About Bank of Palestine

Established in 1960, Bank of Palestine has successfully expanded its presence and operations throughout the country, with a current network of 50 branches. The bank has a market share of 23 percent of deposits and loans in Palestine. The bank’s paid-up capital is US$150 million, and it has assets of more than US$2.35 billion. It has been listed on the Palestine Exchange (PEX: BOP) since 2005, and is among the market’s blue chip stocks, representing more than 15 percent of PEX’s market capitalization.

Operating as a universal bank, Bank of Palestine is engaged in retail, corporate, small and medium enterprise (SME), micro enterprise, and diaspora banking operations. The bank offers a wide range of products and services.

Bank of Palestine is committed to economic development on a community level and has been a leader in corporate social responsibility in Palestine, dedicating 5 percent of its net profit to youth, education, health, women’s empowerment, sports, arts and culture, economic and diaspora affairs, and social and humanitarian efforts.

The Program

In January 2014 Bank of Palestine announced an agreement with the IFC to develop new products and services that cater to the financial needs of smaller firms, with a focus on female entrepreneurs. This builds on the bank’s work to ensure that women in Palestine have access to financial services, including modified loan products and a workaround that enables them to open bank accounts on behalf of their children. Bank of Palestine’s Women’s Market program, Felestineya, launched in March of 2015.

The bank has made significant strides with its diversity and inclusion agenda, increasing its percent of women employees from 16 percent to 26 percent of its more than 1,200 total employees over the past 8 years, as well as ensuring gender parity in terms of benefits and compensation levels. Several of its CSR activities have focused on women, including a national breast cancer awareness campaign in 2013 that resulted in the screening of hundreds of women. The bank has also worked with local NGOs to host several women-focused events and workshops at its branch training halls across the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.