling of paper and electronic equipment as well as other eco-friendly measures such as using led lights and decrease the consumption of plastic water bottles.
Our most recent project is with the NGO Mauritian Wildlife Foundation:
- Mauritius Kestrel conservation project
The Mauritius Kestrel is one of the nine endemic bird species left in Mauritius. However, a rapid degradation of the Mauritian native forests has contributed to a decline in the number of Mauritius kestrels. The aim is to prevent the population decline by attaining a viable, stable or increasing population and increase the distribution of the birds.
- Ecosystem reconstruction using giant tortoises
With the extinction of our endemic tortoise species, all the functional roles fulfilled by giant tortoises in the ecosystem have gone missing. To remediate this situation, MWF will use the Aldabra tortoise (a close relative of Mauritian giant tortoises) to replace lost ones. This will be used as substitutes to re-enact the lost ‘plant-tortoises’ interactions and help restore the native forest on Ile aux Aigrettes and Round Island.
- Rare plants conservation project
Mauritius is home to 691 native species of flowering plants. 281 are endemic and more than 90% are threatened. The project undertakes to propagate and plant endemic species to reintroduce them in the wild and in urban areas and to increase their numbers. This action will in the long term support the endemic fauna.
Health and social
Under the health & social pillar various initiatives were carried out namely:
- Quartier de Lumiere
This NGO assists and empowers children in the village of La Valette, Bambous (Western region of the island) who are left on their own and come from poor and needy families.
Our support has enabled the NGO meet the following objectives:
Ensure the integral development of the child be it physical, cognitive and moral
To see healthy, empowered children who are aware of their importance in society, having realised that success is the fruit of hard work and discipline
Care of the child from the youngest age
School support
Development of the children’s personality and an introduction to civic values
- SACIM
We support the NGO Society for Aid to Children Inoperable in Mauritius (SACIM) to enable them take care of inoperable children from low-income families in Mauritius.
- Link to Life
Breast and prostate cancer screening and awareness sessions.