Absa Bank reinforces commitment to diversity, inclusion as it celebrates International Women’s Day

The celebrations centred around the theme #AccelerateAction, provided an opportunity for the bank to reflect on the milestones achieved in fostering an inclusive environment where female colleagues can thrive.

Over the years, the bank has been a trailblazer in setting the standards for an inclusive working environment. Currently, the bank boasts a 51% female workforce, with 47% in senior leadership and at the board level.

Joining the female colleagues for the celebrations, the Absa Bank Kenya Managing Director & CEO Abdi Mohamed expressed his support for ensuring gender diversity in the workplace, urging everyone to embrace the call, as it is not just a leadership mandate.

“When I reflect on this gender agenda journey, I am confident that we are on the right track towards achieving gender parity. Recently, we appointed four women to our senior leadership team, and we aim to increase female representation at the board level in the near future which will likely lead us to a 50-50 representation on the board,” said Abdi.

“While I am pleased with the progress made, there is still more to be done to ensure gender equality, as we have many highly qualified women professionals in Kenya. With modernity and the available resources, we must accelerate action to achieve the 50-50 balance,”

The chief guest, Lady Justice Joyce Aluoch, while encouraging the women, shared her journey of how she accelerated action to bring about change in Kenyan laws, ensuring that women also got basic allowances such as housing allowances that they previously did not receive due to gender inequality.

“In all that you do and wherever you may be, there is always an opportunity for you to make a difference. I made a difference as a young Kenyan magistrate, and you can too, in whatever capacity you find yourself. Accelerating action merely requires us to take that first bold step,” said Lady Justice Aluoch.

The Chief People Officer, Mumbi Kahindo, reaffirmed her commitment to championing the rights of female colleagues and ensuring gender diversity and equity in the workplace during her remarks.

“We recognise that gender is just one part of the diversity and inclusion conversation that we need to have. We have other components that also need attention, which we are working to address,” said Mumbi.

Absa Bank has made significant progress in ensuring gender parity by recently appointing Mwihaki Wachira as the Director of Marketing and Corporate Affairs, Elizabeth Munga as the Head of Strategy, Sophia Abdi Hassan as the County Treasurer, and Anne Nyongesa as the Company Secretary.

The bank has approached equality not as a lofty future aspiration but as an economic and social imperative. The bank believes that where women are empowered, businesses thrive, economies grow, and societies prosper.

The bank focuses on empowering women entrepreneurs, ensuring gender parity in leadership, and driving conversations about financial inclusion.