MUSCAT: In recognition of its pioneering role in the field of sustainability, Bank Muscat won the Gold Award in the Mid to Large Business category at the Oman Sustainability Week Awards 2023, held recently at the Oman Convention and Exhibition Center (OCEC). The award was handed over by Eng Salim Nasser al Aufi, Minister of Energy and Minerals to Hamza Abbas al Ajmi, Deputy General Manager – Credit, Bank Muscat, at a glittering ceremony, which was attended by top government officials as well as CEOs and senior executives from some of the top institutions and corporates in Oman.
Held under the patronage of the Ministry of Energy and Minerals, the second edition of Oman Sustainability Week aimed to highlight Oman’s commitment to leadership in sustainability through innovative strategies, which are aligned with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the landmark Oman Vision 2040. The event brought together key stakeholders including policy makers, sustainability experts and industry leaders to focus on sustainability as a national objective and to develop a new model of sustainable development that benefits Oman and its people. The Awards event was part of the Oman Sustainability Week and provided a platform for the participating organisations to map out their current sustainability status in comparison to industry peers and identify medium and long-term risks and opportunities. The in-depth evaluation of participating organisations was conducted by highly specialised sustainability assessors from the US-based Centre for Sustainability and Excellence.
Speaking on the occasion, Hamza Abbas al Ajmi, Deputy General Manager – Credit, Bank Muscat, said, “We are delighted to receive this prestigious award, which reconfirms Bank Muscat’s pioneering role in promoting sustainability in Oman. In the past, the bank has undertaken many initiatives to promote sustainability including development of its employees and national human resources. It is also continuously incorporating other sustainable practices within its business operations like replacing lamps with LED lights, reducing Greenhouse Gas emissions, water and paper consumption as well as electronic waste. Going ahead, the bank will continue to strengthen cooperation and partnership with various government and private sector institutions to strengthen sustainability as part of its long-term strategy, which is closely aligned to Oman Vision 2040.”
During its successful four decade long journey, Bank Muscat has made its mark in the fields of sustainability and CSR in serving different segments of society. The bank runs a number of initiatives in this regard including the landmark Green Sports programme, the Tadhamun programme to provides household appliances to social welfare families, and the Al Wathbah SME Academy, which equips Omani entrepreneurs with business skills and help them acquire internationally-accredited certification. It is a matter of great pride that the bank has been well recognised both locally and internationally for its sustainability practices, winning accolades from the Ministry of Social Development, the Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry and EMEA Finance for its pioneering efforts.
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