At Guaranty Trust, we strongly believe in the immense potential of every person, irrespective of their age, background or economic status. Whether we are intervening in public education, investing in underserved communities, promoting the Arts or working to combat climate change, we are constantly looking for creative and impactful ways to touch lives and give back to society.
Our commitment to giving back runs just as deep as our passion for creating value, and it is driven by our strong belief that building a strong business and making the world a better place are essential ingredients for long-term success. It is for this reason that we have fully integrated corporate social responsibility into our business model and continue to maintain a clearly defined CSR strategy focused on championing causes and fostering initiatives that transform lives and uplift our communities.
Our CSR initiatives are built on four pillars—Education, Community Development, Arts and the Environment; which we believe are essential building blocks for the development of communities and prerequisites for economic growth.
Education is not only the single most important factor for an individual’s empowerment, it is crucial for societal development and societal progress. At Guaranty Trust, we are committed to championing education for all, irrespective of background, race, or economic status. We fund programmes that increase access to quality education, support campaigns that boost learning opportunities and create initiatives that encourage young people to stay in school.
At Guaranty Trust, we are committed to creating value for our business and helping our communities thrive. We know that the true impact of our business is also reflected in the role we play in the communities where we operate, and we work with organizations that share our core values to bring much needed positive change to our host communities.
Key to how we empower our communities is by promoting enterprise to help small businesses thrive. Our focus on growing SMEs is motivated by our understanding that small businesses play a crucial role in building wealth and economic prosperity for individuals and entire communities. Hence, when we support small businesses, we are not only helping countless individuals and their families thrive, we are also growing the economy and making our society better.
We see art as an avenue for unlocking people’s creative potential, and through our art sponsorships and creators' support programmes, we aim to expand the opportunities for art education as well as broaden the reach and viewership of the works of indigenous artists. Our Arts initiatives seek to not just connect, enrich and educate individuals, but also promote cultural exchanges that break down societal barriers and build global relationships.
As a signatory to the United Nations Environment Programme, we are committed to investing in energy-efficient ways of doing business. We are conscious of the impact of our operations on the environment, and we continue to foster initiatives that protect our environments for our communities today and future generations. We adopt and maintain public spaces, ensuring that our shared environment remains clean, green and beautiful. We also remain committed to national and global partnerships for the preservation of the environment.
Our project finance activities operate under an environmental and social management policy that has been approved by the International Finance Corporation. As a first-class financial services provider with an obligation to comply with international best practices, we are committed to the best international performance standards and applicable national environmental and social regulations.
The Guaranty Trust Environmental and Social Management System (ESMS) serves as a tool to improve the environmental and social performance of the company and its customers. It also provides a systematic way of managing the company’s sustainability operations in a progressive manner.
We intend to create an ESMS policy to govern all other aspects of our day-to-day operations and business services. This will address key environmental impacts such as waste management, energy use, carbon emissions, and water use.
Touching Lives
The communities where we work are the reasons why we exist; Our role is to make them stronger.
Championing Education
We believe that quality education increases opportunities to access a better life.
Promoting Arts
We see in the Arts, the opportunity to inspire and empower members of our communities and to also foster cultural exchanges that break down societal barriers and build global relationships.
Protecting the Environment
From how we conduct our business to the role we play in communities, we are committed to protecting the environment and tackling climate change.