KFH social responsibility program was characterized by its diversified and comprehensive social initiatives and contributions in 2021. The bank’s social efforts have resulted in launching several diversified initiatives, events, and activities at the banking sector level.

KFH has succeeded in taking the concept of social responsibility to a new level of innovation, generality, and sustainability to serve all society categories and develop social and institutional business.

Group DGM, Public Relation & Media at KFH, Yousef Al-Ruwaieh said that coping with and fulfilling the needs and interests of society represent the basic part of KFH approach. He added that KFH contributions in 2021 were diversified and comprehensive, covering several aspects such as environment, health, youth, education, financial and banking culture and recognizing provided initiators and other society segments, such as persons with special needs and others.

He added that the sustainability factor was strongly present in the social responsibility program through the partnerships and programs launched by KFH in collaboration with local and international entities.

Youth and Sports

The youth occupied a major part of KFH interest in 2021. The bank launched several qualitative initiatives and distinguished activities to fulfill youth aspirations and interests.

Al-Ruwaieh said that, in this respect, KFH has succeeded in organizing the Padel sport tournament which is the first of its kind at Kuwait level. The tournament was a great success among the youth category and was highly appreciated by the public with tremendous media coverage on various social media channels.

He added that the organizing of Padel 2 under the patronage of the Kuwait Olympic Committee in cooperation with Kuwait Padel Committee, confirms KFH success in fulfilling youth interests and aspirations.

Affirming KFH as the major supporter of youth, Al-Ruwaieh indicated that KFH is the first bank in Kuwait to launch the platform “You are our pride” to honor distinguished people in various fields, such as sports and others. Also, it is the only bank that has a “KFH Initiators” team which includes names that have participated in holding the name of Kuwait high in various fields.

Al-Ruwaieh said that KFH has succeeded in taking social initiatives to a totally new level of innovation utilizing digital technology and other modern applications in collaboration with the creative Kuwaiti youth.

As a result of this strategy’s success in social responsibility KFH organized during the lockdown period and the exceptional circumstances the virtual walking challenge initiative in cooperation with V-Thru application. The initiative recorded more than 60 thousand participations from various society segments in less than a month.

As for the program “Better health for better life” and as a testimony to concern about youth and sports and to encourage a healthy lifestyle, KFH had organized a virtual cycling marathon for the public where people can participate from any place, they wish according to health conditions. Also, KFH fostered sporting games in cooperation with the application Li3ib.

KFH organized in 2021 the digital race “KFH DIGITAL WALLET TREASURE HUNT” which was held at 360 Mall with the participation of 30 teams.

“KFH is Green” Campaign

KFH seeks to set a good example in enhancing environmental participations and adopting environment friendly practices and mechanisms to achieve a sustainable growth impact. Accordingly, KFH had launched the “KFH is Green” campaign in 2021.

Al-Ruwaieh said that KFH had signed a strategic partnership with the Public Authority for Agriculture Affairs and Fish Resources to enhance its efforts in the plantation and greening campaign of Kuwait areas for the agricultural season 2021/ 2022. This affirms KFH belief in its pioneering role in spreading awareness on the need to protect environment and agriculture.

He added that KFH has signed a strategic partnership with the Sidra Initiative and the Green Dream Voluntary Team as part of the qualitative “KFH is Green” campaign and its endeavor to protect environment and call for the plantation and greening of Kuwait.

KFH has subsidized and participated in several environment related activities in cooperation with other entities e.g., the landscaping initiative of the capital streets and facilities in partnership with the Capital Governorate, organizing beaches cleaning campaigns in cooperation with the Public Environment Authority to spread environmental culture and raise the level of awareness on the significance of keeping Kuwait environment clean.

Supporting Students and Graduates

As part of its social responsibility and its keenness to support students and youth and to honor the achievers, KFH has participated in the graduation ceremony of the students at the college of business administration – Kuwait University. Also, KFH fostered the graduation projects of Kuwait University students – College of Engineering and Petroleum considering that the bank is the major sponsor of students’ graduation projects.

KFH has renewed the Memorandum of Understanding with the Gulf University for Science and Technology (GUST) aiming to continue cooperation and execution of joint programs e.g., holding training workshops, providing academic and research expertise, internal internships, attracting qualified staff to “Forsa” program and other job opportunity programs to work at KFH. Also, KFH organized social and educational activities and events to serve students, worked on recruiting distinguished youth at KFH, qualified graduates to have field experience, encouraged internal internship programs, exchanged research, supported students' forums and clubs and performed many other aspects of cooperation.

KFH renewed the memorandum of understanding with GUST and fostered the university students’ graduation ceremonies.

 KFH renewed its strategic partnership with the Australian College in Kuwait and participated, during the year, in the virtual job fair organized by the said college

KFH renewed its strategic partnership with the administration and marketing club at the College of Business Administration as part of its continuous support to the club activities and events to serve the students.

As part of KFH care for its employees, the bank has honored more than 50 students of the children of KFH employees who scored more than 90% in their high school results.

Persons with Special Needs

In an unprecedented initiative at the Kuwait banking sector level, Al-Ruwaieh said that KFH had signed a strategic partnership agreement with the Kuwait Society for the Welfare of Handicapped, according to which KFH shall make various initiatives including the training of a group of disabled students in various KFH departments.

Al-Ruwaieh added that KFH has honored the first batch of the society students and indicated that KFH is very proud of this qualitative initiative which has reflected the bank strategy and leadership in the field of social responsibility and its major role in supporting the persons with special needs.

Health

Coping with the “Better Health for Better Life” campaign which encourages sports and healthy activities, Al-Ruwaieh said that KFH collaborated with Mishrif Park and the “Li3ib” application to give the opportunity to KFH customers to practice and enjoy cycling at Mishrif Park.

He added that KFH has launched several initiatives focusing on encouraging the practice of sports and health activities by signing strategic partnerships with various health entities to encourage employees to care for their health.

KFH launched a fully integrated awareness campaign on the International Diabetes Day and participated in the campaign organized by Dasman Diabetes Institute at Al-Hamra Mall. KFH has also organized a fully integrated awareness campaign on breast cancer during the month of October titled “Be Aware”

Supporting Youth Projects

KFH support to initiators and owners of youth projects reflects its leading role in encouraging Kuwaiti youth and enhancing the concept of business leadership and youth initiatives. To this end, Al-Ruwaieh said that KFH is playing a major role in subsidizing and financing youth initiatives.

Social Contributions

Al-Ruwaieh indicated that the strategic partnership which KFH had concluded with the Ministry of Interior has resulted in the execution of several social programs and activities during the year e.g., organizing visits to the security staff and appreciating their role during the past period, utilizing KFH social media channels to support the Ministry of Interior initiatives by spreading traffic awareness, providing educational and awareness instructions to road users and pedestrians, giving instructions to parents to observe the safety of their children during the “back to school” season, coordinating in KFH Ramadan program “Do good deeds in Ramadan” and many other initiatives.

Cooperation with Red Crescent

In a new addition to its long record of accomplishments and initiatives that would strengthen the concept of efficiency in achieving a comprehensive social growth, Al-Ruwaieh indicated that KFH has signed an agreement with Kuwait Red Crescent Society to organize aid and medical projects for the Syrian refugees and the needy persons in Jordan in cooperation with the Jordan Red Crescent. The agreement includes supporting the winter clothing initiative, medical aid, Kuwait doctors’ participation in surgical operations, providing 1-year foods supplies, establishing a clinic and other social activities included in the agreement.

In addition, KFH has made donations to the Kuwait Red Crescent to distribute school bags and accessories to the children of the needy families registered at the Kuwait Red Crescent Society.

Diraya Campaign

Out of its belief in enhancing financial culture for various society segments and making the best benefit out of all banking services, Al-Ruwaieh said that KFH was one of the main subsidizers and contributors to the “Be Aware” campaign launched by the Central Bank of Kuwait in cooperation with the Kuwait Banking Association.

He added that KFH participation in the awareness campaign was very effective as it comprised the posting and spreading of awareness materials on social media channels and all e-channels of the bank.

To ensure the spread of “Be Aware” campaign on social media and achieve its goals, Al-Ruwaieh said that KFH has provided a special budget for paid advertisements and availed all advantages and services offered on social media to enhance the spread of the campaign through quizzes and questions to the public.

He added that the “Be Aware” campaign is not limited to the public and KFH customers only. The bank is working on spreading awareness among its employees by spreading the campaign contents through its internal network and the employees account on Instagram.

Ramadan Initiatives

Al-Ruwaieh indicated that the exceptional circumstances which Kuwait had undergone did not prevent KFH from continuing its distinguished programs and activities which it launched annually as part of the Holy Month of Ramadan program

He added that the program “Increase good deeds in Ramadan 6” for the year 2021 was full of social activities and contributions and various youth, sport, and awareness campaigns. It aimed to achieve distinction in social innovation by applying digitalization and other virtual activities to create an added value for society and enhance the interconnection between KFH and the public while observing health conditions to ensure general safety.