Enhancing Business-Community Relations. Ecobank Ghana Case Study

Transcription

1 Enhancing Business-Community Relations Ecobank Ghana Case Study by Joseph Yaw Boateng

2 Contents 1. Introduction Organisational Profile BCR Initiatives Drivers of Initiative Key Issues Next Step...5 1

3 Ecobank Ghana: Getting Involved Research Project Background This case study is one of ten that were chosen as part of the Enhancing Business-Community Relations project in Ghana implemented in collaboration with the Association of Ghana Industries. These cases document examples of engagement between businesses and communities and can be used as learning tools for the promotion of responsible business practice and sustainable development. The Enhancing Business-Community Relations project is a joint international initiative between United Nations Volunteers (UNV) and the New Academy of Business. Implemented in seven developing countries, the purpose of the initiative was to collect and document information on business-community practices as perceived by all stakeholders, build partnerships with them and promote corporate social responsibility practices. It is also intended to enhance international understanding of business-community relations through information sharing and networking with other countries especially those participating in the project - Brazil, Ghana, India, Nigeria, Philippines, South Africa and Lebanon. The findings and recommendations reflected in the case study are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of UNV, the Association of Ghana Industries or the New Academy of Business. It is important to note that these cases were written as examples of business-community initiatives. They do not constitute a comprehensive assessment of the company s social responsibility. 1. Introduction Ridge Hospital is one of the oldest Hospitals in Ghana. The Hospital which was established during pre-independence era, had been left over the years to deteriorate. To bring the Hospital to its former glory, ECOBANK Ghana adopted the Children s ward of the Hospital. This case examines the rationale of this community initiative and how it is addressing the health needs of community members. This case study begins with the profile of ECOBANK. Section two presents the company s community relations initiative and then continues with the issues that encouraged Ecobank to adopt the children s ward in section three. Discussion in section four will focus on the initiative impact and sustainability considerations. The final section, discusses plans for new initiatives. 2. Organisational Profile Founded in 1989 when the financial market was in non-performing assets crisis, Eco-bank Ghana (EBG) has carved a niche by anticipating customer's needs and reacting quickly to provide financial services at very competitive prices. With a staff strength of 225 (two hundred and twenty five), Ecobank is the seventh-largest financial holding company in Ghana. A diversified financial services company with a market share 2

4 of 10 per cent in 2001, Ecobank offers a comprehensive array of innovative financial solutions to two million customers in five major cities of Ghana. The cities that host the branches of the bank are Kumasi, Takoradi, Tarkwa and Tema. Accra hosts the company s head office and another branch of the bank. Within a two year period, the gross earning of the company increased from 64 billion cedis in 1999 to 191 billion cedis in 2001, an appreciation of about 300 per cent. Among the company s key lines of business are: current accounts, deposit accounts, foreign exchange, cash management, international trade, fund management, loans and overdrafts, electronic banking, debit cards and money transfer. The combined strengths and capital resources enable the company to deliver sophisticated financial solutions to individuals, businesses, governments, and institutions in Ghana as well as across the sub-region. 3. BCR Initiatives Health care delivery in Ghana is considered one of the poorest in the developing world. Analysis of Health care in the country shows that at the current delivery rate, the extreme poor would not be able to access health care delivery if the business community continually fail in complementing the efforts of the government 2. Moreover, the facilities of public hospitals in Ghana are old and devoid of maintenance. This has contributed to the high inefficiency associated with public hospitals in the country. There have been calls by medical practitioners, the media, and the various Ministers of state for companies to help address these problems. In the year 2000 Ecobank responded to this social call by adopting the Ridge Hospital Children s Ward. The company s intention for adopting the Ward was two-fold. First, it wanted to use the opportunity to help address the lack of maintenance culture in our hospitals. Secondly, the initiative was meant to ensure that some of the children get some entertainment and fun in their lives when they have to endure admission at the hospital. The initiative takes the form of maintenance of the actual ward, including for example the provision of electrical fittings, the hosting of Christmas party for patients at the Ward, and the replacement of the Ward television. 4. Drivers of Initiative Ridge is one of the high class residential areas of Accra. During the colonial days Ridge was mainly inhabited by the colonial masters. The Ridge Hospital was established during the colonial days to cater for the health delivery needs of the colonial masters living in surrounding areas. The hospital is a single storey raised above the ground approximately 1 to 1.50m on stubby columns. There are completely closed verandahs surrounding the whole building with mosquito-screens. The hospital is publicly owned. Two prominent companies (Ecobank and Unilever) are located few metres away from the premises of the Hospital. Unilever Ghana limited and Ecobank Ghana are located approximately 150 and 200 metres away from the Hospital respectively. As a result of poor maintenance culture the maternity ward of the Hospital deteriorated rapidly and was virtually paralysed for the lack of adequate facilities. The hospital administration appealed to Unilever to assist them in improving the conditions of the maternity ward. Unilever responded positively by renovating and refurbishing the maternity ward of the Hospital. According to Mrs Eunice Annan, a senior nursing sister of the Hospital, to emulate the leadership example demonstrated by Unilever, Ecobank decided to adopt the children s Hospital. 3

5 5. Key Issues As stated above the initiative is intended to solve social problem. Discussions held with the nursing staff of the ward revealed that the initiative is actually yielding the desired results. According to one of the nurses (Mrs. Grace Nuamah), the Christmas party and the repair of the television set have raised the spirit of the children who are admitted at the Ward. She reiterated that the recovery time of these kids have also improved tremendously. For the past two years, the situation at the Hospital has generally improved with more parents going there to seek treatment for their children. This turn of events has been attributed to the Rejuvenation Programme undertaken by Ecobank. Speaking in an interview with the UNV business community relations specialist after a tour of the Hospital, Mrs Eunice Annan, a senior nursing sister at the Hospital said the rate of attendance has dramatically increased in the last six months with more parents bringing their children for treatment. She continued, the Children s ward has bounced back as one of the best in the Greater Accra Region. For the first time in the history of the Hospital, patients rate of response to medical treatment has increased tremendously following the refurbishment of the wards at the Children Block. "In the recent past, most people living in the area would risk their lives and send their children all the way to Korle-Bu and other places for treatment, but today we are being overwhelmed by the number of people who come here daily. She said the clinic's records also indicate that more people are coming from surrounding areas like Labadi, Osu, Asylum Down, Kanda, and Kokomlemle, to seek treatment. Commenting on the challenges facing the Hospital, Mrs. Annan said the limited number of ambulance is a major source of frustration to the medical staff whenever they are transferring an emergency case. She said currently the Hospital has only one ambulance to convey patients. She therefore appealed to other corporate bodies to emulate the example of Unilever and Ecobank to assist the Hospital to acquire at least one more ambulance. She further requested that more doctors and specialists should be brought to the Hospital in order to reduce the pressure and the burden on the few who are being overwhelmed by the volume of work. On the issue of sustainability the Corporate Affairs manager of EBG (Mr. Ramie Baiti) indicated that they have not lost sight of the negative repercussion if the initiative is withdrawn of terminated. He lamented if the initiative is terminated, the effect would probably be a deterioration of the physical structures of the Ward and a lack of good cheer for the children, especially at Christmas. He continued by saying that to ensure sustainability, EBG intends to budget for this initiative every year, and stay in close touch with the Ridge hospital to find out the needs of the Children s Ward. EBG would like the initiative to develop to a print where the culture of maintenance will become part and parcel of the Ridge Hospital, not only the Children s Ward, and they would not need outside help, he concluded. 4

6 6. Next Step One would have wished that the employees of Ecobank are given paid time off to be directly involved in all these activities. As it stands at the moment Ecobank only disburse funds to the hospital administration to carry out all these activities. Thus, the employee involvement aspect of the initiative is missing. To address this inadequacy, EBG intends is considering ways of crafting customised employee involvement initiative that generates commitment from corporate leadership, and inspires enthusiasm from workers. EBG is studying a long-term partnership with World Vision. The partnership arrangement would involve selecting some trainees under the World Vision developmental activities in the Northern Ghana and sponsoring their training for at least three years. EBG has also realised that, to live up to its social expectations it has to be more proactive in its community relations activities. Presently, EBC community relations activities are reactive by nature. That is, they respond only to proposals submitted to them by external bodies. They should engage the services of an expert to support them in designing BCR programmes. This would enable the company to strengthen its community engagement skills. In addition to this, the company could concentrate its precious man hours on core business operations. Endnotes 1 The views expressed in this case study are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the New Academy of Business, UNV or the Association of Ghana Industries. 2 Ghana vision