Doha Bank continued to build upon its environmental leadership in Qatar by hosting its Tree Planting event using irrigation system equipment, near its branch in Dukhan. A number of Doha Bank staff volunteers teamed up to plant trees and install the automatic irrigation system, to demonstrate Doha Bank’s support for the upcoming Earth Day on 22nd April 2016, celebrated around the world to promote the cause of environmental protection.
Irrigation systems are vital for the healthy maintenance of gardens in Qatar especially due to the warm weather – with the systems having proved an estimated 75 to 90% reduction in water wastage over traditional watering methods. The staff volunteers planted trees and installed the water hose and pumps, solenoid valves, sprinklers, nozzles and other equipment in coordination with Green Tree Agricultural Material Company to ensure that the garden is watered consistently and on a timely basis.
Held under the theme, “Plan & Plant for the Future,” this year, the tree planting event is organized annually by Doha Bank to raise awareness about the role of trees in biodiversity conservation and the importance of protecting them for future generations.
“At Doha Bank, we firmly believe in a sustainable, eco-friendly approach to development. The increasing pace of urbanization has meant that trees are often cut down to make way for assorted construction projects, and they are rarely replaced with new trees. This presents a serious threat to the sustainability of the environment, and we believe it is our duty as a responsible corporate citizen to highlight the importance of protecting trees and preserving our natural resources, especially among the younger generation that will inherit this planet from us,” said Dr. R. Seetharaman, CEO of Doha Bank.
Doha Bank organizes a number of environmental initiatives each year as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities, including the ECO-Schools Programme designed to encourage schools in Qatar to proactively participate in the implementation of good environmental practices, the “Beach Clean-up” campaign held in collaboration with the Ministry of Municipality and Environment; and the Al Dana Green Run, the largest community run in Qatar.
Doha Bank has also established itself as a leader in the area of Green Banking, having pioneered the Middle East banking sector’s transition to paperless banking and introducing environment-friendly and bio-degradable credit cards.