• July 12, 2022
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Improving Diversity, Equity and Inclusion: How KBZ Bank Strives for an Inclusive Workplace through Partnerships

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Improving Diversity, Equity and Inclusion: How KBZ Bank Strives for an Inclusive Workplace Through Partnerships

Creating an inclusive society and workplace has always been in KBZ Bank’s DNA from the beginning. Understanding the impact of diversity and inclusion, the bank actively promoted conversations and practices around gender equality, women empowerment, diversity, and inclusion through various activities in partnership with many key players locally and internationally.

Key Partnership in Workplace Gender Equality and Diversity & Inclusion

As one of the founding members of the Business Coalition for Gender Equality (BCGE), KBZ Bank benefitted from BCGE’s services to improve our workplace gender equity (WGE) practices within the organization. BCGE’s guidance and expertise play a vital role in the bank’s Workplace Gender Equality agenda. To date, BCGE gave 98 hours of training and workshops to the bank’s members of senior management, team leaders, and employees. These trainings played a major role in improving our teams’ understanding and awareness of workplace gender equality and D&I. 

Some of these include:  

  • “Gender, Diversity and Inclusion TOT” provided a better conceptual understanding of gender, diversity and inclusion to adapt GDI in organisation’s practices to encourage improving gender balance in daily operations by equipping in-house learning and development trainers. 

  • “Sensitivity in the Workplace: A Workplace for All training” provided a better understanding of individual diversity through broader principles of diversity and inclusion, equality, norms, stereotypes, biases, bullying, harassment, and cultural sensitivity, together with practical tips for top management, HR practitioners and employees for their participation in the journey of inclusivity. 

Achievements and Recognitions for WGE and D&I

KBZ Bank has implemented policies in place to foster a safe, respectful, and supportive working environment for everyone. BCGE has provided a big hand in developing and improving some of those.

  • The Bank’s Code of Conduct sets out the principles and standards of behaviour that we expect of everyone who works for KBZ Bank. 

  • The Bank’s Whistleblowing policy plays an important aspect of accountability and transparency as a mechanism to enable stakeholders, including employees, vendors, contractors, service providers, and customers to voice concerns in a responsible and effective manner, while assuring their confidentiality when they do so.

  • All employees have protected against any discrimination with these policies: the Professional Behaviour policy, and the Non-Discrimination Policy. KBZ Bank does not tolerate any form of unacceptable workplace behaviours such as bullying/harassment, discrimination, violence, sexual harassment, vilification, and victimization.

“Working as a mother with a child can be challenging. However, we need to balance work and family life. But we, women, need to show that we can do the same with men. We believe that the goal of success can be achieved if all men and women work together ​​regardless of their gender, whether at work or at home.” – Daw Thida Aye Mon, Deputy Chief Executive Officer (Mothers at work)

In addition to implementing policies that prohibit discrimination, the bank nurtures a culture of equal employment opportunity based on competence, performance, and expertise. KBZ Bank is committed to hiring and retaining a diverse workforce and creating an inclusive workplace. We make all aspects of personnel decisions based on qualification, performance, and business needs.

With at least 56% of KBZ Bank’s employees and 64% of the leadership team made up of women, KBZ Bank’s commitment to gender equality is clear. They have and will continue to create opportunities for all genders to lead with practices that are inclusive of various experiences and backgrounds which help them understand better when responding to the needs of their customers. 

“Love what you do and do what you love. Doing something new and different requires a level of drive and passion that is really hard to fake. When your heart is behind what you are doing, so much is possible. Our bank promotes a culture where employees know they are appreciated based on their talent and performance, regardless of gender, by giving equal opportunities for promotions, career progression, and equal consideration of needs.” – Daw Moet Moet Ei Aung, Head of Software and Data Analytics (Women in Tech)