Standard Chartered Pakistan launches ’sustainability review 2018’
Standard Chartered Pakistan launches its annual Sustainability Review, setting out how it has delivered on its strategy to provide a strong return for shareholders, while creating social and economic value in the communities where it operates.
As the largest international bank in the country, Standard Chartered is now truly a part of the social fabric of this country. Through the Bank’s sustainability strategy we seek to strengthen relationships between the business, community, government and clients.
Giving back to the community remains an important part of Standard Chartered’s sustainability agenda. In Pakistan, the Bank’s community efforts are focused on education and health.
As a responsible company, the Bank has continued to transform people’s lives through its community programmes with employees contributing more than 1,000 volunteering days. Globally, it surpassed the $100 million target for Seeing is Believing (SiB), the Bank’s initiative to tackle avoidable blindness and visual impairment, two years earlier.
In Pakistan, the Bank’s SiB journey in numbers is truly inspiring, impacting over 12 million beneficiaries. It has conducted over 500,000 sight restoring surgeries, trained over 60,000 lady healthcare workers, screened over 1.5 million children for refractive errors, while we have 24 visually impaired employees working in the Bank.
SiB still have projects that will continue to be implemented till 2020 in Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Mansehra, Haripur, Swat and Swabi, with a focus on diabetic retinopathy and accelerating support for female cataract patients through our partners Sight Savers and Layton Rehmatulla Benevolent Trust (LRBT).
We are also leveraging this opportunity to announce the Bank’s new Community Investment strategy, Futuremakers by Standard Chartered. This is our global initiative to tackle the issue of inequality and seeks to promote greater economic inclusion for young people in our communities. We will do this by supporting disadvantaged young people from low-income households, particularly girls and people with visual impairments, to take part in programmes focused on education, employability and entrepreneurship. For Pakistan, this would translate into furthering our goal programme. Our adolescent girls’ focused programme grew in its third year to span 17 schools in Lyari, Saddar and Keemari and reached more than 4,500 girls. We will also be looking at providing a financially inclusive environment for females by launching initiatives such as Women in Tech.
Ms. Khadija Hashimi, Head of Corporate Affairs and Brand & Marketing, Standard Chartered, Pakistan said: “Here for good, our brand promise is all about commitment – to our customers and clients, to our people and to the communities where we work.
Standard Chartered has been committed to the long term growth and development of this country. This commitment has spanned one and a half century and remains just as strong today. “We stand firm in our determination to create long term value for society as well as our shareholders.”
[divider style=”normal” top=”20″ bottom=”20″]
Does Karachi belong to anyone’ talk held
Karachiites must come forward to solve city’s problems: Nisar Memon
In order to progress as a major city, and as Pakistan’s largest metropolis, Karachi and its problems need ownership and the city simply cannot be left to survive on its own.
This was stated by Mr. Nisar Memon, a former Senator and Federal Minister, who was born and educated in Karachi. He served in the Pakistan Senate for six years and is currently a Chairman of the Water Environment Forum of Pakistan.
Mr. Memon aired his views in a talk on the topic of ’Does Karachi Belong to Anyone?’ which was organized by the Society for Global Moderation (SGM) and was held at the CMC offices in Karachi.
Discussing the very ruinous and poor conditions that Karachi – the world’s 7th largest city – has been driven into, Mr. Nisar Memon said that for the past many years, the city had been left rudderless and it was amazing that a city with a population of over 2 million was surviving at all.
He said that Karachi is Pakistan’s largest city and was the capital of the country until 1960 but since it continues to be Pakistan’s commercial and industrial capital, it has grown at a very fast pace and its problems have also multiplied.
At the same time, he said, Karachi has become a governance nightmare as there has been a political breakdown and neither the city government nor the provincial governments are willing to take ownership of the city.
“People like you and me have benefited from this city but we have not repaid our debt. It is the young people who must stand up and take ownership of this city. We have water resources but have not planned according to the growing population and same is the problem with public transport and other areas.”
With respect to Karachi’s problems and the city’s future, Mr. Memon said the situation had become very precarious as various parts of the city were owned by too many departments and city management was not centralized. He said Karachi is divided into five districts besides having the DHA, 6 cantonments, KDA, Malir Development Authority, Lyari Development Authority, Pakistan Navy, Gadap, Bin Qasim, etc. as well as the kacchi abadis.
“A lot of people from interior Sindh come and live in this city to govern it but they have no sense of belonging. They should have as much at stake as they have in Nawabshah, Khairpur, Larkana or even Lahore and Islamabad,” he said
In reply to a question, Mr. Nisar Memon said that since there are so many problems, people should become organized and come out. He said the paradigm must shift because it cannot go on like this.”
Responding to another question, Mr. Memon said that instead of attending to immediate problems, we must plan ahead and attend to those aspects that will come up in the coming years.
Earlier, Syed Jawaid Iqbal, Chairman, Society for Global Moderation (SGM), introduced Mr. Nisar Memon and informed the audience about the activities of SGM, a leading think tank established in 2003. A large number of people from civil society, business, academia and foreign missions attended the Talk.
[divider style=”normal” top=”20″ bottom=”20″]
Raza Abbas wins NCDA International Practitioner Award
Mr. Raza Abbas, CEO of Pathway Global Career Institute, in Pakistan, has been awarded the National Career Development Association (NCDA) International Practitioner of the Year Award at the Annual Global Career Development Conference held last month in Houston, TX.
The NCDA International Practitioner Award was established to honor a member who has made a significant contribution to the advancement of NCDA’s mission in their respective country, as selected by the NCDA International Committee.
As a social entrepreneur and educator, Mr. Abbas initiated and researched career education, career counselling and career guidance as a new professional concept in the Pakistani society which was not institutionalized in the country’s 71-year history.
For more than a decade, he has emulated the mission of NCDA to empower the lives of 100,000+ students, teachers and employees nationally and globally in 6 continents.
As one nominator wrote, “I admire his dedication, persistence, positivity, adaptability and resilience in launching and leading a career movement in a region which is emerging. He is a passionate advocate of the career development profession as evidenced by his new ’Global Career Luminaries Series’ on Linkedin to advocate and amplify the significance of career development by interviewing distinguished career development luminaries from across the globe.”
The NCDA provides professional development, publications, standards, and advocacy to practitioners and educators who inspire and empower individuals to achieve their career and life goals. The history of the NCDA began over 100 years ago with the founding of the National Vocational Guidance Association (NVGA) in 1913. In 1985, NVGA was renamed and became the National Career Development Association (NCDA) and has the distinction of being the longest running and preeminent career development association in the world.
NCDA is the recognized leader in developing standards for the career development profession, for the provision of career counseling programs and services, and for the evaluation of career information materials. NCDA works with licensing and credentialing entities to support the preparation and recognition of career counselors and career development facilitators. NCDA also sets ethical standards for the career development profession including guidelines for the provision of career services on the Internet.
NCDA provides a voice for thousands of members who deliver career services to diverse groups in a broad variety of settings and to their clients. NCDA maintains a comprehensive website of information, resources and tools for career development professionals and the public at www.ncda.org.
[divider style=”normal” top=”20″ bottom=”20″]
K-Electric continues to raise the bar in social media for 3rd straight year
K-Electric won the ’Best Social Media Influencer Communication’ award at Pakistan Digi Awards 2019. This is the 4th award won by KE in three years and is a testament to its vision of maximizing customer convenience through the use of technology.
The event was attended by leading professionals from the digital industry. Various brands, agencies and individuals competed for 80 categories this year, out of which 37 awards were given after jury-based assessments.
The latest award is yet another testimony to KE’s approach towards enriching customer experience through its social media platforms state-of-the-art digital solutions. The power utility, which serves millions of consumers 24/7, has over 375,000 followers on Facebook and over 100,000 on Twitter.
Speaking at the ceremony KE’s Digital Communications Lead Danish Javed said, “Customer engagement has always been central to KE’s vision and we have always strived to facilitate our customers on the go (in real time). I thank Pakistan Digi Awards for their transparent process and giving us the opportunity to show our commitment to providing an enabling environment for our consumers through technology.”
KE established its online presence seven years ago to capitalize on the power of social media. The KE Social Care model is backed by a dedicated in-house team that works round the clock to manage online queries and ensure that there is an immediate response including during public holidays. KE has successfully maintained a very high response rate and has been tagged as ’very responsive’ by Facebook.
K-Electric was also the first Pakistani company to win the ’Best Use of Technology’ award in the ’Best Customer Innovation’ category at the Genesys G-Summit Middle East 2017 held in Dubai. This was a truly unique achievement since leading brands from the region were also in the running.
The power utility was also announced the winner of ’Best Use of Creativity/Innovation/Out of the Box’ and ’Best Digital Marketing Communication (Social Media)í at Pakistan Digi Awards 2017 along with ’Best Digital Media Team’ of Pakistan Digi Awards 2018.
The KE Live customer convenience portal was launched earlier this year, opening yet another avenue for customers to stay updated and enjoy convenience on the go. The KE Live app which is available on iOS and Android already has around 50,000 downloads in its initiation and is expected to facilitate thousands of customers going forward.
[divider style=”normal” top=”20″ bottom=”20″]
[ads1]
Brainstorming session for journalists conducted at IBA-Karachi
An interactive brainstorming session to assess the modern training needs of today’s journalists was conducted by the Corporate Relations and Communications Department (CRCD) in collaboration with the Centre for Excellence in Journalism at the Institute of Business Administration, Karachi (CEJ-IBA).
The session was attended by journalists from various media houses.
The informal session started off with the Head of CRCD Mrs. Malahat Awan appreciating the efforts of journalists in covering human interest stories, which was followed by a brainstorming session in which the attendees were assessed on what kinds of trainings they require in order to keep up with the changing times and keep their skills sharp in order to remain ahead of the game.
The session aimed to curate special training for journalists, media workers, and supervisors from the feedback received by participants belonging to different media houses.
Director CEJ-IBA Mr. Kamal Siddiqi urged journalists to update themselves with modern trends, tools, and technology to survive in the media industry.
The session concluded with suggestions given by journalists that included: trainings in web development, multimedia journalism, ethical journalism, startup ventures for journalists, storytelling in journalism, and understanding community standards of digital media to mention a few.
[divider style=”normal” top=”20″ bottom=”20″]
Google holds women will lead workshop first time in Pakistan
Google recently conducted the ’Women Will Lead’ workshop for the first time in Pakistan to discuss the progress of young working women in today’s corporate and business environment.
The Women Will Lead workshop in Karachi is a training program organized by Google Partners and focused on career development and cultivating female leadership skills within digital and marketing landscape of the country.
Speaking on the occasion, Country Manager, Pakistan & South Asian Frontier Markets, Farhan Qureshi said: “Every day more and more Pakistani women are becoming part of our corporate landscape; and in many cases leading big teams and brands. Pakistani women over the years have proven that they are more than capable in leadership positions and in particular, the advertising, marketing and creative industry has the opportunity to lead Pakistan in developing future talent, particularly with regards to rising female stars.”
The highlight of the event was a panel discussion of notable women personalities from Pakistan’s corporate landscape: Dr. Ayesha Khan, CEO and Country Head, Acumen Pakistan; Ms. Sultana Siddiqui, CEO Hum Network; Ms. Sima Kamil, President & CEO UBL; Ms. Shazia Syed, CEO Unilever Pakistan along with Google’s Farhan Qureshi were amongst the panelists. Sarah Liu, Founder & Managing Director of The Dream Collective, flew in from Australia to moderate the event.
The highly accomplished panel of women leaders shared their stories and viewpoints on the subject. The challenges they faced on their road to success were of interest to the audience and the panelists also gave career tips to the aspiring women professionals in the audience.
Women Will is a Google initiative to help women everywhere, with the aim of equipping them with the knowledge and tools to succeed. The initiative focuses on helping women to realize their true worth as professionals and to inspire them to dream and pass the phases of grind with their heads held high.
Apart from inculcating a deeper understanding of gender disparity and how it manifests in the work environment, the event also helped women to expand their network by connecting with peers, mentors and sponsors who can support their career.
[divider style=”normal” top=”20″ bottom=”20″]
Umar Ahsan Khan named new Dawlance CEO
Dawlance has appointed Mr. Umar Ahsan Khan as its new Chief Executive Officer, effective July 1, 2019. Mr Umar Ahsan is a seasoned professional, with almost three decades of experience performing diverse roles in strategy, operations, finance & accounting, and leadership in various major national and international organizations.
This appointment is another milestone in the pursuit for compliance with global standards of quality, innovation and excellence.
Mr. Umar Ahsan Khan is not new to Dawlance. He has previously held the positions of CFO and Director Finance at the company, with his most recent role being Deputy CEO, for which he was appointed in February 2019.
Mr Khan is a certified Director, holding Masters and Bachelors degrees from the reputed London School of Economics. His recent appointment as CEO is expected to enable the home-appliances giant to continue its growth trajectory.
Dawlance, a subsidiary of ArÁelik A.?. Turkey, is currently the leading home appliance company in Pakistan. Since it’s founding in 1980, it has achieved colossal success through both capital and human investments, as well as pioneering technologies and products that cater to a vast consumer base.
[divider style=”normal” top=”20″ bottom=”20″]
Outfitters attains ACCA approved employer status
Outfitters Pakistan has become the most recent addition to the ACCA (Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) Approved Employer Programme.
By joining this elite group, Outfitters has proven that its learning and development systems meet global best practices, and that it supports and provides for the continuing professional development needs of its staff. This milestone also reflects company’s commitment to tax compliance and transparency, as well as improvements in its governance and vision.
The fashion giant will now gain access to the future-ready finance talent with the right blend of skills developed by ACCA to cater to the businesses’ need to thrive in a digital world. It will also enjoy exclusive access to specialised services and knowledge through ACCA’s various products, specifically customised for approved employers in Pakistan.
The announcement was made at a high profile ceremony organised in Lahore which was attended by senior figures from both the organisations. Outfitters was represented by its CEO, Mr. Kamran Khushid and the CFO, Mr. Jawad Saleem. The certificate of approval was presented by Sajjeed Aslam, head of ACCA Pakistan. ACCA’s Muhammad Shahid Khan, Head of Business Development – Central and Ali Ashraf, Business Development Manager – Lahore were also present.
Outfitters has successfully established its reputation for being the pioneer in providing the latest fashion apparel to the Pakistani consumers. With 100+ stores throughout Pakistan, it’s now emerged as the leading name in Pakistan’s clothing industry with plans for global expansion.
ACCA is the global body for professional accountants, and aims to offer business-relevant, first-choice qualifications to people of application, ability and ambition around the world, who seek a rewarding career in accountancy, finance and management.
The ACCA Approved Employer programme recognises and rewards employers’ quality staff training and development. The programme ensures the highest standards for employers and students are met and maintained.