Bank to contribute AED 50 fils to Dubai Cares for every retail transaction on Emirates NBD Debit Cards

Unique CSR initiative encourages customers to use Debit Cards to contribute to charity drive

Dubai, August 13, 2011: In keeping with the spirit of giving during the Holy Month of Ramadan, Emirates NBD, a leading bank in the region, announced today the launch of a unique Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative in support of the "Dubai Cares Girls' Education Campaign 2011."

Dubai Cares has launched the campaign this Ramadan, to increase awareness of the importance of education for girls, and empower them within their communities in developing countries across the world. The Education Campaign 2011 also aims to raise funds to support Dubai Cares programmes that address the gender imbalance in primary education. Emirates NBD's Ramadan Debit Card scheme will enable customers to donate to Dubai Cares, simply with the use of their Emirates NBD Debit Card.

As part of the Debit Card Ramadan campaign, Emirates NBD will donate 50 fils to the UAE-based philanthropic organisation Dubai Cares, for every retail transaction carried out on an Emirates NBD Debit Card. In order to join this campaign, Emirates NBD Debit Cardholders need to send an SMS with the code "SUPPORT" to 4456. All transactions done via Debit card by Emirates NBD customers who have opted into this campaign, will contribute to the campaign.

"As the largest local financial services provider in the UAE, Emirates NBD is closely involved with all aspects of the community, and seeks every opportunity to contribute to its betterment," said Jamal Bin Ghalaita, Group Deputy CEO, Emirates NBD. "We have a long-term tie up with Dubai Cares, which is doing excellent work in the area of primary education. Through the Ramadan Debit Card campaign, we aim to raise support for the initiative to provide education to underprivileged girls in developing countries."

"In addition to facilitating charitable donations, this campaign is also expected to drive growth in debit card usage amongst Emirates NBD cardholders, which is one of the strategic objectives of the bank's Cards Division. Through increased debit card usage, we offer customers the convenience of using plastic even for small ticket purchases, while enabling them to keep track of their expenditure," he added.

The new Debit Card Ramadan Campaign is valid through the Holy Month of Ramadan on all retail transactions made with the Emirates NBD Debit Card, providing customers who have opted for this campaign with an opportunity to contribute to charity.

"At the launch of Dubai Cares in 2007, HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum emphasized the importance of providing children in developing countries with access to quality primary education," said Tariq Al Gurg, Chief Executive Officer, Dubai Cares. "Through its programmes, Dubai Cares is reaching five million beneficiaries in 24 developing countries, giving primary-aged children the opportunity and the means to become positive contributors to their communities."

"This year, we are supporting education for girls because 42 million girls around the world do not go to school and we believe that educating a girl translates into education for her entire family and community. We are pleased to extend our tie-up with Emirates NBD this year through this innovative Debit Card campaign, and look forward to receiving extensive support from all Emirates NBD Debit Cardholders," he added.

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About Emirates NBD
Emirates NBD is a leading banking Group in the region. The Group has a leading retail banking franchise in the UAE, with over 133 branches and over 750 ATMs and SDMs.  It is a major player in the UAE corporate banking arena and has strong Islamic banking, investment banking, private banking, and asset management and brokerage operations. 

The Group has operations in the UAE, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Singapore, the United Kingdom and Jersey (Channel Islands), and representative offices in India and Iran.

The Group is an active participant and supporter of the UAE's main development initiatives and of the various educational, environmental, cultural, charity and community welfare establishments.

For more information, please visit: www.emiratesnbd.com

About Dubai Cares:
Dubai Cares, a UAE-based philanthropic organization, was launched in September 2007 by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to improve children's access to quality primary education in developing countries. Dubai Cares works in accordance with globally recognized best practices for international NGOs, and has partnerships with organizations such as The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Care International, GAIN, Global Network, Oxfam GB, Plan International, Room to Read, Save the Children, Scholastic and UNICEF. It implements comprehensive primary education programs in 24 countries including Bangladesh, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Cambodia, Chad, Comoros Islands, Djibouti, Mali, Mauritania, Nepal, Niger, Occupied Palestinian Territories, Pakistan, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Yemen, and with Palestinian refugees in Jordan and Lebanon, to help attain the United Nations Millennium Development Goal 2 of achieving universal primary education. To learn more, please visit www.dubaicares.ae

For further information, please contact:
Afaf Jbara / Hassan Al Khuwaildi
Communications
Group Marketing, Emirates NBD
Tel: 971-4-7015305 / 971-4-2092263
Mob: 971 50 8842020 / 971 50 7454454
Email: Afafj@emiratesbank.com / HassanAl@emiratesnbd.com

Shermin Mheidly
Manager - Communications & Marketing
Dubai Cares
Tel: +971 4 450 4512
Mob: 971 50 2469536
Email: Shermin.Mheidly@dubaicares.ae 

Parisa Ansarian / Sudha Chandran
ASDA'A Burson-Marsteller
Dubai, UAE
Tel: 971-4-3355969; Fax: 971-4-3356080
Email: p.ansarian@asdaa.com / s.chandran@asdaa.com 

© Press Release 2011