In what has been considered as upscaling its Corporate Social Responsibility the Rokel Commercial Bank (RC Bank) has commemorated the second Anniversary of its iconic tree planting site along the Masiaka/Bo Highway.
Launched in July 2019, in partnership with Keeping Hope Alive (KHA), the bank aims to promote Eco tourism as well as help reverse the trend of deforestation in Sierra Leone. Though low key, the commemoration drew significant attention to the Bank’s efforts to give back to society.
Climate change is real – and for a country like Sierra Leone, the consequences could be far reaching if all continue to neglect a looming threat.
As the country’s forest cover speedily gives way to dry savanna grassland, it is clear that the country is heading for doom if affirmative action is not taken to reverse the trend. Statistics from the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization say Sierra Leone’s forest cover is now less than 10%.
However, amid the uncertainty there is hope – hope that cannot be better exemplified than RCBank’s eco-friendly policy that does not only complement Government’s efforts at preserving our environment but is also blazing the trail for other corporate institutions in Sierra Leone.
A key highlight of the commemoration was the extraction of few weeds from a well-kept site by the Managing Director, Dr. Dayoh Gilpin, the Public Relations Officer, Rev Spilsbury Williams and other senior officials of the bank.
The 2nd year commemoration has also come on the heels of a massive transformation for the Bank. The digitalization of its core banking operations is invariably repositioning the bank into a forward-looking financial institution. Digital based products like the revolutionary Rokel Simkorpor and its internet banking have been upgraded to match market demands.
In recent years, the bank has not ceased to score colossal profits. During its recent AGM, the bank announced a profit (before tax) of Le83Bn in 2020 – a 5% increase from 79.4Bn in 2019. It also increased its retained earnings from Le966Bn in 2019 to Le44Bn in 2020 (Over 400% increase). The bank has cleared off its retained loses, demonstrating extreme financial stability.
