Abu Hassan (left) is seen with AMMB head of group corporate communications and marketing and senior vice president Syed Anuar Syed Ali during a media meet-and-greet.
KUCHING: The Financial Industry Collective Outreach (Finco) — Malaysia’s largest collective impact initiative for corporate social responsibility (CSR) — will roll out its life mentor programme in January next year across 10 schools in the state.
This collective impact initiative will pool together 200,000 potential volunteers from all financial institutions in Malaysia, which amounts to 107 including banks, Islamic banks, investment banks, development financial institutions, general insurance, life insurance and takaful companies.
According to Finco board member Abu Hassan Alshari Yahaya, the goal of this programme is to increase the life aspirations of children — especially underprivileged ones — through exposure to global careers and personal development opportunities.
Called Finco Mentor Online, it targets students in Forms 3, 4 and 5 to give them motivation and career ideas for a better future.
“The pool of mentors will interact with these students and give them advice and share with them on many things such as possible career options.
“It is important for them to take charge of their situation instead of waiting for decisions to be made for their future,” he told the media during a meet and greet.
Abu Hassan, who is also Bank Negara Malaysia assistant governor, said it made sense to tap into the vast talent potential of financial institutions, having more than 2,500 branches across the nation with about 200,000 employees in finance and its related industries.
“This is hoped to have a high impact for the younger generation, and we also hope this will help elevate the finance industry in the way they get closer to the community.
“These volunteers could be bank CEOs, employees or even anyone who wish to volunteer to be a mentor.”