National Bank of Kuwait (NBK), the best bank in the Middle East, has been honored as the “Best Corporate Social Responsibility Program” in the Middle East for 2011 by the prestigious regional financial magazine, Banker Middle East.

Manal Al-Mattar, NBK Executive Manager, Public Relations and Advertising, received the award on behalf of NBK in a ceremony recently held in Dubai.

Al-Mattar said: “This award distinguishes NBK as the leader in Corporate Social Responsibility among the region’s banks. NBK cares about the community in which it operates and this award recognizes its strong commitment to Kuwait and Kuwaiti society.”

Al-Mattar stated that NBK’s CSR contributions exceeded KD 105 million between 1992 and 2010, including its annual contributions to the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences (KFAS) and National Labor Support.

"Being the veteran and premier financial organization in Kuwait and the Middle East, NBK takes its role in the community very seriously and never loses sight of the fact that it constitutes an integral part of the Kuwaiti society as well as its national history", Al-Mattar added. “NBK’s CSR initiatives cover all sectors including recruitment and National Labor Support, healthcare, education, social support, sports, and environment.”

NBK is the highest rated bank in the Middle East by Moody's, Standard & Poor's, and Fitch Ratings. NBK also enjoys the largest presence in Kuwait with 70 branches, as well as a growing regional and international network comprising an additional 107 branches covering 16 countries in both the MENA region and the world’s leading financial centers including London, Paris, New York, Singapore, Geneva, China and Vietnam.