DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION (DEI) We view DEI as a vital component of our sustainability strategy, enabling us to harness the full potential of our workforce and create lasting value across the sustainability landscape. At the heart of our approach is a commitment to treating every individual with fairness and respect, ensuring equal opportunities regardless of race, gender, age, religion, or socioeconomic background. This commitment is deeply integrated into our recruitment processes, employee management practices, and career development pathways, all underpinned by our DEI Policy to enhance employee satisfaction and drive talent retention. We maintain a zero-tolerance policy against all forms of workplace discrimination, harassment, and bias, fostering a culture of inclusivity and ensuring a safe, supportive environment for all employees. Additionally, we uphold strict compliance with legal and ethical standards in employment practices, particularly concerning human rights. Our dedication extends to providing a broad range of competitive benefits, robust training and development opportunities, and initiatives designed to support the holistic well-being of our workforce. OUR PROGRESS IN 2024 Upholding Merit-Based Advancement Our employment practices – from hiring to career advancement – are firmly rooted in the principle of meritocracy. We place emphasis on academic qualifications, practical experience, and role-specific skills during hiring decisions, while promotion decisions are guided by individual capabilities and potential. Additionally, we are committed to providing fair employment opportunities for candidates from underprivileged backgrounds, ensuring fair consideration even if they lack traditional academic credentials. This commitment to merit-based advancement is evidenced by a strong gender balance across new hires: Celebrating Cultural Diversity The cultural diversity of our workforce is one of our biggest strengths, and we support this by maintaining inclusive policies with regard to religious beliefs and practices. In a first-of-its-kind policy, we introduced Non-Muslim Pilgrimage Leave in 2023, affording non-Muslims the same allowance for pilgrimage as their Muslim colleagues. Promoting Safe and Supportive Workplaces We strive to maintain psychologically safe workplaces where people can express their opinions freely without fear of judgment. This was the thinking behind our WOW Conversation framework – a tool which employees at all levels can use to guide conversations towards creating mutual understanding and value. Having implemented the framework amongst our senior management, we extended its use to middle-to-lower-level staff across the organisation in 2024 via: • The BASIRAH programme. • Various leadership engagement programmes featuring regional employees. • Bite-sized educational content disseminated via internal communications and employee engagement programmes. Our BITI-Pulse surveys carried out in 2024 indicated that 81% of respondents feel safe voicing out their opinions or feedback, even when such opinions differ from the majority, compared to 79% in 2023. Meanwhile, 90% of respondents feel that they are able to have constructive discussions with their supervisors about challenges they may face in work and life, up from 77% in 2023. These positive results indicate progress in our efforts to nurture a more open and supportive culture at our workplaces. New hires (51% females) and promotions (47% females) in 2024. 167 www.bankislam.com 01 02 03 04 05 SUSTAINABILITY STATEMENT 06 07 08 09
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