OCBC Bank, led by new group CEO Helen Wong, has launched a comprehensive suite of sustainability training to groom more subject experts within the bank as it steps up its sustainability push.
According to the bank, it is part of the $30 million to be invested over the next three years to prepare its 30,000 employees under the so-called OCBC Future Smart Programme.
“Major change is afoot on the job front and roles that are available today may no longer be needed or will be significantly disrupted tomorrow. The OCBC Future Smart Programme was created to upskill or reskill every employee to stay relevant for the future workplace,” says Jason Ho, OCBC Bank’s Head of Group Human Resources.
“While technology and digital skills are the prevailing skillsets that most employees would require in the future, other areas such as sustainability and even the ‘softer’ skills such as emotional and mental wellness, collaboration, agility and critical thinking are equally important aspects in developing a well-rounded employee,” he adds.
According to Ho, as long as OCBC employees “continue to learn, un-learn and re-learn as an organisation”, the bank as a whole will be well poised to take on the changing market conditions with new skill sets, such as those in sustainability.
In the past two years, more than 50 sustainability-related jobs have been created within OCBC across areas such as sustainable business development, sustainable product development, sustainability research, ESG assessment, ESG reporting, ESG regulatory and compliance, sustainable stewardship, and community development and environment conservation programmes.
See also: A US$12 bil climate fund is readying a rare bond issuance
More than 20 training modules on sustainability have been co-developed with sustainability experts within OCBC and with external help.
The design of the modules is shaped by OCBC’s Sustainability Framework and ESG factors which have been identified to be material, such as carbon footprint and neutrality, sustainable financing and investing, and community development and environment conservation.
