RHB Banking Group (RHB) has strengthened its focus on driving environmental and social sustainability through its RHB Touch Hearts programme.

THIS initiative also promotes the spirit of volunteerism amongst its employees across the ASEAN region by touching the lives of more than 20,000 underprivileged and marginalised members of the community.

Themed Building a Sustainable Future, this Corporate Responsibility programme which was held on 5 and 6 October, is a group-wide initiative anchored against the Group’s Sustainability vision and key commitments of Sustainable Banking, embedding good practices and enriching and empowering communities.

The Programme saw the participation of 14,000 RHB employees in seven countries
where RHB operates, reaching out and giving back to the community through various humanitarian and environmental projects.

A total of 43 projects were completed over the two days, with a total of more than RM 400,000 raised in the last three months.

“Our annual RHB Touch Hearts initiative underlines our continued commitment in enriching and elevating the lives of members of the communities within which we operate.

“Our key focus is to nurture children and youth by providing tools and resources which will harness their full potential and develop them into holistic individuals, able to contribute towards the betterment of their own communities in the future,“ said Dato’ Khairussaleh Ramli, Group Managing Director for RHB Banking Group and Chairman of RHB Foundation.

“As a financial services provider we are also mindful of the impact that our business and operations have on the environment. In line with this and as part of our journey of inculcating sustainable values amongst our employees, we have also incorporated seven sustainable initiatives that will contribute positive impact on the environment to bring greater benefits to the general public,” he added.

Dato’ Khairussaleh was at hand to support two of his many teams, with one team focusing on empowering the communities by supporting and promoting 17 social entrepreneurs, while another team championed environmental conservation efforts by planting 1,000 mangrove trees in Taman Rekreasi Paya Bakau Kg Sijangkang, Teluk Panglima Garang in Kuala Langat, Selangor.

Between 2016 and 2018, RHB has through its RHB Touch Hearts initiative raised more than RM1.26 million in cash and in kind, which has been channelled towards various initiatives that benefitted more than 20,000 underprivileged and marginalised members of the community.

In recognition of its efforts in boosting Malaysia’s socio-economic transformation through corporate sustainability and social responsibility initiatives, RHB was accorded Company of the Year Award (Financial Institution) at the recent CSR Malaysia Awards 2019.