Standard Chartered Bank CSR Activities

Our three priority themes for sustainability are contributing to sustainable economic growth, acting as a responsible company, and investing in the local community.   We hope to contribute to the improvement of  our lives by focusing and working on  these priority themes.  In 2017, we selected 11 items as “Sustainability Aspirations” based on these three priority themes. This allows us to measure our contribution to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Contribution to sustainable economic growth

The Bank promotes sustainable development through banking service.

We also finance individuals, corporations and projects to enable sustainable economic development in the most dynamic and diverse markets in the world.

In order to have a positive impact on the environment and society, we lend from infrastructure to a wide range of sectors such as microfinance (small loans for the low-income individuals) . In some cases, the financing method can be a combination of multiple financial solutions.  In 2019, we provided $1.99 billion to clean technology and $710 million to microfinance institutions.

Activities as a responsible company

As a responsible company, we promote the right value and behaviour, invest in the area such as human resources, environmental protection, and prevention of financial crime.

We also regard sound corporate governance as a central feature of responsible banks, and we place the utmost priority on doing the right thing and thoroughly comply with the employees’ Group Code of Conduct.   We are further strengthening our efforts to prevent financial crimes, tightening our policy as a bank, and expanding training to prevent financial crimes for employees.

We believe that diversity is our unique strength and have a positive impact on society, and we have endeavored to cultivate an inclusive corporate culture that respects ability and individuality.   In 2017, we introduced a flexible working system, increasing the choices of working styles and expanding the benefits for employees with children.

We have three global networks (Women, Handicapped, LGBTA) that support more than 50 different groups, providing career development, mentoring and networking between employees.

Investment and contribution to local communities

We aim to promote sustainable social and economic development in the regions where we operate.

We believe that health and education are the cornerstones of social and economic development, and we are working with local partners to promote programs to promote health and increase educational opportunities.  In 2019, we invested $51.1 million in our community, and our employees volunteered for 51,300 days in total.

Through the charity program “Seeing is Believing” (2003-2018),  we promoted to  tackle preventable and curable blindness.  In the “Goal” (2006-) program, we have been trying to empower girls through sports as well as to provide life-skills training .

In 2019, we launched a new initiative “Futuremakers” that inherits and expands the support contents of these existing programs. This initiative aims to provide a total of US$50 million in support by  fundraising activities by 2023.

Supporting Communities in response to the Covid-19 Spread: Covid-19 Global Charitable Fund

In April 2020, Standard Chartered PLC “the Group” announced the launch of US$50 million global fund (“Covid-19 Global Charitable Fund”) providing assistance to those affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. The Group provides in two phases – both short-term relief, and longer-term assistance for communities across its 59 markets.  In Japan, Standard Chartered Bank Tokyo Branch provided total JPY10 million of funding for immediate relief from the impact of Covid -19 to Ashinaga Foundation and the Nippon Foundation.

Please visit here for more detail about our Covid-19 Global Charitable Fund.