Group Deputy General Manager Public Relations and Media, Yousef Abdullah Al-Ruwaieh, said that Kuwait Finance House (KFH) achieved outstanding societal results in 2023 and was recognized as the “Market Leader” in social responsibility in Kuwait by Euromoney magazine.

Al-Ruwaieh added that KFH is actively promoting social responsibility in the private sector to solidify its position as the largest bank in Kuwait and the world leading Islamic financial institution.

Purposeful and inclusive initiatives

Al-Ruwaieh explained that KFH’s social initiatives in 2023 were aligned with the requirements and aspirations of the society. KFH continued to excel in social services by successfully organizing activities and events that provided extra value and added a positive impact on all segmements of society. This included taking care of individuals with special needs, empowering women, supporting the youth, and launching awareness and health campaigns. KFH has focused on health and sports, facilitating social activities, safeguarding the environment, endorsing sustainable practices, promoting financial literacy, and various other areas.

Sustainability and “Keep it Green”

Reinforcing the bank’s commitment to sustainable endeavors, Al-Ruwaieh reassured KFH’s ongoing dedication to the Keep it Green campaign. He highlighted that the bank’s socially responsible actions are aligned with ESG standards and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Additionally, he underlined the significant strides KFH has made by incorporating sustainability aspects into its operations and social projects, emphasizing that sustainability has become indispensable to all aspects of KFH’s strategy.

According to Al-Ruwaieh, the Keep it Green initiative played a role in supporting KFH’s implementation of the sustainability and environmental preservation strategy. He also mentioned that the Bank has inked strategic partnerships with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the Environment Public Authority to support sustainability and environmental campaigns, in addition to its participation in the three-days Gulf University for Science and Technology (GUST) Climate Change Hackathon.

KFH signed a strategic partnership with the Scientific Center, one of the centers of the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences (KFAS), to cooperate in the field of environmental preservation and sustainability, and launched a digital academy specialized in the field of environment and sustainability, in a strategic partnership with (SEEDS).

Moreover, KFH launched a new initiative under the title Printer Management Solution (Print Management Solutions) which aims to observe international standards in sustainable printing, adopt digital solutions, and raise awareness of the importance of preserving the environment by rationalizing the use of paper and ink in most of its dealings externally and internally.

COP28

Al-Ruwaieh stated that KFH’s participation in the COP28 Climate Summit, in collaboration with the UNDP, substantiates its prominent position in sustainable development. He highlighted KFH’s active participation in various events during the COP28 Summit, which included its presence in the Green Zone. Also, KFH organized a series of “COP-Talk” sessions, in partnership with the UNDP, with the objective of having a dialogue and collaborative efforts towards addressing climate change, sustainable development, and environmental preservation. Furthermore, KFH delivered a presentation at the Kuwait pavilion during COP28, insuring its significant role in the field of sustainability.

Building a mosque in Kyrgyzstan

Al-Ruwaieh added that KFH continued its support of community initiatives locally and globally. Through the heartfelt contributions of its employees, KFH constructed a mosque in a Kyrgyzstan city, symbolizing the unwavering dedication to fostering generosity and humanitarian aspects.

Strategic Initiatives

Al-Ruwaieh said: "KFH launched various community initiatives, as well as health, educational, cultural and sports initiatives with the aim of securing the longevity of our social contributions and generating lasting value for society including:

Winter Wonderland

Al-Ruwaieh expressed that KFH's decision to renew its strategic partnership with the Touristic Enterprises Company and provide continued support to the Winter Wonderland project for the second consecutive year is an integral component of KFH's commitment to fulfilling its social responsibilities in the most effective manner. He further emphasized the remarkable success that KFH achieved during its participation in the inaugural season of the project.

KFH is prominently represented within Winter Wonderland through the exclusive KFH Zone, where it diligently organizes a wide range of events, contests, and activities, and generously offers gifts and surprises to both its valued customers and the public.

He elaborated on KFH's substantial contribution towards Kuwaiti initiatives involved in the Winter Wonderland festivities, highlighting its comprehensive strategy to endorse youth-driven projects in Kuwait and boost the local business environment.

Sports & Youth

As part of KFH’s commitment to supporting sports and youth, and as part of (Better Health…Better Life) campaign, KFH organized the second edition of the KFH Obstacle Challenge, the largest and first sporting event of its kind in Kuwait. Approximately 900 participants from Kuwait, the GCC, as well as various Arab and foreign nations, took part in the race. Additionally, and in collaboration with their strategic partner, V-Thru, the bank arranged the biggest public walking competition throughout the holy month of Ramadan.

“Increase Good Deeds in Ramadan” Program

Al-Ruwaieh added that KFH launched Ramadan program themed “Increase Good Deeds in Ramadan” with many social and voluntary initiatives focusing on sports activities, health awareness and daily interaction with society. The program included Iftar campaign, Gergean events, sports and youth activities and competitions with valuable prizes. KFH has also collaborated with nutritionists and doctors to post videos on health awareness during Ramadan, as well as videos on traffic awareness.

He explained that KFH organized the tenth edition of the "KFH Readers" competition to recite the Holy Quran with the participation of 1,000 contestants, and 42 winners that were crowned from the male and female categories.

KFH Honors High School Toppers

He pointed out that KFH organized an honoring ceremony, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, to celebrate 120 high school toppers in literature, science and religious studies, in addition to top achievers from special education schools for the academic year 2022/2023.

Sadu Association

KFH extended its strategic partnership with Sadu House that was launched in 2019. The consistent partnership is part of KFH’s efforts to sponsor and support initiatives that target all age groups and enhance the Bank’s sustainability strategy, the heart of KFH’s social role.

(CODED) Academy

Al-Ruwaieh added that KFH renewed the strategic partnership with CODED Academy, stating that the partnership contributes to the establishment of a technologically advanced generation. It is also part of the bank’s framework to support innovation as part of its sustainability and digital transformation strategy.  

Kuwait Hackathon

He went on to say that KFH was the strategic partner of the Kuwait Hackathon, the largest cybersecurity competition. The competition witnessed a large participation of Kuwaiti youth talents, as 286 contestants participated, distributed among 72 teams of cybersecurity specialists. The competition took place over a period of 12 hours, and 13 winners were crowned from 3 teams.

University Partnerships

He noted the signing of a memorandum of understanding with several public and private universities, including cooperation in the fields of training, education, attracting talents, organizing various workshops, educational and social activities and programs, and enhancing KFH's leading role in fulfilling its mission by supporting student and academic activities to support the advancement of the educational process and support scientific research.

 KFH also supported graduates at the Future Makers Exhibition to enhance supporting young people and contribute to achieving their goals.

KFH continued to support the graduation projects of students at the Engineering Design Exhibition by supporting more than 50 projects during the exhibition, and more than 100 projects for graduate students during the academic year.

National Leadership Institute Conference

Al-Ruwaieh said that KFH's participation in the "Breaking Barriers" conference in strategic partnership with the National Leadership Institute contributed to enhancing positive interaction with the community and confirmed KFH's interest in supporting events that enhance the capabilities of youth and society, supporting the educational aspect of the community and empowering youth and women.

He added that KFH signed the Agreement on Women's Empowerment Principles (WEPs) with the UNDP, emphasizing the need to empower women in the development of the Kuwaiti economy and society, which will positively reflect on the business sector and enhance sustainability.

Special needs

Al-Ruwaieh announced the launch of the third training program for students with special needs to train them in different departments across KFH and provide them with the opportunity to integrate with society, learn new skills and gain experience through direct contact with employees or customers.

Awareness Campaigns

Al-Ruwaieh said that KFH keeps pace with international days and occasions by organizing special awareness campaigns such as the breast cancer campaign titled “You Are Stronger” to educate women on ways to prevent breast cancer throughout the month of October. As well as launching the Movember campaign to raise awareness of men’s health by taking on preventive measures with regards to diabetes and prostate, in addition to launching the Arabic Language initiative and many societal campaigns.

Remarkable efforts in the Diraya Campaign

Al-Ruwaieh pointed out that KFH is one of the most active banks to support the Diraya campaign which was launched by the Central Bank of Kuwait in collaboration with Kuwait Banking Association, shedding light on banking awareness and customers’ protection. He noted that the bank enhanced its communication with customers through its e-channels and social media accounts, organizing awareness events for each segment of customers, as well as posting messages on financial and banking literacy, fraud transactions to raise their awareness.

Market Leader in CSR

“The 2023 CSR Market Leader rank awarded for KFH for the second consecutive year is an affirmative gesture that underlines KFH’s diverse and inclusive social role”, Al-Ruwaieh concluded. The award by Euromoney confirms that KFH plays a prominent social role and contributes to promoting the concept of Sustainable Development and lays a new foundation for the development of the private sector, which made KFH an example to follow.