Community
In Bangladesh, we support Climate adaptation and mitigation, provide Future Skills - employability and financial literacy, health and disaster support for the community as part of our CS efforts. Here, we share some of the highlights of our corporate sustainability efforts from recent times.
Climate - awareness, adaptation and action
“Together for Climate” in partnership with DNCC
As a part of HSBC’s initiatives for sustainability and to act on our responsibilities as individuals and corporates, HSBC Bangladesh organised the first of its climate series events titled- “Together for Climate” with support from Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) in 2022. This programme brought together champions of sustainability including start-ups, students, corporates, regulators and policymakers amongst others to drive city-centric climate action by sharing their innovative new climate solutions and success stories.
Tree plantation for greener cities
HSBC in partnership with Shakti foundation and DNCC has initiated a two-year programme on tree plantation in Bosila, Mohammadpur and to date more than 7,000 trees have been planted. The programme will support maintenance and plantation growth in the area with an aim to protect environment, support climate and the ecosystem.
Mangrove plantation - an award-winning programme
HSBC in partnership with BRAC has been implementing a project titled “Mangrove Plantation for Climate Mitigation (MPCM) and Alternative Livelihood”. The objective of the project was to create 15 acres of mangrove forest in the allocated land of the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Shilpa Nagar (BSMSN), Mirsharai, Chattogram. As part of the initiative, more than 40,000 mangrove saplings have been planted in the BSMSN area in order to offset 492 tons of GHGs emission yearly, providing ecosystem services and livelihood co-benefits to climate-vulnerable people.
HSBC has been awarded “A Better Tomorrow CSR Awards 2022” for the mangrove plantation.
Support for flood in emergency and rehabilitation
HSBC in partnership with BRAC made an emergency WASH support project for the flood-affected people living in urban informal settlements of Sylhet City, in collaboration with the Sylhet City Corporation (SCC). The major activities of the project were repairing and disinfection of 10 tube wells, installation of two community tube wells including water quality testing, renovation and construction of flood-affected WASH facilities in 3 schools (4,217 students and teachers from these educational institutions are benefited by this initiative), distribution of hygiene and dignity kits to 910 affected families took place.
Climate resilient agro food system
The project titled ‘Climate Resilient Agro Food System’ is for ensuring food security amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The concept was developed by Adaptation Clinic and executed by BRAC, with the support of HSBC. It acknowledges the importance of investing in post-harvest infrastructural development and aiming to ensure food security. Adaptation Clinic is a one-stop service centre to promote climate adaptive farming practices, modern food processing techniques to improve shelf life, conserve nutrients and reduce loss and waste of agricultural products. The general objective of this service model, piloted at Chikajani and Chukaibari Unions of Dewangonj Upazila at Jamalpur district, is to support relevant, context-specific, and realistic agriculture solutions at the community level using a climate change adaptation lens. Adaptation Clinic offers a holistic solution to agricultural farming, ranging from pre-cultivation measures to post-harvest management. Under diversified elements of the project, a total of 2,500 farmers have been reached with smart agriculture facilities in one year.
Future Skills - Delivering 21st Century Skills
Launch of HSBC-AUW School of Apparel
HSBC, in collaboration with Asian University for Women, has launched the HSBC-AUW School of Apparel and Retail Management, a one-year Master of Science in Apparel and Retail Management programme on 21 January 2023. The initiative aims to create a pool of trained women graduates to lead businesses in the apparel sector.
Business Case Competition 2022
HSBC, in partnership with the Institute of Business Administration, University of Dhaka organised “Business Case Competition 2022”. This initiative is part of HSBC’s flagship Future Skills activity in Asia Pacific, and aims to enhance university students’ business skills and broaden their global perspectives by taking their education out of the classroom and into a live competition format. A total of 200 students from 22 universities participated in a series of competition.
Nakshi
HSBC, in partnership with BRAC, has been supporting Nakshi programme to empower women from marginalised and vulnerable communities in Jamalpur (Sadar and Dewangonj) to have improved access to decent employment and increased income. Through this two-year project, 640 disadvantaged girls and young women are now involved in local demand-based handicraft and tailoring business for securing better livelihood opportunities. They will also be empowered with entrepreneurship opportunities supported by digital and financial skills training.
Financial inclusion for cottage, micro, small and medium enterprises (CMSME)
The overall objective of this project is to support the recovery of cottage and micro enterprises (CME) adversely impacted by COVID-19 through financial literacy and better money management training. HSBC is in partnership with BRAC to cover 480 such CMSME in Gazipur in a two-year programme. As part of the project, a financial literacy training module has been developed for the training of the project beneficiaries. It contains four modules: “Decent Work”, “Money Management”, “Financial Planning”, and “Debt Management”. The project beneficiaries went on a two-day residential training course which included content on labour law, occupational health and safety, fire safety, hygiene, and employee management.
English and Digital for Girls’ Education (EDGE)
In partnership with the British Council, HSBC has established community-based peer-led clubs to empower marginalised adolescent girls for English and Digital Learning. The EDGE programme takes place across four districts of Bangladesh. Each of the implementation partners operates 50 EDGE clubs, with a total of 100 clubs in the project. A total of 2,400 girls (1,200 girls are covered in year one) are participating in the project; amongst them there are 200 peer group leaders who undertake the functional aspect of these clubs. The beneficiaries of this club belong to the demographic group of socio-economically marginalised girls aged 13 to 19 years old.
Health support
Safe motherhood with SAJIDA Foundation
The project is designed to address challenges faced by the community in Manikganj district where over 80 per cent of births were done at home and only 10 per cent of pregnant women visited a doctor for antenatal care. Through the project interventions, 3,200 households have access to normal delivery centres and pregnant women have access to dedicated transport facilities for movement within the char and outside of the char to reach medical support. A network of traditional birth attendants (TBAs) are trained to assist and counsel pregnant mothers in receiving professional medical support through community clinics and referrals to facilities outside the char.
Find out more about our CS initiatives here: