Santander Bank Polska once again among the most ethical Polish companies
Santander Bank Polska has once again been awarded in the 'Ethical Company’ competition which recognises organisations that are guided by ethical standards, take action for the benefit of society and care for good internal relations within the organisation.
The first stage of the competition is the completion of a questionnaire that addresses the company’s procedures, codes and regulations. An important aspect of the assessment is the question of the organisational culture of the organisation aimed at promoting ethical behaviour. Additionally, aspects such as the approach to ecology, pro-social activities and initiatives implemented for the benefit of employees are examined. The second stage involves verification of the collected information and its assessment on the basis of criteria developed by experts from PwC Legal.
All employees of our bank, regardless of their functions, are obliged to adhere to the "General Code of Conduct". This is a set of key principles and values that allow us to shape the corporate culture of the entire Santander Group. It helps to foster the trust of our employees, customers, shareholders and local communities.
The system of values adopted and applied at Santander Bank Polska consolidates ethical standards, develops a culture of responsible conduct in line with the „Simple, Personal Fair” values and promotes desirable organisational behaviour among employees. The internal and external initiatives carried out for the benefit of our various stakeholder groups are in line with the bank’s ethical standards.
Last year, the bank carried out a number of initiatives that helped the most vulnerable persons and pursued the adopted Responsible Banking Strategy. Among these were initiatives to support Ukrainian citizens impacted by the war. In cooperation with the UN Refugee Agency, the bank developed a unique solution – BLIK cheques – which made it possible for refugees to access cash quickly and safely. In the „We Will Double Your Impact” charity campaign, the bank together with more than 26,500 people raised over PLN 4,250,000. The funds went to organisations coordinating aid for victims of the war in Ukraine.
The Bank, together with the Santander Bank Poland Foundation, continues its original projects that help, among others, local communities. These include the 'Bank of Young Sports Champions’, a program offering sports scholarships for young people and the 'Here I Live, Here I Make ECO Changes’ grant programme. In 2022, the Foundation’s volunteers helped to open the eleventh 'Flame Club’. These are spaces for play and relaxation in children’s homes and children’s hospitals.
As part of Santander Universidades’ scholarships, together with universities, the bank helps people to acquire new skills and deepen their knowledge. In 2022, almost 6,000 people received scholarships and internship opportunities. Santander Bank Polska also implemented a new initiative called 'POWERful in Business’ involving webinars and grant competitions to support entrepreneurial women. Almost 4,000 people took part in the project.
The organiser of the 'Ethical Company’ competition is the publishing house Bonnier Business Polska
