When CSR Becomes a Driving Force for Business Development: Lala Bakhshetsyan

ArmInfo.Summary of IDBank’s Corporate Social Responsibility Programs IDGroup concludes 2025 as an organization with a well-established culture of responsible business. Corporate social responsibility (CSR) has long ceased to be a voluntary initiative for the company; it has become a strategic direction on which long-term goals and partnership relationships are built.

According to IDGroup shareholder Lala Bakhshetsyan, CSR is now an integral part of the company’s overall strategy and is deeply embedded in the mindset of every employee. The programs implemented in 2025 demonstrate that CSR not only generates meaningful social impact but also actively contributes to the sustainable development and long-term growth of the business.

CSR Strategy with a Wide Scope of Impact

In 2025, IDGroup implemented a comprehensive CSR strategy focused on the development of financial education and digital literacy, support for regions and SMEs, inclusiveness, addressing social challenges, environmental protection, and employee well-being. The selected priorities stem from the company’s corporate values and are designed to respond to both the current and future needs of society.

The initiatives that delivered the greatest impact during the year were “The Power of One Dram,” “Side by Side,” and “Financially Literate with Idram and IDBank.”

“The Power of One Dram” – an example of joint impact

In 2025, IDBank and Idram financed 12 social programs within the framework of “The Power of One Dram” initiative, with a total volume of more than 60 million drams, and the 5-year amount of the Power of One Dram already exceeds 260 million. The programs implemented in 2025 covered the areas of education, information technologies, inclusive environment, environmental protection, financial literacy, as well as support for war participants and vulnerable groups. Compared to the previous year, the number of user payments increased by more than 20%.

Knowledge Is the Foundation of a Sustainable Future

Financial education and digital literacy are key pillars of IDGroup’s CSR policy. In 2025, the “Financially Literate with Idram and IDBank” campaign reached around 1,500 participants through 25 seminars and webinars. The events were held across all regions of Armenia in cooperation with schools, camps, and educational institutions.

The campaign contributed not only to the development of essential financial skills, but also to raising awareness of fraud prevention. A special role in promoting children’s financial literacy is played by the Junius financial literacy game available in the Idram Junior application: every month, children receive prizes for playing, learning, and strengthening their financial knowledge.

Strong communities, sustainable economy

IDGroup emphasizes the balanced economic development of regions and the empowerment of SMEs. By 2025, the possibility of paying with Idram QR has crossed the threshold of 26,000 points of sale. It is gratifying that 40% of this number is located in the regions. During the year, IDBank expanded its branch network, ensuring a presence in a number of regions, and online banking services are available throughout the republic.

Among the important achievements of the year are Idram’s strategic partnerships with Bybit and Alipay, which enabled tourists in Armenia to make QR payments, contributing to the activation of the trade and hospitality sectors, especially in the regions.

Equal Opportunities for All

Inclusivity is a core value of IDGroup. In 2025, employee training programs and investments of approximately 15 million drams were directed toward the development of an inclusive environment through partnerships with the NGOs “QaylTech,” “Heroes Rehabilitation City,” and “Bridge of Hope.” The impact of these initiatives reached 513 beneficiaries.

Social Support with a People-Centered Approach

In 2025, four initiatives were implemented within the framework of IDBank’s “Side by Side” program, aimed at improving the quality of life of displaced people from Artsakh. The programs included vocational education for Artsakh women, financial literacy courses for schoolchildren, the establishment of a kindergarten in the Syunik region, and scholarship support for Artsakh students. Total investments amounted to tens of millions of drams, contributing to the stabilization of livelihoods and increased self-sufficiency of beneficiaries.

Responsibility Towards Nature

In 2025, IDGroup invested more than 10.4 million AMD in environmental protection initiatives. In previous years, IDGroup companies have planted over 30,000 trees within Armenia’s forest fund. As part of the “Symphonic Forest” project implemented in 2025, it is planned to plant approximately 7,000 additional trees, as well as another 5,555 trees within the framework of a joint initiative carried out together with the Union of Banks of Armenia and all banks operating in the Republic of Armenia. In this context, it is also important to highlight that the development of digital banking and online transactions has significantly reduced the consumption of paper and plastic, contributing to a lower environmental footprint.

Employees at the Heart of the Organization

IDGroup considers its employees its core value. The company implements an equal opportunities personnel policy, offers a wide range of benefits, and provides continuous professional development programs. As a result of IDBank’s IDream educational program, 34 out of 47 graduates joined the bank’s team in 2025.

With New Goals, Towards 2026

In 2026, IDGroup will continue to deepen its CSR policy and expand its impact, focusing on financial and digital literacy, regional development, inclusiveness, green initiatives, and employee well-being, with the aim of contributing to the formation of a more inclusive, educated, and sustainable society.