As part of initiatives under its Environment Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) pillar, leading financial institution, Fidelity Bank Plc, has partnered with the Lagos State Parks and Gardens Agency (LASPARK) to launch a tree planting drive.

Through the collaboration, Fidelity Bank will support LASPARK to plant 20,000 trees in the state by July 2025 as part of its strategy to combat climate change and promote environmental sustainability in alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 13.

Speaking at a tree planting exercise put together to launch the partnership in Alausa, Ikeja recently, the Divisional Head, Brand and Communications at Fidelity Bank Plc, Dr. Meksley Nwagboh noted that, “Environmental preservation is a key driver of our CSR focus at Fidelity Bank, and partnering with LASPARK aligns with our sustainability objectives.

“We believe that protecting the earth is a shared responsibility, and LASPARK’s commitment to this cause makes them an ideal partner for this project. This initiative is not a one-time event, it is a continuation of our ongoing efforts to drive sustainable and best practices. We are committed to ensuring that our environment is protected in the long-term”.

Expressing her gratitude for the newly birthed partnership with Fidelity Bank, the General Manager, LASPARK, Adetoun Popoola, noted that “Fidelity Bank has been a committed partner over the years, and the agency’s dual mandate is to beautify Lagos and combat the effects of climate change through tree planting.

“We are grateful as this is not just a one-off collaboration, but a continuous relationship that we will continue to nurture. Tree planting plays a critical role in the state’s climate action and resilience plan and our target for this year is to plant 20,000 trees by July 14, 2025.

“This initiative with Fidelity Bank contributes to that goal, and we are dedicated to planting trees until we meet and exceed this target. The broader objectives of the Lagos State Government is to combat the negative effects of climate change, and tree planting is one of the simplest and most cost-effective ways to do that.

Besides the tree planting exercise, Fidelity Bank actively supports environmental conservation through several initiatives across the country. These include the maintenance and beautification of gardens, parks and roundabouts; donation of recycling bins to secondary schools and solar and inverter systems to institutions. The bank is also a key partner of the Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF).

“The partnership between Fidelity Bank and LASPARK represents a shared vision for a greener, more sustainable Lagos and it is a testament to the power of collaboration in the fight against climate change and the preservation of the environment for future generations,” added Popoola.

Ranked as one of the best banks in Nigeria, Fidelity Bank is a full-fledged commercial bank with over 8.3 million customers serviced across its 251 business offices in Nigeria and the United Kingdom as well as on digital banking channels.

The bank has won multiple local and international awards including the Export Finance Bank of the Year at the 2023 BusinessDay Banks and Other Financial Institutions (BAFI) Awards, the Best Payment Solution Provider Nigeria 2023 and Best SME Bank Nigeria 2022 by the Global Banking and Finance Awards; Best Bank for SMEs in Nigeria by the Euromoney Awards for Excellence 2023; and Best Domestic Private Bank in Nigeria by the Euromoney Global Private Banking Awards 2023.