A bright future depends on business of all kinds being re-imagined and reinvented.

At KBC, we understand this includes us. That’s why our sustainability vision is baked into our business model and drives our values. We’re on a mission to create positive, long term impact for our employees, our customers and society. This promise is led by four important pillars:

• Environmental Responsibility
• Financial Literacy
• Entrepreneurship
• Health & Wellbeing

The only thing preventing a better, brighter tomorrow, is the belief that someone else will create it. So we started with ourselves. By creating the kind of internal culture that fosters innovation through collaboration, we’ve developed new product solutions and selected charity partners and community initiatives close to the hearts of our people.

We’ve set goals to reflect our culture, values and beliefs about sustainability. We will drive these ambitions with our passion for positive impact. With direct input from our colleagues in 16 hubs, partners and communities, we’ve committed to several community initiatives as well as partnerships with Business in the Community, Enactus Ireland and Junior Achievement.
Each one supports with KBC’s global sustainability strategy, while supporting our independent, regional ambitions. Each year we strive to ensure we are making real impact through our sustainability programme and our strategy is very much focused on improving the lives of those we engage with and the communities in which they live.

Ultimately, our success depends on the health and wellness of our customers and the communities they live in. So it only makes sense that our sustainability programme places these themes at the centre of our strategy here in Ireland. This year we are proud to be supporting initiatives that share our mission to empower individuals to create positive, sustainable change.  

From presenting Wellfest—Ireland’s only health and wellness festival—to promoting financial literacy and social entrepreneurship through Make Maths Matter, Skills@Work and Enactus Ireland, to supporting the Alzheimer’s Society of Ireland and tackling stigma around mental health issues with See Change, we’re committed to building a more sustainable future by supporting a healthier Ireland today.

Through direct employee engagement, we’ve pledged to support See Change, the National Mental Health Stigma Reduction Partnership and have received the See Change Green Ribbon Award. This six-step certification programme establishes tools and processes to promote understanding, prevent discrimination and create supports for colleagues suffering from mental health issues.

We’ve also chosen the Alzheimer’s Society of Ireland as our primary charity partner. For the 55,000 people across Ireland living with dementia and the 165,000 affected family members, the Alzheimer’s Society of Ireland provides invaluable advocacy and practical supports, including the Alzheimer’s National Helpline.  

We are a determined bunch when it comes to helping our communities. Our Sustainability programme is built on the commitment of our employees who share our vision for better, brighter communities. Over the last 12 months we saw our employees getting involved with over 240 active volunteers contributing thousands of hours across all our programmes.

We also are deeply passionate about sharing our health and well-being initiatives with our customers and our communities.  That’s why we were proud to  be the presenting partner of WellFest, Ireland’s only health and wellness festival  that attracts over 10,000 attendees over two days featuring guest speakers, seminars and classes that helped educate, uplift and energise attendees.

This year, we expanded our support of WellFest to include a 30-day wellness programme—which features tips on exercise, improving nutrition and mindset and much more. And best of all, it was totally free. We area also bringing WellFest to cities around Ireland which will see free to attend pop-up events take place in Galway, Cork, Limerick, Kilkenny and Waterford.

Aidan Power, Director of Customer, Brand and Marketing says, “Adopting a long-term view is essential to remaining sustainable and competitive as a business. Ultimately, our success depends on the health and wellness of our customers and the communities they live in. So it only makes sense that our sustainability programme places our customer at its center.”