5 Ways EBC and United to Beat Malaria Are Investing in a Malaria-Free Future

At EBC Financial Group, we are always looking beyond market trends to understand the broader systems shaping our world. This World Environment Day, while the spotlight was on plastic pollution, we chose to highlight an overlooked consequence: the rise of malaria linked to environmental degradation. Through our ongoing partnership with the United Nations Foundation's United to Beat Malaria campaign, we are deepening our efforts to address the shared roots of ecological damage, disease, and economic inequality — because the future of public health depends on more than medicine alone.

1. Linking Environmental Harm to Malaria's Spread

On 05 June 2025, World Environment Day focused on ending plastic pollution. EBC Financial Group (EBC) took this moment to highlight a less obvious consequence: how environmental damage fuels the spread of malaria. Through our partnership with the United Nations Foundation's United to Beat Malaria campaign, now in its second year, we emphasise that malaria is not just a health problem. It is deeply intertwined with environmental degradation, economic inequality, and climate change.

2. Plastic Pollution Creates Mosquito Havens

Plastic waste does more than clutter landscapes. It forms stagnant water pools that provide ideal breeding grounds for mosquitoes. Combined with rising global temperatures and deforestation, these conditions allow malaria to spread into new regions. In Colombia and the Amazon basin, deforestation has increased exposure among rural and Indigenous communities. Bangladesh faces worsening outbreaks as plastic-clogged waterways worsen flooding. Even southern Europe has recorded isolated malaria cases as climate change alters mosquito survival.

3. Economic Impact of Malaria in Vulnerable Regions

Malaria's consequences extend beyond health. In sub-Saharan Africa, it is responsible for an annual loss of approximately 1.3% of GDP. The disease causes up to half a billion lost workdays and $12 billion in lost productivity each year. Children, working-age adults, and low-income communities bear the brunt of these losses, reinforcing cycles of poverty and underdevelopment.

4. Mobilising Our Workforce for Awareness and Action

In 2025, EBC renewed our commitment by becoming an official corporate sponsor of the Move Against Malaria 5K. Between 25 April and 10 May, over 200 employees from offices in the UK, Africa, Asia, and Latin America participated. The event was more than fundraising — it embedded advocacy in our corporate culture, demonstrating that financial institutions can play an active role in social and environmental challenges.

David Barrett, CEO of EBC Financial Group (UK) Ltd, said, "We often view malaria as a medical issue but it is also an ecological one. Plastic waste, deforestation, and warming temperatures all create the perfect storm for mosquitoes to thrive. Through our partnership with United to Beat Malaria, we're investing in scalable, frontline interventions that protect both people and ecosystems."

5. Engaging Policymakers and Funding Life-Saving Tools

In March 2025, David Barrett and Samuel Hertz, EBC's Director of Operations, joined over 120 advocates and policymakers at the United to Beat Malaria Annual Leadership Summit in Washington, D.C. There, they urged sustained global investment in key programmes like the President's Malaria Initiative, The Global Fund, and UN-led interventions.

"Finance can be a force for regeneration," Barrett added. "That's why we're supporting community-led health interventions, amplifying awareness, and backing solutions that address the root causes not just the symptoms of inequality."

Our partnership provides vital resources including insecticide-treated bed nets, rapid diagnostic kits, and antimalarial treatments. In 2024 alone, United to Beat Malaria helped protect 1.67 million people across sub-Saharan Africa and 20 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean — areas where climate vulnerability and healthcare access remain critical concerns.

Why Tackling Malaria Means Tackling Climate, Economy, and Community Together

EBC's efforts with United to Beat Malaria demonstrate how financial institutions can leverage market power to tackle complex global problems. Understanding the links between environmental change, economic fragility, and health is essential to breaking malaria's cycle and building resilient communities. Only by addressing these interconnected challenges can we hope to create a future where malaria is no longer a threat — a future shaped by smart finance, sustainable environments, and empowered populations.