Bank shines at SERAS Awards 2020
Zenith Bank’s Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Ebenezer Onyeagwu, has emerged the CEO of the Year at the Sustainability, Enterprise and Responsibility (SERAS) Awards held at the weekend in Lagos.

According to the judges, he was selected for a plethora of reasons, including a robust environmental and social management system for screening credit facilities and continued investment in social initiatives in support of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and for joining 131 other banks from across the globe as a founding signatory to the United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) Principles for Responsible Banking.

According to a statement, judges found him worthy for his commitment to the promotion of sustainability and responsible business practices in Nigeria, by his frontal leadership of sustainability in Zenith Bank, thereby enabling best industry practices in the banking sector, and for his passion to reduce carbon emissions in the bank’s operations.

The bank also emerged winner in two other categories, carting home the awards for Best Company in Promotion of Good Health and Well-Being.

“Out of the five finalists for the Best Company in Promotion of Good Health and Well-Being category, Zenith Bank emerged winner for donating N1 billion in support of efforts to address the COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria, donation of N200 million towards Lagos State Government efforts to provide relief to the victims of the Abule-Ado pipeline explosion, and for spending over N300 million in 2019 to support various healthcare initiatives across the country.”

The bank was adjudged winner in the category for the Best Company in Promotion of Gender Equality and Women Empowerment for its Z-Woman initiative which offers credit facilities to women-owned businesses at single-digit interest rate, and for a gender-balanced workforce (about 49.80 per cent female and 50.20 per cent male).