100 staff of OCBC Bank (Malaysia) Berhad (OCBC Bank) recently made their way to Kuala Selangor to help conserve the environment by planting 580 mangrove trees at the Kuala Selangor Nature Park.

OCBC Bank (Malaysia) Behad CEO, Dato’ Ong Eng Bin (fourth from right) along with several members of his senior team and the project directors take one for the album after their hard work.

The four-hour go-green initiative, led by the Bank’s CEO Dato’ Ong Eng Bin, saw the bankers planting the mangrove trees at the mangrove forest area of the Park.

Working with the Malaysian Nature Society personnel, the bankers, most of whom are first-timers in mangrove treeplanting, were guided through the proper planting techniques so they did not affect the organisms in the surrounding area or damage the trees in the process.

According to OCBC Bank’s Head of Operations & Technology Mr Lim Yau Seong, who worked alongside his colleagues on the effort, the initiative was part of the Bank’s ongoing sustainability efforts.

“We are always looking for ways to be more rooted in the communities around whom we operate. Having donned the “builders’ hat” for several years now, helping to refurbish schools in various rural and sub-urban communities, we decided to enlarge our involvement to conserving the environment as well. The mangrove tree planting exercise has taught us to better appreciate our environment and sustain it for tomorrow.

“I was pleased to see my colleagues working really hard relentlessly for a straight four hours in an effort we will remember for a long time to come,” he said.

OCBC Bank (Malaysia) Behad CEO, Dato’ Ong Eng Bin carefully removing a mangrove tree sapling from its plastic covering before planting it.

According to the project directors Mr Teoh Wai Kit and Ms Karin Chong, the response from OCBC Bank staff was overwhelming because everyone immediately recognised the long-term benefit of what they were setting out to do.

“It added much more value and meaning to have the mangrove trees planted by the staff themselves. One of the pillars of OCBC Bank’s CSR thrust is caring for the environment. We were aware from the outset that what we set out to do was not really for us but for the generations to come. We are glad to have done our part,” Ms Chong said.

OCBC Bank’s Head of Operations & Technology Mr Lim Yau Seong (left, quoted in the Press Release) worked alongside his division colleagues to moot the idea of the mangrove tree-planting activity before doing his part on the actual day as well.