Access Bank Plc is collaborating with the Global Reporting Initiative Focal Point South Africa, Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency and Thistle Praxis Consulting on sustainability of capacity building in the country.

The bank said a capacity building session, tagged G4 Sustainable Reporting Guideline Training Workshop, was designed to empower participants with the requisite knowledge of sustainability reporting, according a statement by the bank on Thursday.

The workshop, which was held in Lagos, was also meant to help participants manage the reporting process and benefit from the transparency of adopting such standards, according to the lender.

Additionally, the programme provides a strategic opportunity for advancing the shared mission of mainstreaming sustainability reporting into business practices in Nigeria and Africa, as well as enhancing the presence of the Global Reporting Initiative in Nigeria at the national and regional levels.

The statement quoted the Group Managing Director, Access bank, Mr. Herbert Wigwe, as saying, “The collaboration with GRI, SIDA and Thistle Praxis presents the bank with another opportunity to demonstrate its leadership in the areas of responsible business practices and sustainability.”

Wigwe, who was represented by bank’s Chief Risk Officer, Mr. Gregory Jobome, stated that issues around the subjects of sustainability and responsible business practices were important to the bank and consistent with its pedigree in championing and supporting sustainability initiatives across the continent.

He recalled that the bank, as part of its quest to entrench best practices in the different facets of the country, had organised several workshops and conferences, notable among were the Nigerian Sustainability Banking Principles Steering Committee Meeting in partnership with the International Finance Corporation.

The CEO also cited the example of a recent Access Leadership Conference 2013 in which global leaders deliberated on the theme “Embracing Sustainable Leadership.”

 “These corporate actions are a testimony to the bank’s sustained efforts at nation building and support for the Nigerian financial services sector in achieving a seamless integration of sustainable business practices into the core of its business operations,” Wigwe said.

Source: Punch (by Oyetunji Abioye)