Mashreq Expands Global Mountain Clean-Up and Initiates Environmental Efforts on Pakistan's Iconic K2 and Broad Peak

• Mashreq pledges to scale and clean up seven mountain peaks and seven base camps
• The Pakistan expedition builds on the achievements of previous phases، including the recent  clean-up of five of Nepal's highest peaks and one base camp.
• The initiative aims to foster environmental awareness among individuals and catalyze action towards mitigating climate change

Mashreq، a leading financial institution in the MENA region، has announced the commencement of its mountain clean-up mission in Pakistan، as part of Climb2Change، a global initiative integrating the bank’s comprehensive Environmental، Social، and Governance (ESG) efforts and milestones. Through the initiative، Mashreq has undertaken a mission to scale and clean up 14 of the world’s mightiest mountains، with the aim of reaching 7 peaks and the base camps of the remaining 7 mountains. The expedition in Pakistan، spanning from June to August 2024، will witness renowned climbers، Maria Conceicao and Naila Kiani، actively engage in cleaning up two prominent peaks، K2 and Broad Peak (K3)، and the base camps at Goro2 and Concordia.

Fostering sustainable culture

In line with Mashreq's dedication to fostering a sustainable culture، Mashreq Pakistan employees will participate in on-the-ground clean-up and environmental initiatives. This hands-on engagement allows the employees to actively contribute to positive change within their communities.

The clean-up expedition in Pakistan builds on the success of the initial two phases in Nepal، where five of the highest peaks and one base camp were scaled and cleaned. The expeditions، so far، have resulted in removal of high-altitude waste and promotion of environmental conservation through public education.

Ahmed Abdelaal، Group CEO of Mashreq said، “We are proud to advance our global initiative، Climb2Change، with the expansion of our mountain clean-up expedition to Pakistan، home to some of the world’s highest peaks. Tackling the challenges of waste accumulation and ecological imbalance، our mission is to inspire positive change by summiting and cleaning these iconic peaks in the Karakoram range. This effort is a collaborative endeavor with renowned climbers، local communities، and our employees.”

He continued، “Conquering five of the highest peaks and a base camp in Nepal underscored the resilience of the human spirit، leaving these natural wonders cleaner than before. However، our mission extends beyond mere clean-ups; we hope to inspire individuals، communities، and organizations worldwide to join us and start their own Climb2Change.”

Commenting on the initiative، Maria Conceicao said، "I am excited to join Mashreq’s global initiative، Climb2Change، and contribute to the preservation of some of the world’s most iconic mountains and natural heritage in Pakistan. From my journey as an orphaned child to becoming the first Portuguese woman to summit Mount Everest، holding 10 Guinness World Records in sports، and as a philanthropist developing education initiatives that transform the lives of underprivileged children، this mission aligns perfectly with my life’s work. And we really hope to raise awareness as well as inspire others to take actions to protect our planet for future generations.”