CSR At Dutch Bangla Bank

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) can be indicated as a form of corporate self-regulation that is incorporated into a business model. CSR strategy would function as an integral, autonomous device whereby business would monitor through authenticating its support in terms of law, moral criterions as well as international norms. Accordingly, on behalf of the effect of CSR actions on the surroundings, business can hold accountability on the environment, consumers, employees, communities, stakeholders and all others related with the business.

In the world of corporate citizenship, business, media, community, even the legislative authority, now days there is numerous indication of corporate social responsibility (CSR). In accordance with the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, to the excellence of personnel life, their families, the confined society, CSR is the business commitment and contribution in order to hold up sustainable economic progression. In realism, it is the way to ascertain an affirmative company standing and branding reflection in the public eye through social contribution. It may capitulates a economical edge while simultaneously contributing to others–demands that organizations shift from profit making to economic, ecological and social responsibility in their core business strategies

Influence of CSR in Business Organization

In today’s world constructive expansion can be well thought-out in terms of globalization, the detonation of IT (information technology), moving ahead of genetic science and the intensification of equality and multiplicity. Conversely, scarcity, ecological disasters such as green house effect, outbreaks such as AIDS, terrorist activities are the part of world as well. Both reflect the splendid enhancement in global inter-reliance so far as local communities have an effect on it that a dispersion away from home. In cooperation locally as well as worldwide, corporate social responsibility (CSR) has been intended to offset some of these concerns.

CSR is not just about executing the right thing but conducting sensibly putting forward direct business benefits. It ensures as well as notifies the stakeholders what they are doing. As follows effectual CSR assists the business prolonging to be differentiated. Even with dozens of competitors, a real commitment to CSR lets you be prominent. CSR can initiate new products and services replicating values of stakeholders. Over time, it can all add up to a prevailing brand – and a winning business. An organization having good reputation can make it easier to recruit personnel, where they stay in the long run that eventually diminish the costs and disruption of selection and retraining. Accordingly, employees become enthused and prolific. Moreover CSR activities assist ensuring to comply with regulatory requirements. Besides, through CSR activities there is an attachment with the local community that can be ideal prospects to generate positive press exposure. CSR can make the organization more spirited and shrinks the risk of unexpected damage to reputation that augment the enthusiasm of investors to finance.

CSR in Bangladesh

An in depth study of CSR in Bangladesh can confers a bird’s eye view of how CSR attachment are being well thought-out within companies with other particular entities, customized consulting firms, NGOs, research organizations or the legislative authority. The prospects of partnership negotiating were also discovered among firms in Bangladesh. Enquiries on communal association, standpoint from strategic partnership, stakeholder engagement were raised and from various segments 14 companies were directly moved toward. The August 2007 issue of the The Executive Times provided reliable secondary information on CSR activities performed by some companies (16) that was published on corporate outlook of corporate heads or concerned departmental heads.

Some business firms associate CSR with corporate generosity pointed towards the primary and secondary information. And it was the elementary alteration in way of thinking between the local experts at corporate websites and imaginary tale of overseas global corporations. As because corporate donations had turned out to be a part of strategic roadmap of the organization, for the most part in the viewpoint of Bangladesh, the contemplation of CSR was not framed in the context of given money.

With a definite motive in mind and its dealings with the branding, CSR was executed by certain companies in Bangladesh. Furthermore, the management of these organization supposed to consider them as accountable corporate citizens in support of their involvement to the safety of society.

Ducth Bangla Bank Limited

DBBL (Dutch-Bangla Bank Limited) was the first joint venture bank between local shareholders directed by M Sahabuddin Ahmed (Founder) and Dutch Company FMO. It is investing on high-growth mechanized industry of Bangladesh where this sectors allows Bangladesh to achieve the required augmentation in consequence. As having core focus on CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility), it is the pioneer in this segment and it has become one of the prevailing and prevalent contributors in Bangladesh. On behalf of this, the bank has succeeded on assorted international honours.

To be fully automated, DBBL was the first bank in Bangladesh. In order to commence swift mechanization in contemporary banking service, the Electronic-Banking Division was established in 2002. DBBL activates the nation’s largest ATM task force that brought radical change in cutback of consumer costs and charges by 80%. Likewise, in support of this sector, DBBL go for the low profitability route which was surprised many reviewers. As CSR actions, DBBL had tracked the mass mechanization in Banking that is determined profitability for no reason from this sector. Accordingly, it now provides unequalled banking technology offerings to all its customers.

Regardless of having immense high-tech speculations and larger endowments, customer and shareholder confidence has never diminished. Even in 2008, DBBL stock set the evidence for the highest share price in the Dhaka Stock Exchange.

Corporate Social Responsibility in Dutch Bangla Bank Limited

As a liable corporate citizen, DBBL is absolutely ahead of its accountability concerning how its functioning movements manipulate its stakeholders, the financial system, the society, its personnel and the surroundings. Executing business with integrity, erecting prospects for business and economic escalation, authenticating people to accomplish their goals, confirming environmental safeguard during financing business operation and sustaining the troubled people are the core CSR strategy of DBBL (Dutch Bangla Bank Limited). They believe that accountable conducts are candidly linked with economic as well as social enhancement of the country.

Attachment to Economy

First and foremost, derived from faith and standing of the customers and other stakeholders, the DBBL business strategies are executed. This faith is reinforced through the CSR programs and in responsible approach, DBBL accomplish its actions in order to make the most of its customer, stakeholders and the economy.

As being the most technically sophisticated bank, it has ascertained the largest ATM (Automated Teller Machine) network of Bangladesh incorporating gigantic outlays that is not at all fiscally worthwhile. As part of its CSR actions, still DBBL has obtained these steps for customers’ benefit. It facilitates them to make faultless exchanges and transactions 24 hours a day from corner to corner of Bangladesh. Even they consent to the customers of other banks to use the ATMs at nominal charge in order to extend and stretch the gains of ATM network. To exploit socio-economic benefits of the country, they are steadfast to broaden the network even further in spite of being not cost-effective.

Devotion to Rural Area & Sustaining SME

With the intention of grabbing relatively low income group, DBBL has launched 10 SME (Small Medium Enterprise) service centres mostly in rural areas. It assists them to be independent and allow running free the potential of rural economic development. Likewise, the centre assists swift transfer of fund through ATMs from home to abroad to rural people at free of cost.

Atmosphere/Surroundings

While investing on industrialized ventures, DBBL fulfil ecological benchmark. DBBL relentlessly sturdily put off the ventures having detrimental consequence on surroundings. Throughout the business operation of venture, they frequently attempt to integrate echo environmental supervision practice that assure vigorous as well as prolonging existences on behalf of upcoming age groups. In order to authenticate the eco-friendliness of the project action, DBBL commenced an ordinance insisting a detailed evaluation from the viewpoint of ecological and social impact.

Like wherever in the globe, in Bangladesh environmental poverty and diminution of natural resources are the issues of huge apprehension. Scarcity, in excess of population and lack of responsiveness with reference to environment, are the factors of environmental deprivation occurring socio-economic as well as ecological devastation such as, floods, cyclones and tidal bores. In view of that, to shield the environment, DBBL has incessantly constructing communal consciousness in terms of customary advertising in print and electronic media that sooner or later build up an eco-affable civilization on behalf of sustainable and energetic human existence.

Personnel – setting free the secret prospective

The most precious asset of DBBL is its HR. In view of that, the way to recruit, train, develop and inspire are in-depth allegation ultimate sustainable intensification of the Bank. The achievement or collapse of an organization relies on the customers’ insight and fulfilment. In succession, a proficient, submissive, loyal and inspired team of HR is required who have constructive and genuine outlook on the way to customers. It can construct, sustain and emphasize faith and assurance in their customers, as because it is essential for success. As a result, the DBBL strategy is to pull towards, hold and inspire the most sparkling people to deal with people having a long-standing career with them.

In terms of rewards and acknowledgment, DBBL constantly persuades distinction in performance. In support of personnel wellbeing, DBBL puts in order assorted inspired policy in the form of DBBL Superannuation, DBBL Gratuity Fund, House Building Loan Scheme and Car Loan etc.

A number of well thought out policies are in place for welfare of employees in the form of DBBL Superannuation Fund, DBBL Gratuity Fund, House Building Loan Scheme and Car Loan Scheme etc. In order to ensure better healthcare of employees there is a medical consultant at Head Office and selected branches to provide medical advices to employees of the Bank. In addition, a thorough medical check up facility is provided to each employee on a yearly basis.

In excess of the last 14 years, the business ethnicity has developed in such a way that staff associates have more than enough prospects to take the ingenuity and accountability and set free their invisible aptitude to exploit benefits in support of themselves as well as the community.

Supervision

Through most effective supervision and training, DBBL appends highest extent to the personnel augmentation so that economical gains can be developed by DBBL executives. On a persistent and ingenious way, the personnel training are appraised in support of innovative product launching, service and expertise. To enlarge and extend active acquaintance and expertise, DBBL executives are sent to home and overseas to spotlight most excellent training that exploit their persuasion level. During 2009 they conveyed training to 528 officials in 68 diverse courses. On behalf of that they have their own training institution. Moreover they recommended 71 employees to attempt diverse training programs in BIBM (Bangladesh Institution of Bank Management), BBTA (Bangladesh Bank Training Academy) and other comparable organizations. Above and beyond, for attending abroad training and intensive courses, eight executives were sent.

In general Communal Sustainability

DBBL has been taking part in a revolutionary role in executing communal and charitable programs to assist deprived people of the community from beginning of its journey. Health care, education, rehabilitation of upset people are the incorporated area to equalize and enlarge the way of life through which DBBL perform its communal and charitable actions.

CSR Activities of DBBL in 2009

Education Segment

Dutch-Bangla Bank Limited has been giving priority to the education sector by awarding Scholarship and Fellowship, and making infrastructural development. Some of the programs are enumerated below:

Scholarship Program

In support of talented as well as deprived students, in Bangladesh, DBBL has been rewarding the leading number of scholarships every year since 2001 in different level of learning stages. In 2009, DBBL has awarded around BDT 36.2 million on behalf of this program.

HSC (Higher Secondary Certificate) Level

In this level, DBBL honours new scholarships alongside the extension of active awardees. The students studying HSC subsequent to pass in SSC (Secondary School Certificate) are entitled to be allowed for scholarship of this level. Before now 745 scholarships has been honoured in anticipation of 2009.

Graduation Level

The students studying at graduation level after getting ahead of HSC level can apply for this scholarship. So far 876 students has been obtained this scholarship until 2009.

Fellowship Program

DBBL has been rewarding fellowship since 2006 on behalf of tracking M.Phil, Doctoral and Post Doctoral degree in the field of Medical, Agriculture, Social, Biological and Natural Science that is rewarded to the researchers in favour of entire period of research work required by university programme of study. Till 2009 159 fellowships has been awarded through DBBL.

Health Segment

“Smile Brighter Program” on behalf of cleft-lip patients

Cleft-lip is extreme social obstacle more willingly than a fitness trouble. Ranging from disturbance of proper schooling, presence in social rituals and obstruction during getting married, boys and girls bothered with this difficulty in everyday life. Since 2003, through artificial surgery at free of cost, DBBL has taken the schemes to go and get the smile on the face of them. Under the poster “Smile Brighter” they operate fruitfully in excess of 4,769 patients so far. They did this campaign across all over Bangladesh for transformation of wish and solemnity of their existence.

Cataract operation for deprived blind people

In Bangladesh, large numbers of countryside people are underprivileged of the prospect to alleviate the difficulty of cataract which is the foremost basis of being blind. All the way through the country in phase, DBBL Foundation commenced operation of 12,000 needy blind people in terms of refined cataract surgery since 2008. Around 1,750 cataract operations has been successful in diversified surrounding areas of the country up to the year 2009.

Medi – Care Service for rural inhabitants

In an attempt to deliver free medical services to rural inhabitants and needy people of the adjacent areas for women and children, DBBL has ascertained Rural Medi – Care Service Centre having rural subdivision of Simrail, Dania, Gazipur roundabout, Board Bazar and Hathazari.

Enhancement Physical Infrastructure

Donation to ICDDRB

Bangladesh Government has instigated a stratagem for safe blood transfusion to hold the transmission cycle of disease related with transfusion, where DBBL foundation contribute more than BDT 11 million to ICDDR to set up an blood transfusion unit having international benchmark.

Donation to OGSB Hospital

In order to work with underprivileged poor women and children of Bangladesh OGSB (Obstetrical & Gynaecological Society of Bangladesh) Hospital has been ascertained with an academic institute in Mirpur, Bangladesh. Now OGSB has intended to raise another floor in support of the neo natal care of sick and vulnerable children. DBBL consent BDT 20.00 million in aid of this purpose.

Moreover, DBBL donated BDT 0.16 million to Paediatrics Department of Dhaka Medical College Hospital to buy Baby Warmer to treat skinny neo-natal patients and BDT 0.06 million to Paediatric Gastroenterology & Nutrition Department of BSMMU (Bangabandhu Shiekh Mujib Medical University) to buy PC-less Multimedia Projector.

Donation for Medical Treatment

DBBL also contribute lots of money in support of medical treatment. In Comilla, Bangladesh they donate BDT 0.1 million to Md. Abul Kalam on behalf of operational treatment of his son. Besides, they provided BDT 0.1 million to Bir Shestha Matiur Rahman Foundation for providing free health service for deprived freedom fighters and their successors. Above and beyond, they donated various people on behalf of their treatment.

(Bir Sreshtho: Highest Military Award of Bangladesh)

Comparative Statement with CSR Activities in Other Bank

Dutch Bangla Bank VS Southeast Bank

Dutch Bangla Bank Limited is most widely recognized for its donations to social causes and its IT investment compared to any other bank in Bangladesh. Let’s take a look on the comparative analysis between Southeast Bank Limited and Ducth Bangla Bank Limited.

Education Sector

Through Southeast Bank foundation, they have commenced a stipend program to commendable student in secondary level of deprived and low income families. In 2009, they offer around BDT 1.27 million in support of this stipend to 230 students including BDT 1,500 to each student per month and BDT 4,000 book books and accessories for the session (2009-2011). Besides they provided stipend to 260 students from class VII to X.

Conversely, DBBL donated BDT 2.60 million in support of educational scholarship to 745 HSC students (BDT 1,000 to each student per month and BDT 2,500 book books and accessories for the session (2009-2011)) and BDT 29,000 to each student of 876 graduation level student each year for the duration of 2-5 years.

National Economy

So far Southeast Bank has employed 1,402 people in the service of their bank that contribute to a large extent to the national economy.

In contrast, DBBL has engaged around 1,600 people in their bank that put up their economic contribution for the countrywide economy.

ATM Service

Southeast has 32 ATM centre for their customer to instant access of their money, whereas DBBL has 890 ATM centre to serve their customers by accessing their account at once.

Conclusion

CSR can be viewed as corporate philanthropic that attaches back to the organization with no appropriate implicit in real impact. Simultaneously, this lack of indulgent is a prospect and intimidation. In accordance with the Bangladesh corporate culture, CSR practices may be worked into inadequate frontier. Regardless of the fact, DBBL is relentlessly contributing to the society in support of the well being of people.