The FINANCIAL — Vision and approach of CSR within the Bank Republic
CSR is day to day business for bankers; we forward CSR commitments into every day practice and develop sustainable business growth. We believe that attention to corporate responsibility is essential to creating and sustaining value for shareholders. Corporate responsibility is about business behaviors and earning the trust and loyalty of our stakeholders.
Level of culture and well-being in Georgia is directly linked to the right utilization of the social responsibilities by private sector. BR already established the social policy concept for the years to come and all social and charity programs are executed in accordance with this long-term corporate strategy of the Bank.
Long-lasting commitment to work in the field of CSR will still remain as one of the strategic points for BR in respect of image and reputation. Bank is targeting to enhance socially responsible business activities and communicate about it with public, customers, shareholders, etc. Bank is aiming at communicating about the importance of CSR internally for the staff, by means of explaining them the role and responsibility, purpose and significance of CSR through special presentation, internal letter, website, intranet and corporate magazine.
Bank Republic, for the second year consecutively, received the Golden Brand Award as the most socially responsible company. It is very important for us that this year Bank Republic has been the only company receiving such recognition. It was the exceptional case this year that the only one bank out of the whole banking industry was awarded with the Golden Brand.
Superior Quality as the strong leverage for CSR advancement
The principal three pillars of commercial development for Bank Republic in Georgia are network expansion (to be closer to our customer), innovative and tailor made products and solutions and superior Quality of Service. We do believe that the focus on quality in Georgia should be essentially developed as the integral part of the banking culture. Here the superior quality, international image of our Bank and western standards should serve as the competitive edge within the banking industry. We want to be seen and recognized as the Bank with the best quality of service. For prospering quality excellence, quality approach should be observed by all other sectors of the Bank.
Human resources and their qualification is a good leverage for ensuring high quality performance in the Bank. For that very reason, the attestation is held on yearly basis. The great progress has been achieved this year as compared to the results of last year; today the level of the staff qualification is fairly good.
Quality management department got the Golden Award (I prize) for “The Best Quality Approach” 2009 Quality Trophy within Societe Generale, BHFM, once again proving BR success in quality improvement trends. Offering the high quality of service for the best satisfaction of the client is one of the most significant efforts for CSR advancing in the bank.
Human Resources
Human resources management plays a key role in determining success of Bank Republic as people are the most important asset of the company.
Bank Republic aims to manage effectively its employees and create a favorable environment to explore people’s potential to the maximum. Employee performance management has never been as important as in recent period. Special training modules have been designed and delivered to the management in order to improve setting of goals and objectives, result control and to identify high potentials to create a reliable talent pool.
In recent years, Bank Republic brought in place special multi-process HR strategy. Responsiveness and flexibility were our main objectives aiming to immediately react to the changing environment and business needs with effective training, administration, communication, recruitment and development services. Internship program obtained the greatest importance. Building strong relationships with leading educational institutions in Georgia remains to be our priority.
We strive to prepare people to lead changing environment. That is why in 2009, Bank Republic designed and started to implement innovative, executive leadership program ‘Leaders Boutique’, focusing on four specific areas that are of utmost importance for the management team in these turbulent times (Leadership, Motivation, Negotiation and Stress Management).
We continue to be committed towards maintaining favourable working environment for the employees. For boosting employee motivation, we continue BR Awards Program. In the scope of staff achievement recognition scheme, employees are awarded for the best business results, innovation and outstanding performance in different projects, best scores in qualification testing, etc. Our employees were again given the opportunity to subscribe to SG shares with preferential conditions. Together with the discounted price granted by SG, BR provided employees with matching contribution. In the scope of the Staff Support Program many employees are provided with the financial aid in different special cases.
Patronage and Sponsorship
Bank Republic has always been involved in sponsorship activities since 2000. During the recent periods, BR implemented various projects in its main sponsorship directions.
Support of Georgian culture represents one of the major priorities of the Bank’s activities. In 2010, BR keeps partnership with Marjanishvili State Theatre. It is worthy to note that BR represents the General Partner of the theatre for last 5 years.
BR in the scope of promotion of Jazz in Georgia continued its main stream and sponsored the famous Georgian Jazz Singer Maia Baratashvili to organize her concert in Germany, at the Tollhaus concert hall in city of Karlsruhe. She performed with the famous Georgian ensemble Shin.
Bank Republic sponsored the opening of European House in Georgia. The newly constructed building has been officially opened in May. The event was attended and supported by Government, Municipality, Embassies and other high officials. BR, together with French Embassy and French Cultural Center, participated in sponsoring the European days (three consecutive days) which were dedicated to France.
Bank Republic, being distinguished with the Corporate Social Responsibility, supports the development of the education in Georgia and offers to the students of Caucasus University the credit with the preferential terms for financing the bachelor and master programs.
Apart from its sponsorship activities, BR was heavily involved in pure solidarity and charity actions. In regards of solidarity, SG Group is organizing once per year Citizenship Commitment Week, which stipulates the individual commitment of each of us in favor of the citizenry where all the subsidiaries are welcomed to participate.
Bank Republic, within the frames of Citizenship Commitment Week, participated in special marathon “Race for Cure”, dedicated to fight against breast cancer among Georgian women. In promoting the healthy life style, Bank Republic participated in the charity concert of pianist Khatia Buniatishvili was held in the state conservatoire hall, initiated by the National Screening Center. The funds generated through the concert were diverted for physical and psychological rehabilitation of women with breast cancer.
Within the frames of Citizenship Commitment week, BR staff decided to support the children suffering from Leukemia disease by donating there blood. According to our inquiry, more than 40 employees showed their volunteer desire to donate the blood to these kids and thus somehow safe their lives, since there is great demand of blood for kids with leukemia. Moreover, hospital is lack of normal conditions and equipment for curing and treating these children. BR supported the hospital with necessary equipment such as refrigerators and washing machines.
Within the frames of Citizenship Commitment week, BR made the special exhibition-selling of artistic works of disabled children. BR opened the exhibition of the works of the disabled children, distinguished with the various talents. The exhibition was arranged at new Freedom Square Branch hall for two months. The exhibition was the good opportunity to promote the works of the disabled children. In the beginning of September, the works were removed at the Central Branch vestibule for additional month. In addition, under their free will, BR employees collected the money and purchased the tickets for these disabled children to attend the children theatre in Tbilisi.
Alongside the sponsorship activities, Bank Republic is socially responsible for charity issues as well. BR together with charity fund Tsiskari executes various charity projects. Core directions of financing are to assist the needy families, orphanages, renovation and reconstruction of churches, monasteries and old national heritages. Foundation provides support to well-known pubic figures, professors, actors, etc. in the respect of providing with various types of financial support.
Charity activities undertaken by BR and foundation Tsiskari convey Bank’s major approach towards the society and country as a whole.
Compliance and Anti-money laundering
The issues of Compliance and AML are lead by Compliance and AML Department of the Bank, which operates within the Risk Management Division. In its activities Department is guided by the relevant local legislation and SG rules. At the same time, considering the specificity of both directions, almost all bank employees are engaged in relevant activities and provide the performance of work related to compliance and AML within the extent of their competence. This is achieved through regular trainings and permanent supervision conducted by managers of all hierarchical levels.
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