KUWAIT: In celebration of International Women’s Equality Day on Aug 26, Gulf Bank’s Women of Wisdom (WOW) program welcomed Melody Mitchell, the renowned American speaker and trainer and founder of the Lean In Network in Kuwait, as a guest during its monthly meeting.
In 2017, Gulf Bank introduced the Women Of Wisdom (WOW) program as an internal initiative designed to support women both within the bank and in the community. The program focuses on helping women advance their careers and reach leadership roles, providing networking opportunities through monthly gatherings that cover various work-life balance topics. Inspired by Sheryl Sandberg’s book, the Lean In gatherings aim to establish small support groups where women can regularly meet to share experiences, learn together, and support each other’s personal and professional growth. These gatherings foster a nurturing environment for skill development and professional networking.
Addressing a large audience of Gulf Bank employees, Melody Mitchell spoke about empowering women, emphasizing that equality begins with empowering women and highlighting the crucial role private sector institutions play in this regard.
Salma Al-Hajjaj, Gulf Bank’s General Manager of Human Resources, emphasized that Gulf Bank is dedicated to empowering women both within the bank and in the community.
This commitment encompasses everything from recruitment and training, to advanced development opportunities, with the goal of supporting women in reaching leadership roles. She highlighted the bank’s efforts in creating a fair and equitable work environment, noting that Gulf Bank was one of the first signatories to the United Nations Women’s Empowerment Principles in Kuwait. Additionally, it was the first Kuwaiti bank to eliminate all forms of gender discrimination among its employees, ensuring equal benefits and opportunities in alignment with UN principles, the bank’s 2025 strategy, and Kuwait Vision 2035.
Al-Hajjaj emphasized that gender equality fosters a healthy work environment, which directly impacts productivity and enhances customer service. She pointed out that studies have shown companies that adhere to gender equality principles experience higher profits and productivity.
She added, "We believe that promoting a culture of diversity and inclusion not only enhances the bank’s positive image, but also improves performance, supports development, fosters innovation, and strengthens employee connections. Empowering women, youth, and individuals with special needs is crucial for societal advancement.” Al-Hajjaj also highlighted the need for continuous efforts to close the gender gap, which enhances institutional productivity, supports the national economy, and boosts GDP. She concluded, "We are committed to women’s empowerment as a key driver of economic development and sustainability, in line with the bank’s strategy and Kuwait’s vision.”
Gulf Bank’s vision is to be the leading Kuwaiti Bank of the Future. The Bank is constantly engaging and empowering its employees as part of an inclusive and diversified workplace in recognition of every employee’s role in delivering customer excellence and serving the community at large. With its extensive network of branches and innovative digital services, Gulf Bank is able to give its customers the choice of how and where to conduct their banking transactions, all while ensuring a simple and seamless banking experience.
Gulf Bank is committed to maintaining robust developments in sustainability at environmental, social and governance levels through diverse sustainability initiatives, strategically selected to benefit the Bank both internally and externally. Gulf Bank supports Kuwait Vision 2035 "New Kuwait” and works with various parties to achieve it.