Page 43 - IBT December 2020
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payment holiday was announced,   100-bed treatment facility setup in   LEADING THE WAY   was completed digitally through   include innovative supply chain   closely with areas where they have
 Standard Chartered announced a   Chittagong by Bidyanondo   Contour’s network.  finance solutions, expanding   Through these   business expertise such as trade,
 broad range of support measures   Foundation.   FORWARD   •  In partnership with bKash and   tailormade digital solutions for the   solutions, clients   infrastructure, energy and access to
 for its retail customers and   The bank also supported an   After the pandemic is over, the   Valyou, Malaysia’s leading   bank’s corporate and institutional   will enjoy:  finance. The bank is committed to
 businesses, including loan   assistance programme targeting   world, as well as the banking   digital remittance provider, the   clients, and strengthening its digital   using their core business of banking
 repayment holidays, fee waivers   semi-urban and rural communities   industry, will likely be different.   bank announced the launch of   retail offerings.   Increased efficiency –   to promote social and economic
                                                            improved process for
 or cancellations and loan   through partnership with Kumidini   Banks have to be nimble,   the first blockchain-based   •  Standard Chartered Bangladesh has   payments and   development in the countries where
 extension facilities. In March   Welfare Trust. The scheme delivered   accelerate digitalization and bring   cross-border remittance service   gone live with the first API Banking   collections, contributing   they operate. They provide products
 2020, the Group initiated a US$1   essential items to 9000 distressed   in innovations so that clients can   in Bangladesh, facilitating   (Application Programming Interface)   to greater working   and services to individuals and
 billion global financing program   families in Mirzapur, Tangail,   avail services on their own. More   instant transfers from Malaysia.   client. Through API Banking the   capital efficiency and   companies to drive local, regional
                                                            faster release of
 for companies that provide goods   supporting 45,000 individuals with   than half of Standard Chartered   The service is powered by   bank’s clients’ digital platform will   services to customers  and global economic development
 and services to help the fight   1,350,000 meals. There was another   Bangladesh's retail customers are   innovative blockchain   be able to interact directly with the   and job creation.
 against COVID-19. Specific   partnership with Bidyanondo   already transacting online. The   technology from Ant Group Co.,   bank’s systems, without the need   Seamless integration –   From 2000-2015, Standard
 measures in Bangladesh include:  Foundation through which 50,000   percentage is even higher in the   Ltd. (“Ant Group”). Through this   for additional investments.   easy connection and   Chartered drew upon the priorities of
                                                            exchange of data using
 Small & Medium   individuals from 10,000 distressed   case of corporate banking segment.   service, the Bangladeshi   Customers will now have powerful   a plug and play model   the MDGs to inform their
 Enterprise/Business Banking   families were supported with   The pandemic has induced a   diaspora in Malaysia can send   set of banking tools at their beck   which reduces the need   sustainability and community
 Clients: Three-month payment   2,100,000 meals and essential   change in behaviour among all   wage remittance via Valyou to a   and call, ready to deliver at a   for complex integration  strategies. Similarly, they are
 holiday for business-owners,   supplies for two weeks.   categories of end-users, be it   beneficiary in Bangladesh who   moment’s notice.   Improved visibility –   drawing upon the priorities set out
 Extension of Trade Facilities of up   The bank has partnered with   individuals and corporates, in   is a bKash wallet user. The   •  They onboarded their first S2B Pay   real time notification of   in the SDGs as they refresh their
 to 60 days for Business Banking   Obhizatrik Foundation to distribute   terms of how digital channels are   service was developed based on   client, a complete digital collections   credits and debits in to   sustainability and community
 Working Capital clients,   fresh food packages consisting of   viewed. While greater use of online   collaboration among Standard   solution. S2B Pay is an agile   the account  investment strategies. To support
 Temporary overdraft or   organic fruits and vegetables to   payments and online services came   Chartered, Ant Group, bKash   one-stop payment platform enabling   Better risk   the global launch of the SDGs in
 incremental short-term liquidity   serve the immediate needs of   as a necessity during the lockdown   and Valyou to cater to the   customers to complete their   management and   September 2015, they were a part of
 facility, Limits Top Up for Loan   distressed communities in Dhaka   period, these changes in behaviour   Bangladeshi diaspora based in   collections through various online   control – reduced   the Global Goals campaign
 against Property Clients   and Chittagong. The produce is   will likely not reverse.  Malaysia. The service will   and digital channels including   manual reconciliation   supported by the UN and led by an
                                                            and data aggregation
 Corporate clients: Payment   sourced directly from 200 rural   streamline the remittance   webstores, mobile apps, QR codes   which leads to reduced   external organization, Project
 holidays for 30 days. Additional   smallholder firms, sustaining   INNOVATING   process, radically improving the   and email links. Clients will no   error  Everyone, to raise awareness of the
 need-based payment flexibilities   employment for around 2000   WITH CHANGING   speed of delivery, improving   longer require multiple technical   Cost reduction – direct   SDGs.
 were offered to the bank’s   workers.  information security and   connections, open multiple accounts,   access to information   Building the financial capability of
 corporate clients  Depressed economic activity as a   TIMES   enhancing transparency of the   negotiate multiple contracts or   eliminates redundant   the youth, micro and small
 Waiver of penal interest and   result of the pandemic continues to   process.  undertake due diligence on multiple   and complex ERP   entrepreneurs in the ecosystem is
 late payment charges for the   put distressed communities in a   partners, resulting in operational   setups for the client  one of the key areas of focus in the
 eligible clients   twin jeopardy, where they have to   efficiencies and cost savings, in   Optimised cash flows   bank’s community engagement
 Waiver of Credit Card late   face the threat of a pandemic while   addition to the general efficiencies of   – reduce cash   strategy. Enabling entrepreneurs
 payment fee  their livelihoods remain uncertain.   a fully automated solution.   conversion cycles with   working towards SDGs also aligns to
 Thought leadership: SME Credit   support, supporting life-saving   communication of protection   Informal and casually employed   Enabling key pillars of   automated transaction   their goal of working collaboratively
                                                            application and
 Guarantee Scheme proposed to   medical services, supporting the   measures, provision of personal   workers are particularly vulnerable.   Bangladesh’s economy –   Supporting the nation’s   electronic invoicing  to achieve sustainability goals.
 government  healthcare workers fighting on   protection equipment (PPE) for staff   Through this partnership, the bank   exports and remittance –   journey towards a   The bank’s community initiatives
 In order to provide sustainable   the frontlines and supporting   and volunteers, and the distribution of   hopes to build a sustainable linkage   with pioneering   cash-less society by   currently focus on employability,
 support to the SME sector, the   longer-term recovery through   food and care packages for those   between vulnerable individuals with   blockchain solutions    building a   major UK-based retailers with   education and entrepreneurship.
 bank actively advocated the   education and reskilling   impacted by COVID-19.   diminished purchasing power and   No two sectors have contributed   comprehensive digital   Supporting the RMG sector   extensive supply-chain presence in   Over the last two decades, Standard
 introduction of a Credit Guarantee   initiatives.   They worked with BRAC, the world’s   smallholder farmers facing a dearth   more to the inspirational growth   ecosystem for the bank’s   with innovative   Asia, involved a combination of   Chartered has delivered programmes
 Scheme for the central bank. The   Standard Chartered Bangladesh   largest NGO, to deliver support   of demand for their produce.  story of Bangladesh as have RMG   clients  cross-border digital Supplier   Documentary Collections and   that focused on economic
 scheme, which has now been   has contributed BDT Tk 11.1 crore   packages to 25,000 people from 5000   As the fight against COVID-19   exports and remittance. As both   Standard Chartered has been a   Financing (Vendor PrePay)   Supplier Financing products, and   empowerment of marginalized
 introduced, will help the entire   (USD 1.3 million) to UNICEF   low-income families, residing in areas   draws out, Standard Chartered   these sectors grapple with the   partner in the progress of   platform  their local suppliers, has already been   communities; bridging the gender
 banking sector to provide greater   programmes that supported   locked down to contain the COVID-19   Bangladesh is continuing to   realities of the new normal,   Bangladesh throughout its journey,   The RMG sector is a critical engine of   completed.  gap; improving access to health,
 A BEACON OF HOPE  support to SME sector, which   remote education and child   outbreak. The packages, containing   leverage the power of partnerships   harnessing the power of digital   and the bank’s objectives have   Bangladesh’s economy, contributing   education, financial literacy;
 The COVID-19 challenge is both a marathon   represents almost two-thirds of   protection measures, including   staples and non-perishable food items   to help communities rise above this   technologies to aid their continued   always been intrinsically aligned   employment and earning vital foreign   SUPPORTING AND   supporting agricultural innovation;
 and a sprint – Standard Chartered is focused   our GDP.   alternative care arrangements and   and hygiene products, were delivered   global humanitarian crisis.   growth has never been more vital.   with the growth priorities of the   currency for the burgeoning economy.   SUSTAINING SDGS  promoting sports, arts and culture
 on enabling long-term economic recovery   family tracing services for   to the doorsteps of the impacted   Standard Chartered Bank has also   •  Standard Chartered Bangladesh   nation. As Bangladesh continues   Through the Vendor PrePay platform,   This is an area where banks such as   as drivers of positive social
 while also addressing the immediate need to   CARING FOR   children separated from their   households.   partnered with BRAC and Jaago   successfully executed the   its march towards middle-income   the bank is helping domestic firms   Standard Chartered can contribute. At   transformation; raising awareness
 save and sustain lives.  CUSTOMERS AND   families due to COVID-19. The   In partnership with Sajida Foundation,   Foundation, to enable the bank’s   country’s first trade blockchain   status, the country will need to   seamlessly integrate with the digital   Standard Chartered, they are able to   about climate change and
 To meet the immediate, short-term challenges,   bank contributed Tk 2.5 crore   the bank has supported a total of 260   credit card holders to donate   transaction by issuing a Letter   transition from a cash-based   supply chains of global players. The   support this development agenda and   environment.
 Standard Chartered is working with   COMMUNITY   (USD 300,000) to the Red Cross   severely-affected COVID-19 patients for   directly through their respective   of Credit (LC) for Viyellatex Ltd   society to a cashless one. Over the   Vendor Prepay Program is not only   draw upon their deep networks and   This is the story of Standard
 development sector partners to deliver aid and   The bank is currently focusing its   for the provision of urgent   two weeks or more for each patient at   websites. Through this partnership,   over the Contour blockchain   last year, the bank has launched a   providing their suppliers with cheaper   financial expertise to support the   Chartered, a story that started in
 essentials to the communities hit hard by the   community support measures in   medical support. Red Cross   Narayanganj, which is a COVID-19   Standard Chartered Bangladesh will   network. The solutions will help   set of technological platforms that   funding compared to local options   aspirations of the SDGs and promote   Bangladesh 115 years ago. This is a
 pandemic and supporting frontline health   four key areas: immediate   supports activities such as the   epicenter. 300 more critically-ill   add 5% donation, on top of the   make LC transactions paperless,   will be able to serve the needs of   available, but is also enabling clients   sustainable economic development   bank whose legacy is engrained in the
 services. They are also helping businesses   assistance in the form of   provision of primary and   COVID-19 patients have been   donation from the bank’s clients (up   real-time, low-cost, faster and   the cashless society of the near   transition to more resource-efficient   across their markets.  very fabric of the nation, a bank we
 weather the storm. Even before the regulatory   life-sustaining food and hygiene   secondary health care,   supported over three months at a   to BDT 1000 per transaction).  error-free. The entire transaction   future. These bespoke solutions   import models. Integration with two   The priorities of the SDGs align   can count on to be here for good.

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