Barclays Africa has reaffirmed its commitment to the socio-economic growth of the continent through its Shared Growth Strategy.
The bank has pledged $93 million to improve skills development and access to quality education and to raise $89 million to help small and medium-sized African businesses succeed and grow.
This, according to the bank, is to also ensure that more people have access to digital and non-digital financial services across the continent.
Speaking at a press briefing in Johannesburg, Maria Ramos, Barclays Africa Group Chief Executive said, “Shared growth for us means having a positive impact on society and delivering shareholder value, the two are not mutually exclusive.
“We are applying our substantial resources to provide innovative commercial products, services and partnerships to build a more equitable and prosperous Africa for the next generation.
“When our customers and clients do well, so do we. When the communities where we live and work thrive, we do too. And when society prospers, we all do. But only if we work together – private public partnerships are the key to tackling some of society’s biggest challenges to deliver on growth opportunities,” he said.
Ramos said, “We recognise that there is a virtuous link between society’s progress and our own success, and we therefore continually seek opportunities to be a good corporate citizen and contribute to the societies in which we operate in a meaningful way.”
As part of the Shared Growth Strategy, Barclays Africa has announced the appointment of a Shared Growth Advisory Council.
“We realise that making a meaningful contribution to economies and society is about shared value and shared opinion. We are proud to partner with industry leaders, civil society and government, who will play a role in ensuring our contributions are meaningful and that our impact is sustainable,” said Patience Akylanu, Managing Director, Barclays Bank of Ghana.