To mark the occasion of Earth Day on 22nd April 2013, BNI Syariah organised a public event to distribute plants as part of its CSR activities. Held on a car-free day on Jalan Surdirman, Central Jakarta, the event was attended by the President Director of BNI Syariah Mr Dinno Indiano and by the bank’s senior management. The bank’s Zakat division also provided free health checks to participants to check their blood sugar and cholesterol levels. This event was held simultaneously with other activities at the bank’s various branches across Indonesia.

This event is part of BNI Syariah’s CSR strategy with the theme for 2013 being ‘Commitment to Humanity’. Therefore Earth Day provided an opportunity to actively promote environmental sustainability to the public for the wellbeing of the next generation. The Commitment to Humanity theme focuses on Commitment to Education, Economic Empowerment and Commitment for Health as well as the Environment.

Further activities have included planting fruit across a 1.5 hectare mangrove plantation in North Jakarta as mangroves serve as a barrier for coastal erosion and reduce carbon dioxide levels in the environment. All of the bank’s branches were also required to turn off the lights for one hour and throughout the year efforts will be made to reduce electricity and paper consumption.

Within education, BNI Syariah has focused on providing educational support to schools as well as scavengers operating in Bekasi, West Java area where the bank has recently established branches. By working with cooperatives, BNI Syariah aims to assist scavengers to commercialize their activities in collecting and recycling garbage.

Through the Zakat Services Unit, the bank is working with students to make them self-sufficient entrepreneurs through duck breeding for culinary purposes. This program aims to achieve economic empowerment as well as teaching students sound economic lessons for their future.