ShareKUWAIT: Gulf Bank participated in a seminar organized by the American Business Council AmCham Kuwait at the Grand Hyatt Hotel. The seminar, titled “Diversity, Inclusion and Sustainable Practices”, saw active participation from numerous representatives from both the public and private sectors. Gulf Bank was represented at the seminar by Salma Al-Hajjaj, the General Manager of the Human Resources Department, Mai Al-Owaish, Chief Data & Innovation Officer, Nada Al-Sabbagh, the Deputy General Manager of the Finance Department, and Maysoon Al-Attar, Assistant Manager of Corporate Communications and Sustainability.
The seminars’ discussions delved into policies and practices implemented by both public and private sectors to attain sustainable development and foster the ideals of diversity, equality, and inclusion in workplaces. Gulf Bank’s notable expertise in upholding sustainability principles, particularly concerning women’s empowerment, was spotlighted during the discussion.
Salma Al-Hajjaj highlighted that Gulf Bank made history by ensuring complete equality in job benefits between women and men. This initiative aligns with the United Nations Women’s Empowerment Principles and supports the bank’s 2025 strategy, a cornerstone of which is fostering social sustainability within and beyond the bank. She further stated, “In Kuwait, three girls graduate from university for every young man annually. Consequently, women possess ample talent, making it crucial to not only attract, but also retain this talent. Thus, our focus at Gulf Bank remains on fostering a diverse, inclusive, and equal work environment.”
Al-Hajjaj further highlighted that statistical data demonstrates the initial appeal of the private sector to young graduates. However, the allure of the public sector, with its enticing factors such as early retirement options, often diverts their attention. This, in turn, poses a significant challenge for women in their pursuit of leadership roles, despite the substantial efforts made by the bank to foster a conducive work environment and provide extensive training and development opportunities.
She concluded by affirming, “Gulf Bank remains dedicated to involving its employees actively. We continuously strive to engage, empower, and enhance their skills because they are the foundation of excellence in customer service and community outreach.” 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.
