Standard Chartered celebrates World Sight Day

Fundraising events kick off globally as part of the Bank's commitment to raise US$100 million for Seeing is Believing by 2020

13 October 2011 - In celebration of World Sight Day, Standard Chartered is hosting fundraising events across its 70 markets this week as part of a commitment to raise US$100 million for Seeing is Believing – its partnership with leading eye-care NGOs to help eliminate avoidable blindness. The Bank will match every dollar raised. In the UAE, the Bank is encouraging 500 staff to participate in the three kilometre run at the Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon on January 27, 2012, As well as profiling Seeing is Believing in a huge public even, funds will be raised shirt sales and donations.

Elsewhere in the MENA region, the Jordanian Ministry of Health and the International Agency for Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) recently signed an agreement to tackle retinopathy project caused by diabetes in the governorate of Irbid with a project funded and supported by Standard Chartered Bank. In Bahrain the bank will introduce a free eye and heath check up for all staff at the Manama branch and 'back to school' support for visually impaired students at the Bahrain Friendship Society. Standard Chartered employees will play football with visually impaired students from the Saudi Bahrain Institution for the Blind, to provide some fun and raise awareness about the capabilities of these individuals. The Bank also actively raises funds on a regular basis across the region to support this cause of eliminating preventable blindness by the year 2020.

Standard Chartered announced last month at the 2011 Clinton Global Initiative Annual Meeting that it will raise a further US$63 million to build sustainable eye-care services across Asia, Africa and the Middle East, almost trebling its fundraising for the prevention of blindness from 2003 to date. By 2020, the Bank aims to have raised US$100 million for Seeing is Believing.

Since 2003, Seeing is Believing has impacted 25 million people globally, helped fund 2.78 million sight-saving cataract operations and facilitated the distribution of medicine to treat Vitamin A deficiency and river blindness for 3.37 million people. This is a testament to the Bank's successful long-term partnership with the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness. The next round of funding will enable NGOs the time to develop projects that will benefit communities for the long-term.

For further information, please contact:

Nimmi Kamal
Head Corporate Affairs Bahrain, Standard Chartered Bank
Tel: +973 3977 0760
E-mail: Nimmi.Kamal@sc.com

Standard Chartered - leading the way in Asia, Africa and the Middle East

Standard Chartered PLC is a leading international bank, listed on the London, Hong Kong and Mumbai stock exchanges. It has operated for over 150 years in some of the world's most dynamic markets and earns around 90 per cent of its income and profits in Asia, Africa and the Middle East. This geographic focus and commitment to developing deep relationships with clients and customers has driven the Bank's growth in recent years.

With 1,700 offices in 70 markets, Standard Chartered offers exciting and challenging international career opportunities for more than 80,000 staff. It is committed to building a sustainable business over the long term and is trusted worldwide for upholding high standards of corporate governance, social responsibility, environmental protection and employee diversity. The Bank's heritage and values are expressed in its brand promise, 'Here for good'.

For more information on Standard Chartered, please visit: www.standardchartered.com

Seeing is Believing

Seeing is Believing is a global initiative to help tackle avoidable blindness, and is a collaboration between Standard Chartered and the International Agency for Prevention of Blindness (IAPB). IAPB is the leading umbrella organisation for non-governmental organisations working in the field of eye care. Together with the World Health Organisation, it launched the 'Vision 2020 – The Right to Sight', a global campaign to eliminate avoidable blindness by 2020. Seeing is Believing is the single largest contributor to the development of Vision 2020 programmes through IAPB.

For more information, please visit: www.seeingisbelieving.org