Sterling Bank has committed over N500m to environmental sustainability, says MD/CEO

Concerned with the current poor state of the environment and its impact on the health of Nigerians, Sterling Bank Plc said it has committed over N500 million to various activities under its Sterling Environmental Make-Over (STEM) social responsibility initiative in the last five years.

According to the Managing Director and Chief Executive of Sterling Bank Plc, Mr. Yemi Adeola, these activities include partnership with agencies responsible for waste management in 14 states of the country, tree planting and the national cleaning exercise.

The Sterling Bank boss who disclosed this in Lagos at the weekend also explained that the Bank decided to collaborate with celebrities to connect with their audiences. ‘Many of them have become inspirational figures to a lot of people’, the Bank boss said.

He noted that the partnership with Funke Akindele-Bello at the Oyingbo cleaning exercise was informed by her unique character and passion for promoting cleanliness and a sustainable environment as she has impacted several lives. “Getting her on board was very apt because she believes strongly in what we are doing, and what we stand for”.

“We give 25,000 units of the uniforms to LAWMA on a yearly basis. This has been beneficial to sweepers, as the reflective uniforms are seen from a distance by motorists and gives a sense of identity to the sweepers and highway managers.”

As a responsible corporate citizen of this country, the Sterling Bank boss assured that the Bank would strive to continuously demonstrate the value we place on human life and showcasing the dignity in labour and the pride associated not only with cleanliness but with cleaning.

While answering questions on why the Bank brought other institutions on board to take part in the exercise, Mr. Adeola explained that despite the fact that Sterling Bank initiated STEM, STEM goes beyond Sterling Bank and “our desire is for this initiative to grow beyond us. It is essentially a clarion call for all of us to come together and ensure that we leave our environment better than we met it”.

He assured that as a responsible corporate citizen, Sterling Bank would continually engage in initiatives that would protect the environment, especially those that are connected to the protection of lives through its renowned partnership with agencies of government responsible for the promotion of a clean environment and good health among Nigerians.