Our Corporate Social Responsibility Philosophy

In 1999 the Bank had a major policy rethink in the area of corporate social responsibility to strengthen direct involvement in its primary operational environment in such a way that the resultant impact is maximized for society's most needy. The policy on Corporate Social Responsibility is essentially driven by the imperative to directly and positively touch the lives of its stakeholders, with special emphasis on the indigent section of the society. That way, the resultant impact is maximized for society's most needy. In this respect, the Bank does not act through third party charity organizations and care givers. Instead we get involved directly.

With special emphasis on the indigent section of the society. That way, the resultant impact is maximized for society's most needy. In this respect, the Bank does not act through third party charity organizations and care givers. Instead we get involved directly.

Our CSR initiatives over the years, and in the year under review, have focused on health care, sports, education and youth development, the arts, philanthropy and charitable activities. Our highlights speak volumes:

Health Care

Accident & Emergency Centre, Mowe

In a bid to mitigate the spate of deaths arising from road accidents and also to provide prompt medical intervention to the community and road users, Diamond Bank constructed an Accident & Emergency Centre and renovation of the Primary Health Care Centre in the Obafemi / Owode Local Government Area, Mowe, Ogun State.

This initiative forms an integral part of Diamond Bank's long term corporate social responsibility mission. In the wake of the prediction by experts that Road Traffic Accidents will be the third leading worldwide cause of death and injury by 2020, the Bank realizes the need for concerted efforts for more effective and significant results in the reduction of this scourge.

The Annual Eye Expedition

Diamond Bank/Eye Foundation Hospital Free Eye Expedition Programme is our flagship project in the new policy thrust. The first expedition under the programme kicked off in 1999 at Emekuku, near Owerri, Imo State. Over 1,500 people were screened for various eye ailments. Of this number, 500 received free eyeglasses and 22 cataract surgery operations were performed free.

The scope of this expedition was expanded in 2001, on the occasion of the Bank's 10th Anniversary, with outings in three locations around the country, namely, Epe in Lagos state, Awo-Omanma in Imo State and Gwagwalada, near Abuja. A total of 110 free cataract surgeries were performed in the course of these three expeditions, apart from the free eye screenings.

In 2002 a new dimension was introduced in the expedition with the Diamond Bank partnering with the Eye FoundationHospital, Ikeja, Lagos, the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, the World Health Organization and other agencies in carrying out 1,000 free cataract surgeries. During this exercise, over 2000 persons were screened for various eye ailments, with a total of N5 million expended on surgeries.

In 2003, the expedition moved to Abakiliki, Ebonyi State, where experts from the Eye Foundation Hospital performed 125 surgical operations.

In 2005, the expedition went to Damaturu, Yobe State where over 5,000 persons were screened for various eye ailments and 225 surgeries performed.

The Annual free Eye Expedition is a demonstration of Diamond Bank's frontline role in advancing social causes. The Bank is virtually without rival in this specialized area of healthcare provisioning for charity.

Investment in Education and Youth Development

Diamond Bank continues to foster productive behavior and well being among youths in Nigeria through learning and extracurricular activities. We have huge investments in this area, the underlying objective being the need to engage youths positively to reduce delinquency and involvement in societal ills.

We have carved a niche in our support towards alleviating transport problems of tertiary institutions. The Bank has donated brand new Toyota Coaster buses to NnamdiAzikiwe University, Awka, the University of Jos, University of Nigeria Nsukka, the University of Lagos, Rivers State University, Port Harcourt, Katsina State Univeristy and the Niger Delta University, Bayelsa State. This gesture was also extended to the Presentation National High School Benin City that got a Toyota Hiace bus.

As part of our resolve to deepen the quality of Nigerian professionals and reduce the incidence of brain drain, we entered a sponsorship agreement with the British Council to execute a two-pronged programme in which our organizations will assist young Nigerian professionals develop their careers The programme contains the Management Express and the Education UK Marketing events.  The programme was designed in response to the market research conducted by the British Council among customer groups, which revealed a need for affordable professional and personal development opportunities in the area of management and leadership.

Madonna school for the handicapped children

In 2003, Diamond Bank responded to a distress call from the Madonna School for Handicapped Children in Okpanam, Delta State, swiftly constructing and furnishing a dormitory for the less privileged children and their care givers. This brought succor to the beneficiaries for several years. However, with phenomenal growth in the number of children enrolled, the dormitory soon exceeded its capacity, requiring another intervention by the Bank.

This came in 2010 with the renovation and expansion of the dormitory block complex, as well as the construction of access road and drainage to the dormitory.

The Madonna School project demonstrates that while in pursuit of service excellence to its teeming customers, Diamond Bank remains committed to its duties and responsibility as a good corporate citizen.

Teacher re-training with incentive

An award for excellence partnership with the Inoyo Toro Foundation aimed at eradicating poverty through education by investing resources to encourage the learning of science subjects in schools. The focus herein is to improve the standard of education using teachers as the focal point and also to complement the Government's efforts in enhancing the quality of education. To this end the Foundation annually recognizes selected teachers in the public secondary schools who have excelled in teaching of Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology and English Language

Its main objectives are;

1. To help revive ailing academic standards
2. To upgrade to KSA of teachers in primary and secondary schools
3. To motivate the otherwise dejected teacher to better performance

Diamond Kiddies free educational holiday to the United Kingdom

Each year since 2006, Diamond Bank sponsors ten children to the annual Diamond Kiddies Free Educational Holiday to the United Kingdom. The trip, which is a mixture of learning and holiday making on an international scene, aims to broaden the world view of these children while they are still in their most impressionable ages.

Resource Centre at The Niger Delta University (NDU)

In 2010, Diamond Bank built and handed over to the Niger Delta University, a  comprehensive Resource Centre to carter for the Information Technology (IT) needs of the student community. This Resource consists of a  reception Hall, a fully computerized library, a comprehensive cyber café, a  viewing center and a lounge.

For Diamond Bank, the underlying motive in setting up the Resource Centre is to create an enabling environment for productive positive behavior and well-being amongst youths in the community, engage Nigerian youths positively, thereby reducing their tendency for delinquency and involvement in societal ills. It also creates employment opportunities for the disadvantaged youths within the University community.

Sports and Recreation

Diamond Bank prides itself as one of the foremost supporter and promoter of sports/recreation. This is based on our belief in the philosophy of building a sound mind in a sound body. To this end, we have consistently supported several sporting events including the under listed:

Diamond Bank prides itself as one of the foremost supporter and promoter of sports/recreation. This is based on our belief in the philosophy of building a sound mind in a sound body. To this end, we have consistently supported several sporting events including the under listed:

Love for golf

Over the years, we have sponsored several golf tournaments, mainly the Nigeria Cup and the India Golf Cup, both of which take place annually at the Ikoyi Club, Lagos.

Polo championship

Polo is emotionally powerful, through the combination of a fast exciting sport with beautiful athletic horses. Diamond Bank supports the annual Katsina and Kaduna polo tournaments amongst others.

West Africa Universities Games

The Bank took a bold step in 2006 to sponsor the West African Universities Games hosted by the University of Lagos. Following the successes of this event, the Bank has agreed in-principle to sponsor the 2008 Nigerian Universities Games which will be hosted by the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

Charitable Activities

Diamond Bank is a member of the Arrive Alive Road Safety Initiative in collaboration with Chevron Nigeria and six other companies established to encourage road safety thereby reducing the risks associated with road usage.

The Bank also contributes to the fight against the HIV/AIDS scourge through its staunch support for the Nigerian Business Coalition Against AIDS (NIBUCAA), an NGO made up of companies that are committed to providing leadership towards advancing the national response to the pandemic.

Support for SME

Diamond Bank's gallant strides in supporting Small and Medium Enterprises have been signposted by the Bright Ideas project in which ten start-up companies where financed from a scratch.  In 2005, the Bank adopted a new philosophy of Giving Life to Bright Ideas. The Bright Ideas philosophy was centered on the theme of supporting creative ideas and entrepreneurship.  The Bank adopted this completely new and exciting approach as a pointer to the future both from a business point of view and from the stand point of national development and economic growth.

The funding of the ten start-up SMEs marked the consummation of the Bank's promise. The development which set a record as the first time any financial institution will pick fresh candidates for entrepreneurial development training and funding, is set to create several jobs for Nigerians, contribute to the wealth creation drive of the Government and sets the trend for future investments in corporate social responsibility.

The companies which will soon dot Nigeria's economic landscape operate in significant areas ranging from bio-diesel production, medi-care services, homecare services, and food production among other economically beneficial sectors which will directly impact on the lives of Nigerians.

Building Entrepreneurs Today programme

The Building Entrepreneurs Today (BET) program is a Capacity building & business education project aimed at generating interest in entrepreneurship.

The project which was initiated in 2010 focuses on rekindling interest in entrepreneurship through a robust intensive Entrepreneurial Management Training out of which 15 out of 50 Top bread entrepreneurs are selected for Business Development Support. Five (5) outstanding entrepreneur who qualify for the Next Level Award are thereafter selected and given a capital boasts, valued at N3,000,000 each, in support of their businesses.

Diamond Bank award for excellence in financial reporting

The annual award is a platform Diamond Bank instituted to reward media men and women who have consistently promoted the financial services industry through responsible and professional journalism. It is also an opportunity to promote creativity, professionalism and excellence in financial reporting in Nigeria.

This came to be because Diamond Bank believes the award would go a long way towards motivating these exceptional individuals to continuously aspire to give their utmost best in pursuance of excellence in their chosen profession; and by extension help improve the standard of journalism in Nigeria to match the very best in the world. In summary, Diamond Bank is celebrating exemplary print journalism in Nigeria.

Workplace

In furtherance to the Bank's strategy of being “the employer of choice,” Diamond Bank Plc recently reviewed its working hours, pegging all official works to close by 7.pm to enable staff join their respective families before night falls.

This policy christened “Operation Eat Dinner with Your Family” was put in place after a careful review of the prevailing working conditions of bankers in the country and in appreciation of the challenges faced by staff in striking a balance between the world of work and family.  The Bank strongly believes on the impact of work life balance on staff commitment, loyalty and productivity - when there is a balance between work and an employee's family life, you have a motivated workforce and high performing team. Therefore, at Diamond Bank Plc, we have continued to review our policies with a view to creating an enabling environment for our staff. This has been the catalyst for our rapid growth over the years.

Naija Diamonds

Naija Diamonds is a six-part documentary series produced by Inspire Africa and exclusively sponsored by Diamond Bank.

It was created to showcase and celebrate 36 unsung heroes and world class Nigerians whose lifestyles and values serve as a standard for generations to come.

Naija Diamonds celebrates Nigeria's everyday people who have done something to change and challenge positively their situations. Some of the Diamond stories range from the inspiring tale of 7 year old ItohaosaIsibor from Port-Harcourt to the tale of a widow, NnekaNwakwere who has 10 children under her care (5 biological, 5 adopted) with no help at all and Felicia Martins who gave up her cause to provide care, succor and a home for the mentally challenged on the streets of Lagos.

No one notices them, they are never celebrated by the media or the majority but they exist. They are the people who stand up and take a positive stand. They are our unsung heroes (Naija Diamonds).

Supporting Different Government Poverty Alleviation Programmes

Across our entire network, Diamond Bank is trusted for our outstanding standards of corporate governance and our commitment to making a difference in the communities where we operate. Our CSR recently has focused on partnering with different governments in the country in the areas of security of lives and property, education, poverty alleviation and health matters. Towards this end, we intend to further expand our already extensive range of multi-faceted CSR activities, to encompass more areas of public interest, and create a positive impact on the lives of needy people.

This saw us donating 200 motorcycles to the Sokoto State Poverty Alleviation Programme.  In the South –South region, we were part of the organizations that sponsored the first economic Summit of the region aimed at total economic transformation of the zone.   As a responsible corporate citizen we donated 10 Hilux security patrol vehicles to Lagos State Government and 5 each to Imo, Enugu, Ebonyi and Abia State Governments, while Rivers State got 10 pick up Toyota double cabin vans. This gesture is to help the states security agencies beef up their logistics which clearly is a major problem militating against their performance. Security of lives and property is very important not just for businesses but also for individuals and the overall growth and development of the nation.