By Aduragbemi Omiyale
A leading financial institution, Union Bank, is making progress in its efforts to reduce carbon emissions by embracing cleaner energy.
In its annual Citizenship, Sustainability and Innovation (CSI) report, the lender said it has increased the number of solar-powered branches and Automated Teller Machines (ATM) to 507 in 2021.
The report in its 6th edition provides an update on the bank’s initiatives across environmental, social and economic areas during 2021, reaffirming Union Bank’s position as one of the biggest advocates of sustainability and responsible corporate business practices.
Last year, the bank focused on community-led projects which directly impacted the lives of over 250,000 Nigerians in 20 communities across the six geopolitical zones of the country. These initiatives covered infrastructure support, education, health and general safety.
The report also covered a major milestone in the innovation space for Union Bank with the successful launch of a future-forward technological hub called SpaceNXT, a purpose-built space to foster entrepreneurship, learning and co-creation for the Nigerian tech ecosystem.
“Support for our communities is a top priority for us at Union Bank. As this report indicates, we made significant progress on several impact-driven initiatives that underscore our values, going beyond our beneficiary list for the previous years.
“In addition to employee-led volunteer projects, we also witnessed great advancement in gender equality and inclusiveness through our various programs and partnerships.
“I am proud of the work we do for our stakeholders through corporate responsibility and our innovative approach to furthering sustainability. We remain committed to driving social impact for our people,” the Chief Brand and Marketing Officer of Union Bank, Ogochukwu Ekezie-Ekaidem, said.
Dipo Olowookere 
Modupe Gbadeyanka