Social responsibility is one of the strategic objectives approved by the Bank in its strategic plan for the years 2023-2026, in line with Islamic Sharia purposes that urge to help others. In fact, PIB allocates annually part of its net profits to its sustainable social responsibility program.
Based on PIB’s belief in the importance of its role towards society and the need to contribute to achieving the sustainable development goals, the largest part of its social responsibility program is dedicated to the health and education sectors. During the year 2023, the PIB implemented 92 projects focused on these sectors and established many partnerships with institutions in other sectors as well such as development, support for people with disabilities, empowerment of women, youth and marginalized groups.
Education
In line with PIB’s social responsibility program principles, a large part of the program was allocated during the year 2023 for the educational sector, whereby 45 projects were implemented to support educational institutions, including the provision of educational devices and learning aids and the development of infrastructure for these institutions, which contributes to raising the quality of educational services provided.
Health
The health sector is a high priority within the Bank's sustainable social responsibility program, due to the importance of this sector and its necessity to achieve sustainable development, PIB provided support to 11 institutions working in the health sector during 2023 with the aim of improving the level of health services they provide in various governorates of the country.
Sustainable Development
In addition to supporting the health and education sectors, PIB is keen on ensuring that all its contributions support efforts to achieve sustainable development. In this context, PIB supported many development projects through partnerships with more than 12 institutions during 2023, such as SOS Children's Villages and Jerusalem Dawn Foundation.
Relief
Based on Islamic Sharia intentions and the need to contribute to helping others, PIB is keen to contribute to improving the living conditions of our people and providing them with a decent life.
During the year 2023, PIB implemented 9 projects in this aspect, in addition to the continuous partnership with the Palestine Al-Khair Foundation and the National Security Forces, through which many schools and houses were renovated in various governorates of the country.
As part of the Bank's efforts to provide aid and assistance to our people in Gaza in light of the difficult conditions they live in and the acute shortage of various basic needs and requirements, PIB provided urgent relief assistance by providing thousands of hot meals to families displaced from their homes.
People with disabilities
The Bank attaches great importance to supporting people with disabilities as part of its social responsibility program with the aim of integrating and empowering them in society.
As part of these efforts, PIB provided assistance during 2023 to 11 institutions concerned with supporting people with disabilities, such as the Galilee Society for the Care and Rehabilitation of the Disabled, Al-Amal Charitable Association for the Deaf, Al-Rahim Association – Friends of Down Syndrome, Khaled Association for Severe Disability, Child Psychological and Mental Care Center (Takween), the Community Center for People with Disabilities, and Bonyan Association for Community Development, among others.
This support aims to enable these institutions to continue to provide services to persons with disabilities and provide them with various aspects of support.
Renewed commitment to the principles of the United Nations Charter
PIB renewed its commitment to the principles of the UN Charter by publishing its annual report for the third year in a row showing the responsible and sustainable policies it adopts in the areas of human rights, labor, the environment, and combating corruption.
The ten principles of the UN Charter can be summarized as follows:
Human rights
Labor
The environment
Combating corruption
The Bank submits an annual report confirming its commitment to implementing policies related to the ten principles and clarifying the most prominent practices it undertakes in this context.
The Bank continued its commitment to supporting scientific research efforts in Palestine through its annual Scientific Research Award.
During the year 2023, the Bank awarded winners as part of the award’s eighth cycle, which aims to encourage researchers to increase their research production and conduct original and specialized research that adds new value to knowledge, under the supervision of a jury of qualified specialists in the field of scientific research from different Palestinian universities.
The award included several themes, namely:
Since 2014, the Bank has increasingly relied on clean energy sources to obtain the energy needed to perform its activities, to help preserve and care for the environment. Allah the Almighty says: "Do no mischief on the earth, after it hath been set in order, but call on Him with fear and longing (in your hearts): for the Mercy of Allah is (always) near to those who do well" Surah Al-A'raf: Verse 56.
The impact of the Bank’s environmental policies in one year has been to plant the equivalent of 500 acres of trees (2,100 Acres).
The Bank protects the environment in six key ways:
The number of sites which benefit from the Bank’s solar energy system increased to 15 branches and offices. The productivity rate of these sites is 1.6 megawatts of electricity per day, equivalent to 600 megawatts of electricity annually, which provides an environment free of the carbon dioxide emissions, which result from the use of generators. Annual harmful gas emissions that were avoided due to the use of alternative energy were estimated as follow:
The Bank plans to maximize the benefits of clean energy and increase its production, in innovative ways that contribute to improving the environment.
