A representative of the National Bank of Dominica receives the award.

BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – AN unwavering commitment to fulfilling its corporate social responsibility has ensured the National Bank of Dominica’s place as the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union’s Best Corporate Citizen among Commercial Banks for 2009.

The announcement was made Wednesday (Nov. 4) at an awards ceremony held at the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB) Headquarters, St. Kitts, following the presentation of the 14th Sir Arthur Lewis Memorial Lecture.

Each year, the ECCB presents Corporate Citizen Awards to banks that are adjudged to have carried out their corporate social responsibilities to the highest level.

Financial institutions are assessed in the areas of Educational Development, Community Outreach and Social Services, Environment Awareness, Sports, Cultural Development, Customer Service and Financial Education and Empowerment. The Best Corporate Citizen Award is presented to the overall winner.

According to a press release issued by the central bank, the National Bank of Dominica Ltd has helped to make a difference in the lives of “at risk” children, the elderly, the poor, persons with disabilities and persons in need of medical assistance. The Dominican bank was praised for its effective and far-reaching community outreach and social services programmes.

“The bank’s commitment to the preservation of cultural heritage was evident in its financial support for and participation in a number of national, cultural events including sponsorship of a major national music festival, sponsorship and participation in carnival events, adoption of a steel pan band and support of Independence celebration activities,” the release stated.

The National Bank of Dominica was also recognized for its significant contributions in the area of environmental awareness, as it held environmental protection and preservation as top priorities. It was noted that the bank has made contributions in all other categories of the competition as well.

Fifteen commercial banks from across the ECCU sub-region participated in the competition this year. 

The Bank of Saint Ltd performed with excellence and won for itself the Good Corporate Citizen Awards for Educational Development, Financial Education and Empowerment. The Good Corporate Citizen Award for Sports and Customer Service went to the Republic Bank (Grenada) Ltd.

The ECCU Best Corporate Citizen Award, which was initiated by the ECCB in 1997, recognises those banks that take time to reach out to the members of the communities in which they operate.