Emirates NBD, a leading financial institution in the region is celebrating World Ocean Day this year by committing its efforts towards preserving marine biodiversity under the banks Keep the Creek Clean marine conservation programme.

This initiative was introduced by Emirates NBD private banking in 2018 with the aim to preserve and clean up the UAEs waterways particularly Dubai Creek and its extended channels. This initiative has successfully trained 33 of the Emirates NBD Group employees in the PADI Open Water/Advanced Open Dive course so that they are able to dive down to 18 metres in order to clean up the waste and protect the UAEs underwater ecosystems.

The first dive clean-up programme was held in October 2018 in collaboration with the Dubai Police and Divers down at Al Hamriya Port that resulted in the removal of more than 3 tons of waste from the Creek to be recycled or disposed of.

Saod Obaidalla, Executive Vice President and Head of Private Banking, at Emirates NBD said, Sustainability is a top priority for Emirates NBD Private Banking, and we are committed to inspiring a cleaner future and helping preserve the UAEs environment for generations to come. The Private Banking division is pleased to lend support to valuable initiatives such as Keep the Creek Clean, which has been instrumental in making a difference to the UAEs marine ecosystems. I am particularly proud to note that the Banks efforts have successfully resulted in the removal of 5,471 kilograms from our ocean through dive, kayak and beach cleanups since the initiatives inception, Obaidalla added.

World Ocean Day is observed every year, we all know the vital role that the ocean plays in our lives. This day aims to raise awareness about the impact of human actions on oceans and mobilize and gather the worlds population in order to sustainably manage oceans and protect the marine ecosystem.

The programme, Keep the Creek Clean with support from Emirates NBD Private banking helps clear various types of waste from the water including plastic waste, household items, ship parts, cars, tyres, fishing nets, etc. in order to keep the environment clean for present as well as future generations to come and encouraging marine biodiversity.

The programme is managed under Emirates NBD Groups Social Investment Strategy Framework which includes several initiatives to preserve the environment. Emirates NBD is a member of IMPACT 2030, the corporate volunteering arm of the United Nations. The banks award-winning Exchanger programme that enables staff to exchange their time for social good has successfully completed 10,673 hours of volunteering this year.