By Antynet Ford
Equity Group has triumphed at the prestigious 2024 Euromoney Awards in London, securing four accolades that highlight its leadership in corporate responsibility and financial services excellence.
The bank scooped the award for being the Best Bank for Corporate Responsibility in Africa (Second consecutive year), the best Bank for Corporate Responsibility in Kenya (Second consecutive year, the best Bank for SMEs in Kenya (Second consecutive year) and the Overall Best Bank in Kenya (Second consecutive year)
The awards recognize Equity’s significant contributions through the Equity Group Foundation (EGF), particularly in education, healthcare, environmental sustainability, social protection and financial inclusion.
Euromoney, renowned for its rigorous evaluation process, celebrates institutions that demonstrate exceptional corporate responsibility, ethical conduct, and transformative community initiatives.
According to Euromoney, Equity’s recognition as the Best Bank for Corporate Responsibility in Africa underscores the profound impact of its Social Impact Investment programs across the continent.
Through its shared prosperity business model, EGF has made substantial strides, including providing financial education to 2.47 million women and youth, supporting 570,006 MSMEs with financial training, and financing 305,771 MSMEs through the ‘Young Africa Works Program’. EGF’s initiatives in the Food and Agricultural sector have impacted 3.8 million farmers and reached 320,626 small and medium-sized farmers.
The foundation’s Education and Leadership programs, ‘Wings to Fly’ and ‘Elimu Scholarships’, have provided scholarships to 60,009 secondary school students, and the Equity Leadership Program has enrolled over 23,825 university scholars, including 980 global university scholars with 218 gaining admission to Ivy League institutions and 3,577 TVET scholars.
Under social protection, 5.6 million individuals have been reached with social protection programs. In the health sector, Equity Afya expanded its network of outpatient medical centers to 118 in Kenya and five in DRC, attending to over 110,000 clients every month, and under the foundation’s initiatives in Energy, Environment, and Climate change, 29.5 million trees were planted, and 439,869 clean energy products distributed to date.
Equity’s outstanding performance extended beyond regional recognition, with the institution also receiving the accolades of Best Bank in Kenya and Best Bank for SMEs in Kenya.
This distinction highlights Equity’s exceptional financial performance, strategic vision, risk management, and digital banking strategy in the Kenyan market as well as its support for the SME sector.
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Commenting on the awards, Equity Group Managing Director & CEO, James Mwangi, said:
“We are deeply honored to receive these prestigious awards, which serve as a validation of our unwavering commitment to social impact investment. Our twin-engine business model summarizes our belief in the power of shared prosperity and the transformative potential of investing in our communities. These achievements mirror the collective efforts of our dedicated team, and the trust and support of our customers and partners. These awards inspire us to continue our journey towards creating a more inclusive and sustainable future for all.”
These awards further underscore Equity’s dedication to delivering exceptional financial services and fostering economic prosperity in the markets the Group operates.
With an expanding customer base, an extensive network of branches, ATMs, and agents, and cutting-edge digital banking solutions, Equity remains at the forefront of steering Africa’s financial transformation.