Within Fransabank’s “Go Green “strategy and its Corporate Social Responsibility commitments and initiatives to support Sustainable Energy Financing and to invest in the fields of renewable energy, HE Mr. Adnan Kassar, Chairman of Fransabank Group was awarded “Energy Ambassador of the Year 2016 – Lebanese Company”. The award was presented by EU Ambassador Christina Lassen during the opening ceremony of the International Beirut Energy Forum 2016 which was held on 21 September 2016 in Le Royal Hotel, Dbayeh, under the patronage and in the presence of HE Mr. Arthur Nazarian, Minister of Energy and Water, and in the presence of Lebanese and Arab officials, VIPs, professionals and experts.
In the name of Fransabank family, Kassar thanked the organizers of the forum, stressing that this award reflects Fransabank Group’s strategy in being a pioneer in the field of sustainable energy financing.
Kassar also shed light on the Sustainable Energy Finance initiative which was launched by the group earlier in 2012, saying: "We are exerting today our best efforts to integrate climate change and environmental concerns within our products and services, seeking to conduct our banking operations in a way that minimizes negative environmental footprints."
Kassar stated that Fransabank Group represented the Lebanese banking sector in participating in the COP21 conference in Paris in December 2015, as well as in the UN Global Compact Leaders' Summit in 2013 and 2016, pointing out that serving the society and preserving the environment were what led him in 1999 to launch the Global Compact with the United Nations, UN / ICC global Compact, while, at the time, Chairman of the International Chamber of Commerce, and Mr. Kofi Annan was the UN Secretary General.
Kassar concluded his speech with a message of hope and determination to contribute to the reduction of gas emissions in Lebanon, hence build a better future for the new generations.
The Award Ceremony was preceded by the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Fransabank and the Lebanese American University, laying the foundation stone of a solid partnership, and aiming at launching a cooperation between both parties to combat climate change, create public environmental awareness, as well as Fransabank’s funding of LAU’s sustainable energy projects.
Following the signing ceremony, HE Mr. Mohammad Machnouk, Lebanese Minister of the Environment, praised the initiative which reflects both institutions’ mission to empower Lebanese citizen and build their environmental awareness. LAU Chairman Dr. Joseph Jabra also praised on the behalf the university HE Mr. Adnan Kassar for his continuous efforts, thanking him for his initiative which supports LAU’s strategy to create public environmental awareness of its students, staff and employees to become, in turn, responsible citizens.
A second award was attributed to Fransabank within the closing events of "Beirut International Energy Forum”, on Friday, September 23, 2016. Represented by its General Manager Mr. Nadim Kassar, Fransabank received the “Energy Awareness Award” - the category of Pioneers of Sustainability for the launch of Fransabank’s Eco Business loans which won among the other projects. The award ceremony, held under the patronage and in the presence of HE Mr. Arthur Nazarian, Minister of Energy and Water, was organized by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the IPT Energy Center (IPTEC), which aim through this event to recognize institutions and organizations in both the public and private sectors including businesses, civil society and academic sector for significant contributions to energy sustainability across Lebanon.