Category: 2022

“Aluminium Bahrain B.S.C (Alba), an Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) corporate activist, is charting its journey to meet Bahrain’s Net Zero Emissions by 2060,” as stated by Alba’s CEO Ali Al Baqali during a meeting with the Bahrain Association of Banks (BAB) at Alba’s Oasis Hall on 12 June 2022.

Present at the meeting were Alba’s Executive Management team, BAB’s Chief Executive Officer Dr. Waheed Al Qassim as well as top C-suite executives of more than 20 national and international banks operating in Bahrain.

During the meeting, Ali Al Baqali presented the ESG Roadmap’s 6 priority areas and initiatives — (1) Decarbonisation, (2) Green Energy & Aluminium, (3) Circular Economy & Secondary Aluminium, (4) Employee Welfare, (5) Collaboration, Partnership and (6) Transparency, Communications & Due Diligence.

Addressing the BAB delegation, Al Baqali stated:

“We believe that small acts, when multiplied by millions of stakeholders, can have bigger impact.
Working together collectively is the Only Right Choice to realise our nation’s objectives under the leadership of HRH the Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Bahrain and we believe that Bahrain Association of Banks will play an important role in Alba’s ESG journey.”

Dr. Waheed Al Qassim, the CEO of BAB, said:

“This visit is part of the association’s commitment to providing an effective link between its members from financial and banking institutions and the various economic institutions. At the same time, BAB appreciates the role played by Alba in contributing significantly to GDP and creating rewarding job opportunities for citizens, while also supporting the economy and development in the Kingdom of Bahrain.”

Adding further, Dr. Al Qassim stated: “In terms of applying the best environmental and governance models, Bahrain’s financial and banking institutions have several pioneering experiences that can be shared with Alba which include sustainable development, green finance, and other objectives that have been clearly defined in the Central Bank of Bahrain’s Financial Services Sector Development Strategy 2022-2026.This high-level meeting with Alba enhances the two sides’ solid cooperation in ESG and other areas of joint cooperation.”

After rolling-out the ESG Roadmap to the Company’s employees and banks, Alba will also reach out to other stakeholder groups who would influence the sustainability of its operations.

Dr. Waheed Al Qassim, CEO of the Bahrain Association of Banks (BAB), praised the selection of the Regional Network for Social Responsibility, Mr. Adnan Ahmed Yousif, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Association, in the list of “the most influential Arab personalities in the field of social responsibility for the year 2021”, according to the Arab professional classification for the year 2021, which was issued and supervised by the regional network for social responsibility.

Dr. Waheed said: Mr. Adnan’s obtaining this award is a well-deserved achievement, as he has a long and high track record of international awards in the field of social responsibility. In 2015, he was awarded the title of “United Nations Ambassador for Social Responsibility”, and in 2016 he was awarded the title of “High Commissioner for Preaching the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 2030”. He also won the Golden Award for Sustainable Development in recognition of his great role in the service and social responsibility programs nationally and internationally at the 2016 Amman International Conference on Social Responsibility. In 2017, Mr. Adnan won the 12th Islamic Business and Finance Award for his outstanding contribution in the field of social responsibility in Islamic banking. In 2019, he received the “Excellence in Empowering Partners for the Year 2019” award, which was granted by the Regional Network for Social Responsibility in cooperation with the United Nations Global Market Organization and the Arab Institute, during the eighth forum of the partners of the Regional Network for Social Responsibility in the Arab States, which was held in Kuwait in January 2019. He was also awarded the “Socially Responsible Arab Economic Personality of the Year” for the year 2018 by the Regional Network for Social Responsibility, during the honoring ceremony that was held in the Kingdom of Bahrain in January 2019.

On this occasion, Mr. Adnan Ahmed Youssef expressed his sincere appreciation for this great professional honor by the network, stressing his determination to continue his efforts in providing all support to the social and humanitarian programs undertaken by the regional network for social responsibility to mobilize Arab and international efforts to achieve its lofty goals. At the same time, he praised the great support provided by the Central Bank of Bahrain in creating an advanced environment for banks to carry out their social responsibilities, as banks in Bahrain implement many broad social programs that embody the importance of their economic and social role in supporting the advancement and prosperity of the Kingdom of Bahrain.