In a significant step reflecting its commitment to social responsibility, Arab National Bank (ANB) the launch of its innovative “Builders” initiative, its first sustainable community initiative of the new year. This initiative, bearing the slogan “Building People to Make an Impact,” is the result of a strategic partnership with the Al-Ahsa Girls Association and aims to train and empower 100 young men and women from beneficiary families in the governorate, enhancing their readiness to confidently enter the job market.
General context and objectives of Vision 2030
The “Builders” initiative aligns directly with the ambitious goals of Saudi Vision 2030, which prioritizes human capital development and youth empowerment. In light of the Kingdom’s ongoing economic transformation, equipping national talent with the skills necessary for the modern labor market has become a pressing need. This initiative falls within the private sector’s, and specifically the banking sector’s, efforts to contribute effectively to achieving these national objectives through corporate social responsibility programs that extend beyond financial support to capacity building and sustainable development.
Details of the initiative and its operational mechanism
The initiative is based on a comprehensive, practical model, which includes an intensive training camp for beneficiaries aged 18 to 50. The camp offers specialized vocational, technical, and applied training tracks, carefully designed to meet the needs of the Eastern Province labor market. To ensure the quality of the outcomes, the bank has established operational partnerships with several accredited training centers and institutes, which will provide training in industrial, production, and technical skills, as well as marketing consultations to help beneficiaries launch their own income-generating projects.
Expected impact and importance of the initiative
The “Builders” initiative is expected to have a profound and lasting impact at both the local and national levels. Locally, in Al-Ahsa Governorate, the initiative will help 100 individuals transition from dependency to self-reliance, thereby enhancing the economic stability of their families and supporting the local economy. Nationally, the initiative presents a pioneering model of effective partnership between the financial and non-profit sectors to achieve social development goals, contribute to reducing unemployment rates, and foster a culture of entrepreneurship and productivity among young people.
In this context, Khaled Al-Rashed, CEO of Retail Banking at Arab National Bank , emphasized the bank’s pride in this partnership and its sustainable impact, explaining that the initiative “qualifies beneficiaries to be active and productive members of society, and is consistent with the bank’s corporate social responsibility programs aimed at empowerment and sustainability of impact.”
For her part, Professor Latifa Al-Afaleq, Chair of the Board of Directors of the Al-Ahsa Girls Association , expressed her appreciation for the support of the Arab National Bank, noting that the initiative “contributes to addressing the gap in professional readiness among the children of the beneficiary families, and transforming them from need to production through a unique applied training model.”
