Kuwait Finance House (KFH) reinforces its CSR leadership by successfully launching impactful social initiatives that positively contribute to the community. These initiatives aim to support and advance the goals and pillars of sustainable development across all sectors. This encompasses fostering progress in health, education, sports, youth empowerment, student support, scientific research, innovation, digital transformation, the inclusion of individuals with special needs, and environmental preservation. KFH's CSR efforts also covered volunteering activities, awareness programs, and fostered partnerships with public entities to support community development.

KFH Deputy General Manager Public Relations and Media, Yousef Abdullah Al-Ruwaieh said that KFH plays a significant societal role and continues to strengthen its role as a benchmark for corporate social responsibility among private sector institutions. This commitment reaffirms its position as Kuwait's largest bank by market capitalization, and the world's second-largest Islamic bank, aligning with its social responsibility and sustainability strategy.

Kuwait Hackathon

As part of KFH's pioneering role in community development, youth empowerment, and promoting innovation, Al-Ruwaieh emphasized KFH's success in supporting the largest cybersecurity competition in Kuwait, Kuwait Hackathon, for the second consecutive year. This initiative aims to enhance the digital skills of Kuwaiti youth.

Promoting Innovation

He added: "Among KFH's initiatives aimed at fostering innovation and technological advancement are the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Sabah Al-Ahmad Center for Giftedness and Creativity to support creativity and innovation initiatives in society. These endeavors also include renewing KFH's strategic partnership with the "Kuwait Codes" initiative, fostering technological knowledge, and nurturing young talent, in addition to participating in the 5th Gulf Conference and Exhibition for Cybersecurity Challenges titled "A Secure Digital Environment."

KFH also participated in NEXUS 2024, a premier technology and innovation event in Kuwait. This participation highlights the bank's commitment to and support for initiatives and events that foster technological advancement and innovation. This also reflects KFH's emphasis on technological advancement, digitization, and cybersecurity, acknowledging the critical role of technology and digital content creation in contemporary society. NEXUS - Kuwait convened leading technology experts from both the public and private sectors to share insights and explore best technological practices.

Supporting Students and Education

Al-Ruwaieh emphasized that KFH continued its pioneering role in supporting the educational aspect and transferring knowledge to youth through its participation in the second edition of the National Leadership Conference 2024, titled "Breaking Barriers II: A Strong Mind. Strong Body. Strong Leader”.

He also mentioned that KFH honored 150 high school top achievers for the 2023/2024 academic year. The bank also visited numerous schools and organized a series of lectures and workshops for university students. These initiatives aimed to prepare students for the job market and guide them in planning their career paths. KFH is a major and significant supporter of graduation projects at the College of Engineering and Petroleum in 2024. This support underscores KFH's strong belief in education as a cornerstone for societal advancement and prosperity.

A national role

Al-Ruwaieh confirmed that KFH has commenced the implementation of the Al Mubarakiya Reconstruction Project. This initiative underscores KFH's leading role in contributing to society and the nation alongside other private institutions.

Sustainability and (Keep it green) campaign

Al-Ruwaieh commended KFH's exceptional efforts in the Keep It Green campaign, which serves as an umbrella for all other programs and projects focused on environmental protection and awareness, sustainability, and green initiatives. He also highlighted KFH's success in launching pioneering reports, including the Carbon Footprint and Sustainability reports.

Speaking about KFH's efforts in preserving the environment, Al-Ruwaieh highlighted the successful implementation of several initiatives in cooperation with the Scientific Center, which included interactive events and activities. These include beach and island cleaning, a series of workshops on the environment, and many more.

COP16 Conference

As part of its continuous efforts in promoting sustainability, KFH participated in the sixteenth session of the Conference of the Parties (COP16) to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), held in Riyadh.

Global Takaful Alliance Agreement

KFH signed the first-of-its-kind Global Takaful Alliance agreement with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) as part of the Bank’s collaborative partnership with UNDP and its ESG strategy.

Immersive Ramadan program

Al-Ruwaieh highlighted the unprecedented success of the immersive Ramadan program "Increase Good Deeds in Ramadan", which promoted values of giving and volunteering while fostering solidarity within the community.

He added that the program included a variety of activities namely Iftar meals, distribution of Ramadan food baskets and Eid clothing to families in need, in cooperation with the Kuwait Red Crescent Society. The campaign also included hospitality service in mosques and featured a variety of sports activities including competitions with valuable prizes such as the virtual walking challenge (V-Fit) held in collaboration with the V-Thru application, encouraging a healthy lifestyle through walking. The campaign also included health tips through awareness videos created in collaboration with doctors and nutritionists.  KFH further partnered with the Ministries of Interior to broadcast awareness messages and shared iftar meals with various organizations that work during Iftar time.

KD 1 million contribution to Kuwait Food Bank

In a significant community initiative, Al-Ruwaieh pointed out that KFH partnered with the Kuwait Food Bank in a collaborative agreement, pledging KD 1 million to support underprivileged families in Kuwait.

PR Academy Program

Al-Ruwaieh commended the outstanding success of the first-of-its-kind PR Academy. Launched by KFH in 2024, the program is designed to educate undergraduate students and recent graduates on the foundational principles of public relations and media in general, as well as their practical application within KFH departments, offering them valuable hands-on experiences.

Competitions

Speaking about the cultural and societal initiatives, Al-Ruwaieh mentioned the launch of the Mishkat Al-Nubuwwa Hadith Memorization Competition, the largest of its kind in Kuwait. Additionally, KFH also launched the 11th annual Holy Quran recitation competition, “Qurra`a Baitek”, which was professionally assessed by expert judges.

KFH further organized and participated in environmental competitions for university students. These initiatives aimed to foster interest in environmental sustainability, enhance knowledge, raise awareness, and encourage the adoption of environmentally conscious practices. These efforts ultimately contribute to a more sustainable and prosperous society.

Strategic Partnerships initiative

GGiven the significance of initiatives in motivating youth to succeed in major events and championships, Al-Ruwaieh stated that KFH renewed its strategic partnership with the Kuwait Sea Sport Club (KSSC) to support the Kuwaiti national jet ski team's participation in the World Championship held in the United States. KFH is the most prominent annual strategic partner, consistently providing support and attention to the team each year. It continues to play a crucial role in supporting members of KFH's strategic partnerships initiative. Furthermore, KFH has consistently provided sponsorship and support to young individuals who excel in major international competitions and championships, achieving advanced positions.

Health initiatives

Al-Ruwaieh emphasized that health programs spearhead KFH's CSR agenda. He praised the success of KFH’s Annual Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign titled “You are Stronger” which spanned the month of October 2024 and included various awareness activities and educational seminars.

He also commended the KFH comprehensive health campaign launched in November to mark World Diabetes Day, in addition to the success of its Movember campaign to raise awareness of men's health and encourage preventive measures throughout November.

Al-Ruwaieh emphasized that KFH has a demonstrated track record of supporting initiatives in the healthcare field. This support encompasses numerous initiatives, including first aid courses, blood donation campaigns, and the sponsorship of numerous seminars and health awareness campaigns.

People with special needs

He pointed out that KFH is the first bank in Kuwait to launch a comprehensive program to integrate people with special needs, in partnership with the Public Authority for Disability Affairs (PADA). He highlighted the Bank's strategic partnerships, including its collaboration with the Kuwait Society for the Handicapped to provide training and development opportunities. He also reaffirmed KFH's commitment to the national initiative "Partners in Employing them".

Diraya Campaign

Al-Ruwaieh pointed out that KFH is one of the most active banks in supporting the Diraya campaign through contents aimed at enhancing financial literacy among customers and the public and shedding light on fraud transactions to raise their awareness.

Winter Wonderland and Supporting Kuwaiti Businesses

Al-Ruwaieh said that KFH decision to renew its strategic partnership with the Touristic Enterprises Company and continue supporting the Winter Wonderland project aligns with KFH's commitment to fulfilling its social responsibility strategy effectively. He noted that KFH is prominently represented within Winter Wonderland through the exclusive KFH Zone, where it diligently organizes a wide range of events, contests, and activities, and generously offers gifts and surprises to both its valued customers and the public.

As part of its strategy to support youth-driven projects in Kuwait and foster a thriving local business environment, he explained that KFH is a strong supporter of Kuwaiti businesses participating in the Winter Wonderland festivities.

Social Media Channels

Al-Ruwaieh pointed out that KFH employs its channels on social media to serve customers and the public by publishing awareness campaigns and educational materials, while responding to all customer inquiries in record time.

Global Recognitions

Al-Ruwaieh said that KFH's efforts in social responsibility and sustainability have earned the Bank various international recognitions such as the “Corporate Social Responsibility – Middle East” award from EMEA Finance Magazine, Kuwait's Best Bank for ESG award from Euromoney, Kuwait's Best Bank for Sustainable Finance by Global Finance Magazine. Moreover, KFH was awarded an "A" rating by MSCI for its performance in environmental, social, and governance (ESG) practices and was included in the FTSE4Good Index for its excellence in sustainability.