Success Beyond Numbers: Sustainable development at the heart of our raison d'être

20 NOV 2018

Success Beyond Numbers: Sustainable development at the heart of our raison d'être

MCB Group, through its CEO, Pierre-Guy Noël, together with Alain Law Min and Raoul Gufflet, respectively CEO and Deputy CEO of MCB Ltd., launched its new corporate sustainability programme, adequately named "Success beyond numbers". This programme, which focuses on sustainable development, was previously launched internally for the Group's 3,400 employees in October. Its purpose is to carry out concrete actions that will bring value to the country, to its inhabitants, to rethink the notion of success beyond a quantified assessment, and to be a legacy to future generations.

Three pillars

Three pillars to this corporate sustainability programme have been defined, as follows:

- Contributing to a dynamic and sustainable local economy, essential for the prosperity of Mauritius

This pillar aims to boost growth through sustainable consumption habits, by stimulating the development of the local economy, particularly through Mauritian companies and products. MCB Group's support to the "Made in Moris" initiative of the Association of Mauritian Manufacturers (AMM) is a concrete example of this policy.

The actions that will be carried out aim to promote the transition to a sustainable economy by supporting the development of eco-tourism, the transition to eco-agriculture and the promotion of sustainable practices in the manufacturing sector. MCB Group also wants to stimulate entrepreneurship by setting up a support program for SMEs, by creating a Business Aggregator Platform, and by developing innovative financing solutions for SMEs.

- Valuing and safeguarding our cultural and environmental heritage

Through the second pillar - the promotion of cultural and environmental heritage - MCB Group wishes to preserve Mauritius’ natural habitat and ecosystem. The Group will also continue to actively support arts and culture, especially through the promotion of the Creole language, and that of artistic development (the singing contest, VIBE, is a vibrant example of this policy), as well as through the promotion and protection of our cultural heritage. MCB Group also intends to further develop green finance in Mauritius by diversifying its renewable energy financing portfolio.

- Acting for the individual and collective well-being of Mauritians

This pillar focuses on investing in education to make our children agents of change and innovation. The group will, of course, continue its social inclusion mission by further integrating its branches into local communities and encouraging its staff to commit to social and environmental causes. Another focus area will be the maintenance of health and well-being in business, starting within MCB itself, and then growing by positioning Mauritius as a topnotch sporting destination.

Concrete actions for 2019

Under each pillar, a series of concrete actions will be launched as from 2019.

Local economy

This initiative has many aspects and includes, amongst others a conference, an action-tank and a study on "economic leaks" and the boosting of the local economy (the conclusions of this study will be presented in January 2019).

In parallel, MCB will also strengthen its existing partnership with "Made in Moris".

Preservation of the environment

The switch to green plastic for payment / debit / credit cards issued by MCB Group is planned for the first half of 2019. Furthermore, the deployment of the third credit line of the Agence Française de Développement, SUNREF, will also reinforce the Green Loan, MCB’s flagship offer for corporate and individual customers.

Cultural promotion

This axis has already taking shape through the cultural patronage of VIBE, a fully local singing contest which has also resulted in the creation of a vibrant entertainment ecosystem, with the "Made in Moris" label.

Internal MCB Group actions

The Group’s 3,400 employees will be the backbone of “Success Beyond Numbers”. They will benefit from a day off allowing them to volunteer for and be involved in social actions. This Social Leave will be set up in 2019.