UBA leads the way in environmental clean-up across Africa

United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, known as Africa’s Global Bank, has shown its commitment to sustainability and community development. The bank mobilised thousands of employees across 20 African countries for its latest wellness initiative, “Jogging to Bond.”

This year’s event was special as it marked the 60th birthday of UBA’s Group Managing Director and CEO, Oliver Alawuba. He chose to celebrate this milestone with his staff and colleagues.

The theme for this year was “The Power Within U.” The quarterly initiative gathered employees from across the Group’s African network for a day focused on fitness, teamwork, creativity, community service, and caring for the environment.

A key part of the event was a coordinated environmental clean-up that happened at the same time in UBA’s markets. From Lagos to Accra, Nairobi, Dakar, and other cities where the bank operates, employees cleaned up streets and public spaces. This showed UBA’s strong commitment to caring for the environment and sustainable development.

The clean-up reflected the bank’s belief that success in business should come with positive social and environmental impacts. By mixing community service with employee activities, UBA keeps enhancing its Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) agenda while adding value to the communities it serves.

During the event, Alawuba spoke on the importance of wellness, teamwork, and social responsibility in building a strong institution.

"There is no place I would rather be on my birthday than here, surrounded by the incredible people who make UBA what it is today. Our greatest strength lies in our people, in the passion, energy, and sense of purpose that unite us across Africa.

When we run together, serve together, and work together to make our communities cleaner and healthier, we are doing more than promoting fitness. We are demonstrating our shared values and our commitment to the people and communities that place their trust in us every day," Alawuba said.

In Lagos, the event included various wellness activities. These activities featured spinning bike sessions, fitness challenges, relaxation therapies from Oriki, and an exercise station hosted by iFitness, which also gave exclusive discounts to UBA employees.

Alero Ladipo, UBA’s Group Head of Marketing and Corporate Communications, talked about the importance of the initiative. She said it reflects the bank’s approach to employee welfare and sustainable development.

"At UBA, our people are at the heart of everything we do. We believe that creating a thriving workforce requires investing in their wellbeing while also encouraging them to make a positive difference in society.

‘Jogging to Bond’ shows our commitment to building a healthy workplace culture, strengthening team spirit, and contributing to environmental sustainability. It is one of the many ways we continue to create value for our employees, customers, shareholders, and communities across Africa."

As part of its Employee Value Proposition and ESG strategy, UBA keeps rolling out programmes that support wellness, engagement, volunteerism, and environmental responsibility across its operations. Through initiatives like “Jogging to Bond,” the bank strengthens its status not only as a top financial institution but also as a responsible corporate citizen building a better future for Africa.

UBA is one of Africa’s top financial institutions, with operations in 20 African countries and also in the United Kingdom, the United States, France, and the United Arab Emirates. Serving millions globally, UBA offers retail, commercial, and institutional banking services while promoting financial inclusion, innovation, and sustainable growth across the continent.