‘FNB Namibia has a presence throughout the country, providing multifaceted financial services to the Namibian nation for more than 111 years’, says Tracy Eagles, Chief Marketing Officer for the FirstRand Namibia group. Wherever you go, ‘how can we help you’ has translated to financial literacy, transactional opportunities, credit and financing of dreams, projects and infrastructure, and investments, made by customers with us, and made by us into the communities in which we are privileged to serve’.
Launching the FirstRand Namibia 111 Acts of Kindness recently, Tracy shared from her office @Parkside today how each brand in the group, RMB, FNB, WesBank, Ashburton, PointBreak is gearing up to make a difference over and beyond the holiday season, ‘As Namibians, not one foreign work permit in place, but with each employee’s heart certainly in the right place, each group employee has been allocated an amount of N$111.00 from the FirstRand Namibia Foundation, to employ towards a charity, activity, individual or group – Act of Kindness countrywide. With a staff complement of nearly 2400, this project is set to deliver yet another N$270,000 of goodwill into the market and Namibia can get set for a mini tsunami of kindness countrywide.
The FirstRand Namibia group itself, has 2 886 registered shareholders of which 2 760 are Namibian. They own almost 103 million shares, valued at more than N$4.6 billion at 30 June 2018. And indirectly, through the various investments by Namibian pension funds in FirstRand shares, a broad spectrum of the Namibian population has an interest in the company, with GIPF and many other leading pension funds invested in FNB shares with the express intention of making Namibian pensions grow.
But it is largely through the FirstRand Namibia Foundation Trust that the Group and its businesses direct their Corporate Social Investment (CSI) activities. The group often cites its concerted drive to be the best Namibian financial services provider, to the best people and to create a Better World for all whose lives they touch.
Investing heavily in the development and protection of the environment, economy and the society in which we operate, the group has a considered and long-term corporate social responsibility and sponsorships approach, delivering in excess of N$100 million in upliftment and supportive partnership to national concerns, across the country over the last 5 years.
FirstRand Namibia Foundation Trust, chaired independently by Ms Clara Bohitile, supported by long-term expert independent Trustees, invests in programmes that focus on Educational and Financial Literacy, Community and Health Development, Environmental Guardianship, Skills and Capacity Development, Sports and Development, and Arts and Culture.
FNB Namibia specifically, supports sport in Namibia, co-sponsoring the Namibia Premier League with an amount of N$5 million per year. Last year alone FNB rallied behind the National Paralympic team which helped our elite athletes compete at the IPC Athletics World Championship in London. The group is also very proudly associated with Rugby in Namibia, development, university level and nationally with another nearly 5 million across various sponsorships.
RMB has a strong focus on growing and developing youth and enabling platforms for aspiring and seasoned artists, whether in the musical or in gallery showings world. Partnerships across the country with leading youth projects continue to inspire other young people everywhere.
Each brand has developed a core focus area of responsibility regarding upliftment, investment and volunteerism, and teams across the group are well-versed on spreading positivity and their own brand of help.
The 111 Acts of Kindness set to touch hearts and lives this season, is our way of celebrating the wonderful reality that we are employing the right people, valuing our customers, and doing the right things.
