Republic Bank’s Power to Make A Difference (PMAD) Partners Collaborate At Mix and Mingle Event

Port-of-Spain, Trinidad, June 12, 2024: On June 11, 2024, Republic Bank hosted its first Mix and Mingle event for partners under its Power to Make A Difference (PMAD) corporate social responsibility programme. Hosted at the Bank’s head office in Port of Spain, over 40 non-governmental organisations with a focus on youth development, environmental preservation, poverty reduction, sports and culture, among others, were in attendance. The event was held with the aim of providing capacity building for PMAD partners, sharing sustainability practices, collaborating to maximise their resources and amplify their reach in creating a positive change in Trinidad and Tobago.

Preston George, General Manager, Group Marketing and Communications opened the seminar with an overview of the day’s proceedings, emphasizing the valuable opportunity the Mix and Mingle provided for participants to explore potential synergies and co-create projects. He, in addition to the Republic’s Group Sustainability Officer, Tisha Marajh, also shared that sustainability considerations would be embedded into the programme moving forward, given Republic Bank’s commitment to supporting the attainment of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals as a signatory to the Principles for Responsible Banking.

Lawrence Arjoon, Chief Executive of Officer of the Heroes Foundation, a PMAD partner, presented on that organisation’s efforts to foster sustainability-driven engagement with young people. Participants were also provided with an illustration of successful inter-partner collaboration between fellow PMAD partners, the Down Syndrome Family Network (DSFN) and Chosen Hands (CH) through a joint presentation by DSFN’s Lisa Ghany and CH’s Anika Plowden-Corentin.

Since its launch in Trinidad and Tobago in 2003, Republic Bank’s social investment through its Power to Make A Difference programme has totaled TT$384 million over the past twenty (20) years. Reena Gopaul, Manager, Group Brand Management highlighted that the Bank plans to invest an additional TT$125 million during the period 2023 to 2028 and underscored that while funding is an important component, it is the commitment to volunteerism from Republic Bank employees that truly makes PMAD unique. She added that the Power to Make A Difference programme was also present in other Republic Bank territories, including Guyana, Grenada, Barbados, Suriname and the East Caribbean.

The Power to Make A Difference programme is built on the four pillars, namely:
• fostering youth development through education and culture with the Power to Learn;
• supporting business development, sport and environmental preservation with the Power to Succeed
• alleviating poverty and reducing social marginalization with the Power to Help; and
• promoting health care, care for the elderly and differently abled with the Power to Care

Hundreds of organisations and projects have been supported through the initiative through which the Bank aims to produce a positive and lasting impact in the communities it serves.