Corporate Profile
Access Bank Plc. is a full service Commercial Bank operating through a network of over 305 branches and service outlets located in major centres across Nigeria, Sub Saharan Africa, the United Kingdom, Asia and the Middle East. Listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange in 1998, the Bank serves its various markets through 4 business segments: Personal, Business, Commercial and Corporate & Investment Banking.
The Bank has over 830,000 shareholders including several Nigerian and International Institutional Investors and has enjoyed what is arguably Africa’s most successful banking growth trajectory in the last ten years ranking amongst Africa’s top 20 banks by total assets and capital in 2011.
As part of its continued growth strategy, Access Bank is focused on mainstreaming sustainable business practices into its operations. The Bank strives to deliver sustainable economic growth that is profitable, environmentally responsible and socially relevant.
Access Bank Plc. and Sustainability
Sustainability in Access Bank cuts across it’s business operations and impacts business, stakeholders, employees, suppliers, and its customers. Access Bank’s approach to sustainability is expressed through the Bank’s sustainability strategy which is focused on supporting the Bank’s vision on becoming the world’s most respected African bank. The Bank finances and facilitates brighter futures for all stakeholders while maintaining a high standard of integrity in all the bank’s business practices. This starts at the top with the Board and Executive Committee, underpins its corporate philosophy and is the personal responsibility of every individual in the Bank. The Bank believes that it has a unique role in, if not a responsibility to, society. It sees it as a duty to help grow local communities and the real economy through the provision of capital, creation of opportunities/platforms which drives infrastructure development; creates jobs and enables companies and individuals to purchase goods and do business every day. One of the most profound impacts Access Bank has in Nigeria, and indeed Africa, is its contribution to a prosperous economy. It has achieved this through:
- Conducting environmental and social impact assessment of potentially damaging projects and the ability of the borrower to manage its impact, as part of our normal credit and risk procedures
- Ensuring that our products and services are inclusive and of value
- Engaging in only fair practices that promoting diversity while ensuring rewarding career opportunities
- Combating corruption and bribery through our best in class operations in all our communities and subsidiaries, especially geographical areas prone to corruption
- Positively contributing to the economic development of the countries where we operate.
In fulfilling its commitment to sustainable development, the Bank signed the UNEP Statement by Financial Institution on the Environment and Sustainable Development, and also signed on to the UN Global compact’s principles on Human Right, Labour-Standards, Environment and Anti-Corruption. Access Bank is committed to developing strategic and sustainable partnership with reputable organizations in the initiation and implementation of Sustainability interventions that positively impact the lives of the communities where we operate. The Bank is in partnership with multilateral organizations such as United Nations Women Empowerment Principles, Nigerian Sustainability Banking Principles Steering Committee, Private Sector Health Alliance of Nigeria, Global Business Coalition on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GBC), Business In the Community (BITC), Friends of the Global Fund Africa (Friends Africa), Nigeria Business Coalition Against AIDS (NIBUCAA) and the Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF).
Access Bank undertakes a variety of sustainability related activities aimed at creating innovative and proactive solutions to societal and environmental challenges. In the Bank’s demonstration of economic empowerment, it has embarked on various projects that has positively impacted on the triple bottom line. Access Bank has successfully facilitated and financed sustainable economic growth, leading the way on financial inclusion and education, helping develop enterprises and being at the forefront of sustainability regulation and thought leadership. The Bank has developed innovative financial services that have enhanced the lives of its customers while also alleviating environmental and social risks.
In addressing social challenges within its communities, the Bank is actively building successful communities. It has dedicated a substantial portion of its financial returns to invest in human development especially in areas of health, environment, education, sports and economic empowerment by various strategic partnerships, donations and Employee Volunteering Initiative.
In its continuous bid to develop the environment, Access Bank implements energy efficient and environmental projects in its business operations and business activities. It has invested in renewable technologies and adopted more environmentally friendly practices like proper waste recycling across all its branches.
The Bank continues to impact on the communities and is committed to galvanising both human and financial resources to achieve socially relevant growth. In recognition of our contribution to sustainability in Nigeria and Africa, Access Bank is the 7-time winner, Most Sustainable Bank in Nigeria (World Finance), it became the first Nigerian bank to adopt global frameworks/principles (Equator Principles), first Nigerian bank to produce a standalone sustainability report (now in 9th reporting year), first institution in West Africa to win FT/IFC Sustainable Bank of the Year (Africa/Middle East) and first African institution to win the Karlsruhe Sustainable Finance Awards for Outstanding Business Sustainability (2016, 2017).
In 2017 alone, the bank won the following sustainability focused awards:
- Sustainable Bank of the Year – CBN Sustainability Awards 2017
- Sustainable Transaction of the Year (Oil and Gas Sector) – CBN Sustainability Awards 2017
- Sustainable Transaction of the Year (Agriculture) – CBN Sustainability Awards 2017
- Excellence in Women Economic Empowerment – CBN Sustainability Awards 2017
- Outstanding Business Sustainability – Karlsruhe Sustainable Finance Awards 2017
- Most Sustainable Bank, Nigeria – World Finance Awards 2017
- Best Corporate Governance, Nigeria – World Finance Awards 2017
- Best company in Climate Action – Sustainability, Enterprise and Responsibility Awards (SERAs) 2017
- Best company in CSR/Sustainability in West Africa – Sustainability, Enterprise and Responsibility Awards (SERAs) 2017
- Most Responsible Company of the Year/Overall Winner – Sustainability, Enterprise and Responsibility Awards (SERAs) 2017
- Corporate Achievement Award for promoting financial literacy – Financial Literacy Excellence (FiLEX) Awards 2017
- Africa Clean-up Award 2017
- The Green Label Award for the Society – Nigerian Environment Society.
More on Access Bank Sustainability report:
Annual report: