19 April 2021
ASEAN Welcomes Maybank Via Maybank Foundation As Family
Maybank, via Maybank Foundation, is now an accredited entity with ASEAN after meeting rigorous international standards for advancing and promoting ASEAN identity in the region.
We are delighted and honoured to announce our accreditation as an entity associated with Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), thus becoming the first financial institution to secure the accreditation since the association’s establishment in 1967. Through Maybank Foundation, Maybank is now listed as an accredited Civil Society Organisation (CSO) in Annex 2 of the ASEAN Charter.
With this distinction, we are now formally acknowledged as an organisation that promotes, strengthens and helps realise the aims and objectives of ASEAN’s regional agenda - such as the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC) Blueprint 2025 through its three pillars – the ASEAN Political-Security Community, the ASEAN Economic Community and the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community, in addition to a more global agenda through alignment with the UN Sustainable Development Goals 2030. Our regional programmes, driven by Maybank Foundation, such as Reach Independence & Sustainable Entrepreneurship (RISE), Maybank Women Eco-Weavers, Cashville Kidz, and particularly eMpowering Youths Across ASEAN in partnership with The ASEAN Foundation, played a crucial role in helping us attained the accreditation.
Our Cashville Kidz financial literacy programme for example has today impacted over 200,000 schoolchildren across 6 ASEAN countries whereas over 10,000 participants from the disabled and marginalized communities across the region have likewise participated in the RISE programme, in which our top 40% of participants have reported a rise in their income of more than 390% while over 70% of participants said they felt an increase in confidence and self-worth.
This noteworthy recognition from ASEAN underscores Maybank’s dedication to creating meaningful, measurable and long-term sustainable impacts, in an effort to complement our mission of humanising financial services. To date, there are currently only 75 ASEAN-accredited Civil Society Organisations, with Maybank Foundation being the only other corporate foundation on the list.
“I look forward to Maybank Foundation’s active participation and meaningful contribution to our efforts to build a dynamic, inclusive, people-oriented, and people-centred ASEAN Community,”
H.E. Dato Lim Jock Hoi,
Secretary- General of ASEAN
In 2020 alone, despite facing a world-shifting pandemic, Maybank Foundation remained steadfast in engaging and extending a helping hand to the region’s most vulnerable people and communities. A total of RM 11,934,462 was spent on programmes in various ASEAN countries. The unique situation of an on-going pandemic has required us to adopt creative and innovative approaches in executing our current regional programme.
To achieve ASEAN accreditation, Maybank Foundation went through a rigorous application process. This included an external review, which was discussed at a relevant ASEAN Sectoral Body comprising officials from all 10 ASEAN countries, before being recommended to the Committee of Permanent Representatives (CPR) for final consideration and approval. Given our long history and accomplishment in the region, we ticked off every criterion for accreditation set by ASEAN.
As an accredited organisation, Maybank Foundation is able to enjoy exclusive privileges that are only granted to a selection of laudable organisations. Among some of the privileges is the honours to use the name “ASEAN” in our related works and publications while being able to display the official ASEAN flag and emblem at our events and showcases.
Becoming part of the ASEAN family is a testament to our effort in creating a more diverse, inclusive, and equitable region – driving positive change sustainability to ensure every one of us has equal opportunities to live meaningful lives. This recognitions is truly the culmination of the collective efforts of all Maybankers throughout the region who have invested their time and effort into being a “Force for Good” at the heart of their communities. You are the embodiment of our mission of ‘Humanising Financial Services’and it is your unwavering commitment and dedication that made this accreditation possible.
“We are humbled to receive this recognition, which allows us to deliver a more desired impact to the community in the ASEAN region. This accreditation is a testament to the impact made by every Maybanker and marks a new milestone in our journey. Not only does it add value to existing efforts, it also demonstrates our highest level of commitment in advancing ASEAN interests and promoting the awareness of ASEAN’s principles and activities.
Tan Sri Zamzamzairani
Chairman, Maybank Group
This accreditation has given us a fresh impetus to continue our efforts in driving positive change sustainably in ASEAN. It has given us a platform to springboard onto bigger and better things in the years to come and scale up our existing programmes. Plans are alreadyunderway to leverage upon this accreditation with sustainability at the fore. As sustainability has become an essential component in our M25 strategy framework, it must be made central to our own daily operations and to that end, the commitment by everyMaybanker to Living Sustainability; demonstrated by achieving 1 million hours per annum for Sustainability and delivering 1 thousand significant SDG-related outcomes including improving lives of 1 million households across ASEAN by 2025.
By leveraging on each other’s strengths and capabilities, Maybank Foundation and ASEAN are looking forward to many impactful initiatives together in the years to come. More than anything, this accreditation lends credence to Maybank’s M25 Plan in which one of the key Strategic Thrusts is to be the Preferred ASEAN Bank. As Maybank Foundation continues to grow and challenge the status quo, we hope that our journey inspire other Malaysian corporate bodies to join forces in promoting our country whilst contributing more to the ASEAN community.
