The NCBA Group marked this year’s World Environment Day by planting 10,000 trees in Nakuru County. Led by the chief executive officer John Gachora, the bank planted the trees in collaboration with the Baboon Project Kenya.

“Through the planting of these 10,000 tree seedlings, we aim to make a tangible contribution to Kenya’s natural heritage and sow the seeds of a sustainable and resilient future for generations to come,” said Mr. Gachora.

The tree planting exercise was part of an elaborate endeavour under the ‘Change the Story’ theme that the bank has taken to combat climate change.

Besides the tree planting project with the Baboon Project Kenya, the NCBA Group has already established a one-million indigenous seedling nursery at the Karura Forest. It also runs the Kieni Climate Initiative in partnership with the World Wide Fund (WWF).

The banking group has identified sustainability as one of its priorities and has set 15 ambitious commitments that it seeks to realize by 2030. These include growing 10 million trees through strategic partnerships within the private sector and with the national government.

At the same time, the bank has a Sh. 500 million fund for solar financing and up to Sh. 30 billion sustainability financing war chest.

NCBA is also working towards the elimination of single-use plastic, ensuring 100 per cent waste recycling, greening its supply chain and investing significantly in deploying EV charging stations across the region.

“Our enhanced and bolder commitments recognize that climate change is a significant and pressing challenge not only globally but also locally,” says Gachora.

“Sustainability is not a new concept to the NCBA group, as a brand we have always lived on the premise that our license to operate comes from the communities we serve.”

The bank has been running a climate change campaign dubbed ‘Change the Story’ that is aimed at planting and conserving trees. Between 2018 and 2022, the NCBA Group staff directly planted 80,000 trees.

By 2023, the NCBA Group had planted over 300,000 trees in various parts of the country in collaboration with like-minded partners.

“For NCBA Group, what matters to you – as an individual, businesses, the economy – matters to us, and the environment is one of those things that matters to all of us,” the Group says in a statement.

“Large parts of the country have witnessed the adverse effects of heavy rains whose consequences have been devastating including disrupting people’s lives, destruction of property and infrastructure; in some cases, the loss of lives.”