CfC Stanbic Bank has launched a programme meant to sensitize small business owners on business continuity management skills.
In partnership with the Pan African Business Coalition, the bank has rolled out the BizAIDS program, a globally led initiative that educates business owners on the management of health and legal risks to owner managed enterprises.
The training programme focuses on HIV/AIDs, tuberculosis (TB) and Malaria, and is structured to benefit the needs of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Kenya by sensitizing them on the health, business and legal risks that adversely affect small businesses.
Elly Odhong, the Head of Personal and Business Banking at CfC Stanbic Bank said while the bank has continued to play a focal role in supporting the growth of SMEs through a wide array of banking products and services, the premise that the success of an SME is pegged on the physical well being of the entrepreneur also holds true.
“Health and legal risks in business are often ignored yet the impact of these risks can easily hurt the economy of the country if they are not addressed, owing to the fact that the SME sector employs over 60% of the work force in Kenya,” said Mr. Odhong, adding that the cost of preventing these risks is much lower than those incurred from corrective measures.
Mr. Odhong said that the success of an owner managed enterprise not only hinges on the business aptitude and passion of the entrepreneur but on the health of the owner as well.
“As a bank, we recognize the need for this balance and seek to provide business continuity management skills to business owners for sustainable economic growth,” said Mr Odhong.
Joe Githinji, senior training coordinator with the Kenya HIV Business Council, said that the training they expose the SMEs to is based on intensive research and interaction with different businesses across many markets.
“This program has been tested in many markets and it has greatly helped SMEs cope with various risks that affect their businesses. We want to use these successes to help SMEs in Kenya build strong business that, can withstand risk challenges in any business environment,” said Githinji.
The bank is running its fourth training in Nakuru following similar workshops in Mombasa, Kisumu and Nairobi.
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