Resources and responsibilities continued Human Rights Policy As part of the Group’s third party screening to identify The Human Resources and Human Rights Policies are the level of risk the third parties might pose, the Group an integral part of the employee on-boarding package. carries out the following due diligence processes: indirect It is available for employees on the intranet and the investigations which includes general research of the updates are communicated electronically. activities undertaken by the proposed business partners such as agents, joint venture partners, contractors, The Human Rights Policy covers: suppliers and other third parties, their reputation and equal opportunities and anti-discrimination; information whether the company is a related party. • •work environment free of harassment; and •grievance policy. Client experience Bank of Georgia has identified customer experience as Code of ethics, anti-bribery and one of its strategic priorities and incorporates its principles anti-corruption policies in all relationships/touch-points with customers, new product and channel development, and optimisation The Group has a Code of Ethics, as well as an Anti-Bribery of business processes in the back office. Policy, which are also applicable to the Group companies. In the Bank, the Corporate Security Unit within the AML The Bank tracks customer satisfaction with multiple and Compliance department is in charge of implementing survey channels and several key performance indicators on and monitoring controls related to anti-bribery issues. an ongoing basis, followed by an effective “close-the-loop” The department has the procedures in place, which define process. The Bank is responsive to the customer feedback the process of establishing relationships with vendors and which it collects on a daily basis and has been consistently other third parties, undertaking public tenders, etc. The working on integrating the customer experience in Corporate Security Unit provides annual online training for its processes. The Bank’s Net Promoter Score (NPS) employees on anti-bribery issues, which are also included increased from 27.4% to 38.8% in the past year based in induction trainings. on a research conducted by an independent company across Georgia. As an organisation that is fully committed to the prevention of bribery and corruption, the Bank ensures We made significant progress in several areas: that appropriate internal controls are in place and the transformation towards our client-centric model • operating effectively. in Retail Banking started in 2016 and has gradually increased client satisfaction with the service they Anti-bribery and anti-corruption policy enforcement receive from universal bankers in re-designed branches. processes include: Our employees in front offices have proved to be the key •operating an internal whistleblowing hotline system; drivers of this increase thanks to the Bank’s investment •disclosure of gifts or other benefits, including in training in customer service trainings based on hospitality, offered to, or received by Bank’s personnel; international best practices; •voluntary disclosure of corrupt conduct; the Bank is gradually increasing the utilisation of its • •third party screening to identify the level of risk digital channels among its customers through ongoing third parties might pose; loyalty and bonus programmes. Now, bankers in front •all charitable and political donations must be offices have more time to provide consulting services authorised by the relevant responsible position; to clients and spend less time on transactional •informing the stakeholders about anti-corruption services that customers already prefer to carry and anti-bribery principles before commencement out on digital channels; of business relations; the owners of the channels we use to research and • •ensuring that anti-bribery and anti-corruption clauses report customer experience have a transparent view are incorporated in the agreements with customers of the customer feedback on those channels and and third parties; work consistently on enhancing the experience in their •ensuring that anti-bribery and anti-corruption matters channel to improve the overall journey of the customer; are included in contractual agreements with partners/ and counterparties; and the majority of back office transformation processes • •online training programmes aiming to raise awareness that have a direct or indirect impact on a customer in corruption and bribery issues among employees. are tested. In some cases customer feedback is obtained before the transformation is implemented (where relevant). 84 Annual Report 2018Bank of Georgia Group PLC