In the world of financial services, true leadership is not measured solely by the size of a balance sheet or the breadth of a branch network. It is found in the quiet but consistent ways an organisation invests in people, shares knowledge, and builds resilience across communities. Hong Leong Bank (HLB) has long recognised this truth, weaving financial literacy and inclusivity into the very fabric of its identity.

A Foundation of Trust

What began as a commitment to professional excellence, with a team of CFP professionals ensuring advice is sound, practical, and future-focused, has grown into a nationwide movement that touches lives at every stage. Financial planning here is not just about products, but about people: children discovering the value of money, young adults learning to budget, parents safeguarding their families, and vulnerable communities finding strength in knowledge. That belief in people became the spark for broader innovation.

Knowledge in the Digital Age

Digital platforms soon emerged as powerful classrooms. Market Matters with HLB on YouTube, the interactive financial literacy programme HLB DuitSmart, and social media campaigns all turned financial education into engaging and accessible experiences for Malaysians of all walks of life. For schoolchildren, the financial literacy modules, in addition to the bank’s digital and cashless initiative at school, the HLB@School programme, nurture good money habits early, showing that financial confidence can start in the classroom. Formats ranging from short videos to audio stories designed for the visually impaired made one truth clear: financial education has no barriers and belongs to everyone. But the journey did not stop online.

Learning Beyond the Screen

Real impact happens when knowledge is applied. DuitSmart workshops were tailored to the audience’s language, age, and needs. A child learns to distinguish between needs and wants, a university graduate builds an emergency fund, and a community group gains tools to guard against scams. These lessons, grounded in everyday realities, turn concepts into practical skills and spark collective empowerment. Across Malaysia, workshops and symposiums became spaces for dialogue. Tens of thousands have benefited from DuitSmart sessions, while events like the Wealth Symposium: Fresh Takes 2024 sparked new conversations on wealth-building. These are not just events; they are moments of empowerment where financial planning becomes part of national dialogue.

Reaching the Vulnerable

The commitment to inclusivity shines in outreach to overlooked groups. Art for Awareness with the National Autism Research Centre celebrated autistic artists, raising funds through calendars that now brighten offices and homes. Disaster relief, festive meals, and Jumpstart CSR Workshops for social enterprises sent the same message: financial empowerment is most meaningful when it reaches those who need it most.

Innovation with Purpose

Every idea is guided by human need. The launch of HLB Paywatch, Malaysia’s first bank-backed Earned Wage Access solution, gave employees early access to wages, offering a dignified alternative to predatory lending. Virtual DuitSmart workshops, enriched with simulations and interactive tools, extended financial literacy into homes. Innovation here became a bridge, not a barrier.

Stronger Together

Collaboration multiplied impact. A partnership with FINCO trained teachers as financial literacy role models. At Yayasan Chow Kit, children gained scam awareness and money management skills. With Smart Reader Kids, a Malaysia Book of Records milestone was set when nearly 1,800 children graduated from a financial literacy programme. These collective efforts demonstrated that progress is never built alone and thrives through shared purpose. At the centre of this purpose stood the Bank’s very own people.

People as Champions

Employees became the heartbeat of every initiative. Hundreds volunteered for DuitSmart workshops, entering classrooms and community halls with passion to share and inspire. Many trained as DuitSmart Ambassadors, turning corporate programmes into meaningful connections. Their efforts built a culture where financial education is lived and shared.

A Future Shared

Financial education, through all these efforts, has become more than a project. It lives in the voice guiding a child’s first money lesson, the article shielding a family from scams, the workshop inspiring an entrepreneur’s dream, and the painting by an autistic artist carrying hope. This is a story where vision meets action, innovation meets compassion, and knowledge creates stronger financial futures for all Malaysians.