Cairo, 10 October 2018

Chief Executive Officer of the EFG Hermes Foundation and Head of CSR Hanaa Helmy was recently recognized by the UN Global Compact – the world’s largest CSR initiative – as one of 10 Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) pioneers in 2018 for her work in investing in social development and advancing sustainability in Egypt. Since 2006 and as the founding CEO of the EFG Hermes Foundation, Helmy has championed numerous social development initiatives across the country.

Helmy has been instrumental in cultivating the organization’s holistic approach to sustainable development, educating and onboarding internal stakeholders and overseeing the growth of its projects and partnerships. Through the efforts of Helmy and the Foundation, EFG Hermes joined the UN Global Compact in 2011, aligned its social investment efforts with the SDGs and – as of 2017 – has developed tailored environmental, social and governance (ESG) strategies for relevant business line.

“I am incredibly honoured to be recognized by the UN Global Compact and have the opportunity to attend the 2018 Leaders’ Summit,” said Helmy. “In truth, this is a recognition of the achievements of the EFG Hermes Foundation and the CSR Department as a whole. The visionary thinking and tireless efforts of our team of employees and volunteers have allowed us to execute our holistic vision for sustainable development. We are also fortunate to have the full buy-in of EFG Hermes’ leadership, who not only support the Foundation’s work but have also taken on the task of integrating sustainability targets into the company’s core business.”

Today, the EFG Hermes Foundation manages a variety of initiatives reaching across Egypt that focus on the three core pillars of poverty alleviation, disease prevention, and youth empowerment. Its projects have focused on creating jobs, building infrastructure to improve quality of life and prevent the spread of disease, and offering educational opportunities for children and adults in impoverished areas of the country. As part of its disease prevention efforts, the Foundation has led several initiatives to combat Hepatitis B and C. In the process of executing these projects, the Foundation has built an extensive network of partners in the public sector, private sector and civil society. 

“The EFG Hermes Foundation has led by example to promote social development and positive change across Egypt over the past 12 years under Hanaa’s guidance,” said Group CEO of EFG Hermes Karim Awad. “Through the Foundation, EFG Hermes has consistently been able to fulfil our core pillar of public responsibility. With the support of the Foundation, we have also integrated a stronger commitment to ESG practices into our core business, and this has only served to strengthen the sustainability of our operations and ensure that we have a positive impact in all markets where we operate,” he added.

As part of her strategy to advance the Global Goals, Hanaa first worked with EFG Hermes internal stakeholders and developed a sustainability strategy that emphasizes responsible business conduct. It also gave employees a better understanding of the Global Goals. She focused on developing an environmental, social and governance (ESG) strategy for the company’s various business lines. In 2017, EFG Hermes officially adopted a policy that defined ESG guidelines for its business lines and publicly demonstrated its commitment to sustainable and responsible investment.

As a result, EFG Hermes became the first Egyptian financial services corporation to sign the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI). The PRI is an investor initiative in partnership with the United Nations Environment Programme – Finance Initiative and the UN Global Compact.In addition to being a member of the UNGC since 2011, EFG Hermes is also a founding member of the UNGC Network Egypt, the local arm of the international organization. To recognize Helmy’s commitment to promoting the SDGs and supporting the local organization’s growth, she will also be honoured at a ceremony in Cairo led by Executive Director and Board Member of the UNGC Network Egypt Muhammad Al-Fouly.

"The UN Global Compact has local networks in approximately 73 countries that are helping local businesses shape the agenda and take action. Working from the bottom up means we’re closest to the realities of local business solutions. All together, we are making global goals local business,” said Al-Fouly. He went on to add that “sustainable action will help businesses do more of what they’re great at simply by doing good. Sustainable businesses will be the ones to unlock the most financial, social and environmental gains.”

Reflecting on the ceremony held in Helmy’s honour, he said, “businesses all over the world are already capitalizing on sustainable opportunities. We are showcasing local leaders through our own SDG Pioneers campaign and the UN Global Compact’s Leaders Summit to inspire further action.”

About the EFG Hermes Foundation

As part of its social responsibility towards the communities in which it operates, EFG Hermes established the EFG Hermes Foundation in 2006 as a non-profit, non-governmental organization.

The Foundation aims to help people and institutions overcome the financial, educational and health-related challenges facing our society by supporting innovative and sustainable programmes that increase opportunities for those most in need to make a positive change in our local communities. The EFG Hermes Foundation mainly focuses on integrated development programmes in Egypt by helping combat widespread diseases and supporting holistic development initiatives in the housing, water, sanitation and income-generation areas.

Since its launch, the Foundation has played a significant role in the development of the society by working with reputable institutions and NGOs on several projects including and not limited to: Hepatitis C Awareness and Combat; Hepatitis B Vaccination campaign for college students; Microfinance; Poverty Alleviation of Ezbet Yacoub in Beni Suef and Al Makhzan Village in Qena; and most recently a holistic integrated development project in Luxor’ Deir Village; Support Health Education programmes in Assiut University; Support Children with Cerebral Palsy; and Support Education initiatives in collaboration with KidZania.

EFG Hermes is also committed to youth empowerment through the sustainability programmes that leverage our financial expertise and capitalize on our human talent to create sustainable value for the stakeholders and the communities we serve. Contributions include programmes in education, the environment, youth mentorship and employment.