First Citizens
“We are restructuring our externally facing teams to better serve our communities and customers.”So says Dexter Charles, Manager – Group Corporate Communications at First Citizens Trinidad & Tobago. Charles referenced the addition of a fourth strategic pillar to the Group’s CSR agenda.” In addition to the three existing pillars, Community Relations, Sport and Youth Development & Education, we now have four areas of focus with the inclusion of Women’s Issues”, he explains.
The new structure will also mean that Charles’ team can redesign its CSR programmes to be more fully aligned to business objectives. Charles is fixed on the notion of shared value – that projects must reflect a symbiosis between customers’ needs and the business of the Group. Already, many of the CSR activities are targeted towards women.
“This feels right”, says Charles, “since over 60% of our customers are female.”
In a separate interview, Deputy CEO Jason Julien acknowledged that 80% of the Group’s employees were female. This thrust towards alignment of needs and interventions is referred to by the Group as ‘social harmony’.
Women’s Issues
Under the umbrella of women’s issues, a number of interventions have been undertaken by the Group – all aimed at improving the lives and wellbeing of women as well as giving them a voice. The idea had its genesis with former Deputy CEO Sharon Christopher who saw the value in addressing gender-based interventions in favour of the Group’s predominant customer base.
Fighting violence with the Pink Card
The Group’s flagship programme, ‘The First Citizens PINK Credit Card’ which was launched in 2011, is the first such credit card for a cause in the local market. Funds raised through monthly contributions by card holders go towards projects aimed at “Ending Violence Against Women”. Monthly debits of $25 to $100 are agreed during the application process and monies are disbursed bi-annually, in April and November, to established Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), to assist in the funding of their operations and programmes. Beneficiaries of the PINK Card are the Coalition Against Domestic Violence, the Rape Crisis Society of Trinidad and Tobago and the Couva Children’s Home in central Trinidad. The First Citizens Group also seeds $200,000 into the Pink fund annually.
In terms of monitoring and evaluation, the First Citizens PINK Card Fund is managed by a PINK Fund Committee which provides oversight and assures transparency. The committee is comprised of five members – two senior First Citizens staff and three independent members. In addition there are two accountants assigned to the committee – one internal, a First Citizens member and another independent member.
Annual Women’s Conference
2017 marks five years since First Citizens launched its Annual Women’s Conference. The event is marked in three of its operating territories – St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Barbados and of course Trinidad & Tobago. The objective is to strengthen networks among female professionals, “aimed at bringing about constructive change and building stronger relationships,” according to the Group.
In June of this year, over one hundred women attended the First Citizens Investment Services (FCIS) Women’s Conference in St. Vincent. Themed‘Boldly Live a Life You Love’, a formidable line of up speakers included Trinidad’s Ms. Sharon Christopher and First Citizen’s Country Manager-FCIS, Ms. Norlan Gabriel, Country Manager.
Christopher, gave a one-hour presentation on, ‘Life: Make it Happen vs Let it Happen’. She outlined strategies to guide women towards setting goals and doing the necessary to achieve them.
With topics aimed at empowering women such as “Ten Characteristics of Bold Women”, Gabriel said that the conference was designed to help women evaluate and make changes in their lives. Gabriel also led a panel discussion, called “Woman to Woman –Issues and Answers”, which delved deeply into workplace issues and ideological and psychological shifts needed to navigate success.
Central to the St. Vincent event was empowerment through financial independence which was masterfully delivered by Ms. Brenda Pope.
Says Group CEO Karen Darbasie, “We at First Citizens acknowledge women as the caregivers of this country. We are giving women the opportunity to have that space to develop and grow.”The proceeds from this event are channelled into the First Citizens Pink Credit Card Fund.
Youth engagement
Dexter Charles speaks with excitement about the work his organisation does with youth. Most notably are the Spoken Word which has become an important calendar item at the annual Bocas Lit Fest; and calypso competitions delivered in partnership with the Trinidad United Calypsonians Organisation (TUCO). The Bocas Lit Fest and the Steelpan and Jazz Festival are among the more popular programmes First Citizens sponsors. While the investments in arts and culture are rewarding, so too are the schools’ programmes which the staff take on voluntarily and the Group’s long association with sport.
This year the First Citizens Sports Foundation will hold its 55th annual Sports Awards Ceremony to celebrate Trinidad & Tobago’s professional athletes in more than 30 disciplines. The company also works with clubs and national organisations to promote cricket, football and chess as well as a number of other outdoor and indoor sports. First Citizens is also a key sponsor of the UWI Half Marathon.
The First Citizens staff are passionate about sport. Every year they turn out in numbers at the Carifin Games.The organisation is Gold Sponsor of the event in which participants compete in cricket, football, aerobics burnout and all-fours. This is all built around a Family Day aimed at making the event fun.
Staff also work with United Way of Trinidad & Tobago in their annual Day of Caring through Habitat for Humanity or creating vegetable grow-boxes with various primary schools. Says Charles, “Volunteerism is part of the First Citizen DNA and we are working on developing a more structured volunteer programme that will see a bigger engagement of staff in social issues – from the boardroom to the counter.”