Pearl Bank has won the inaugural PR Crown Jewel Award at the Public Relations Association of Uganda (PRAU) Excellence Awards, along with three gold awards and one silver award, at a ceremony held on October 23, 2026, at the Source of the Nile Hotel in Jinja. The PR Crown Jewel Award, a judge's choice distinction that does not require formal entry and is the second-highest honour after the Lifetime Achievement Award, recognised the bank's rebranding journey from PostBank Uganda to Pearl Bank and its communication strategy supporting the transition. The award was presented by Owek. Alhaji Osman Noor Ahmed, the Second Deputy Prime Minister of Obwa Kyabazinga Bwa Busoga, during PRAU's Golden Jubilee celebrations marking 50 years of public relations practice in Uganda since its establishment in 1976.
The bank won gold awards in Media Relations, the Corporate Storytellers category and the Impact Beyond Profit Award for its social impact work, and a silver award in the Culture Champions category. In the Media Relations category, Pearl Bank was recognised for making verified information easier to find than rumours during its transition. The bank's media coverage increased from 353 stories in 2024 to 498 in 2025, representing a 41 per cent rise, according to figures submitted in its awards entry. Its share of voice in banking coverage reached 10.2 per cent in 2025 and 12 per cent in 2026, with its ranking improving to second in 2026.
The bank's Corporate Storytellers Award recognised the campaign 'The Trust Transition: The Name Changed. The Trust Didn't,' which communicated the change in identity while emphasising continuity in customer relationships and services. The Culture Champions silver award recognised the 'We Are the Pearl' campaign, which engaged staff across the bank's branches to address customer questions and become ambassadors of the new identity.
In the Impact Beyond Profit category, Pearl Bank was recognised for its partnership with the Joint Clinical Research Centre to support the development of Uganda's bone marrow transplant capacity. Through the partnership, Pearl Bank contributed 200 million shillings towards the project and supported public engagement aimed at mobilising additional contributions. Pearl Bank Head of Marketing and Communications, Priscilla Akora, said the recognition reflects how communication serves as a strategic function to engage stakeholders and deliver the right message to audiences, aligning with the bank's campaign 'When You Grow, Uganda Prospers.'
For savers and borrowers, the awards recognition demonstrates Pearl Bank's investment in transparent communication during its transition, potentially building confidence in how the institution manages customer information and engages with its stakeholders.