Sterling Bank reaffirms commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion

Sterling Bank has reaffirmed its commitment to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace.

Chief Executive Officer, Sterling Bank Plc, Abubakar Suleiman said by reaffirming its commitment to creating an inclusive workplace that fosters a sense of belonging, the bank will further improve gender, ethnicity, persons with disabilities, and generational diversity by strengthening processes and programmes to provide equal possible outcomes for every individual in its workplace.

“We will continue to prioritize our diversity, equity, and inclusion agenda by creating equal working conditions, opportunities for promotion, and equal pay for work of equal value for women and men at Sterling. I’m proud of our achievements so far, but we are relentless.

“We remain committed to attracting, hiring, and developing diverse talents at all levels of our organization as these are relevant factors that enable us to achieve our overall objectives. Gender equity across all levels is a key component of our diversity strategy,” Suleiman said.

According to him, as the bank continues to deliver the best services to its customers and better experiences for its employees, it will continually address systemic barriers embedded within policies, practices, and services that inadvertently exclude individuals in any form.

“I am certain that we are on the path to creating important and long-lasting change in our workplace, communities, and country at large,” Suleiman said.

To boost diversity, equity, and inclusion, Sterling Bank initiated programmes that include the Bloom Network, Sterling Women Development Programme (SWDP), Women in Banking, Girls in Tech, Women Techsters, and Sterling Embrace. Through these programmes, efforts were made to eliminate the under-representation of women in all areas, especially in tech roles and leadership, and create expressions for persons with disabilities.

“Our affirmative action on diversity, equity, and inclusion is another example of Sterling Bank putting its values into action,” said Temi Dalley, the Bank’s Chief Human Resources Officer.

“Our purpose is enriching lives, making it mandatory for us to build a sustainable, diversified, engaged, and equipped workforce that can deliver this mission.”

According to Temi, Sterling Bank has put in place the appropriate infrastructure for eliminating workplace discrimination, bullying and harassment thereby fast-tracking gender equity in the workplace.

They include appropriate framework conditions to promote work-life balance, responsive whistle-blowing channels, and Diversity and Inclusion Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for Line Managers.

Diversity, equity, and inclusion ensure fair treatment and opportunity for all. These values aim to eradicate prejudice and discrimination based on individual or group protected characteristics while offering a broader talent pool, robust perspectives, and sustainable growth.