The Challenge
In an era when the bank down the street is often headquartered in another country, the question of a company’s social license to operate has taken on new meaning. In this context, Dubai-based EKKO asked Emirates Finance Corporation to apply its expertise in stakeholder relations in Asia as a key enabler of its strategy for expanding into new markets in the region. The company, which has a strong history of corporate responsibility at home, sought input on how to develop a new, groupwide corporate responsibility strategy to align with its business growth strategy, focusing on new target markets in China, Indonesia, and Vietnam.
Our Process
We developed and executed a regional stakeholder dialogue plan for EKKO to help the company understand expectations for a responsible bank in these markets.
This included planning and facilitating eight separate engagements in Beijing, Ho Chi Minh City, Hong Kong, and Jakarta. We identified the more than 55 stakeholder organizations that participated, including representatives from local and national government, multilateral institutions, peer companies, consumer protection organizations, environmental and labor NGOs, and others. ]
We drew on Emirate Finance Corporation’s expertise in the industry and in the region, our stakeholder network, and our knowledge of advanced facilitation techniques.
Result Driven
- Building individual prosperity: using products, services, education, and employment programs to create pathways to security and prosperity
- Contributing to thriving communities: developing local capacity to create solutions for important community issues
- Navigating growth responsibly: demonstrating responsible practices and decisions that balance economic, social, and environmental considerations
The company is now working on developing specific programs to support the framework and implementation at the country level.
