Sberbank complies with the principles and rules set out in the Corporate Code of Conduct approved by the bank's General Shareholders’ Meeting. The Code declares unconditional compliance with laws and application of ethical business conduct standards for all members of the business community. A priority of the Bank's corporate conduct is the respect for rules and legal interests of shareholders and clients, transparency, efficient working practices, support for financial stability and profitability.
The bank is continually improving its corporate governance. During the reporting year, the Bank's management board approved the conflict of interest management policy, which establishes the conduct and measures for avoiding conflicts of interest or minimizing their consequences if they arise. The responsibility for taking decisions on regulating conflicts of interest is placed on the appropriate committee of the Bank's management board and regional banks. There are restrictions for employees concerning holding more than one position and business activities. Rules have been established for receiving gifts and incentives and transactions with interested parties.
Sberbank is actively implementing international practice in protecting investor interests and making its own financial assets attractive to investors. Bank insiders, members of the Supervisory Board, members of the Management Board and Bank employees, do not have the right to perform transactions with the Bank's securities and its subsidiaries during close periods (the period when annual and quarterly reporting is prepared). In order to restrict the use of insider information, technological measures have been introduced which prevent the use of mobile communication and mobile access to the internet during meetings of the Bank's executive bodies.
The Bank has an independent division, directly subordinate to the CEO and Chairman of the Bank's Management Board, which is responsible for control of illegitimate use of insider information and for enforcing the requirements of Federal Law No. 224-FZ dated 27 July 2010 On Prevention of the Illegitimate Use of Insider Information and Market Manipulation and on Amendments to Certain Laws of the Russian Federation. The list of information relating to Sberbank insider information, which is published on the Bank's website, has been approved.
To increase capitalization and reduce investment risk, Sberbank is actively working on improving its transparency and disclosure. The systematic online internet broadcast of press briefings by Bank spokespersons has continued. Thirty press briefings were broadcast in 2011. The most important events involving Sberbank in Russia and the world are also broadcast online on the Bank's website. In addition, the Saint Petersburg International Economic Forum, the International Financial Conference on 12 November and the X International Investment Forum Sochi 2011 were broadcast separately. An archive of the most important events in which the Bank has been involved is available on the website for anyone interested.
The Bank's efforts to increase transparency and disclosure have received a high rating from the professional community. In the autumn of 2011, Interfax and АК&М, accredited agencies for disclosing information to the stock exchange, named Sberbank of Russia as the winner of the annual Prize for an Active Corporate Policy on Information Disclosure.
At the same time Sberbank won the RTS and MICEX federal competition for annual reports. Sberbank won in the nomination for Best Interactive Annual Reports, came 2nd in the nomination Best Design and Printing of Annual Reports and 3rd in the nomination Best Annual Reports Transparency for Companies with Capitalization above 100 billion rubles.
10.Branch network
An extensive branch network is one of the bank's main competitive advantages. The regional bank structure consists of 19,200 divisions and is represented in all parts of the country and in every constituent entity of the Russian Federation.
Branch network structure in the Russian Federation
units
|
1 Jan 12
|
1 Jan 11
|
Total bank divisions, inc.
|
19,249
|
19,420
|
Regional banks
|
17
|
17
|
Branch offices
|
505
|
521
|
Internal structural divisions (ISD) total, inc.
|
18,727
|
18,882
|
Total additional offices, of which:
|
10,494
|
10,069
|
– specialize in serving retail clients
|
7,997
|
7,429
|
– universal
|
2,373
|
2,515
|
– specialize in serving legal entities
|
124
|
125
|
Operational offices
|
588
|
236
|
Operational cash desks outside the cash operating units
|
7,547
|
8,492
|
Mobile cash offices
|
98
|
85
|
The Bank continues to modernize its branch network opening new and improving the layout of existing branches. In 2011, 443 branches were opened, about 300 bank service points were relocated and 598 service points were closed. Urban ISDs were closed as their location did not comply with geomarketing criteria, and also because of the unsatisfactory condition of the buildings, as part of the program for Redesigning Branch Network Divisions. Rural ISDs were closed as the condition of the premises made it impossible to perform banking operations, as well being consistently unprofitable and lacking development prospects. In remote areas, with a poorly developed transport infrastructure, mobile branches have replaced closed stationary ones. Where technically possible, ATMs and information-payment terminals have been opened in rural areas, which will enable customers to perform essential banking operations.
Geographical structure in the Russian Federation
%
|
1 Jan 12
|
1 Jan 11
|
central cities of RF constituent entities
|
20.7%
|
20.4%
|
cities with population above 100 thousand
|
7.5%
|
7.2%
|
other towns
|
17.6%
|
16.8%
|
urban settlements
|
6.8%
|
6.8%
|
rural settlements
|
47.4%
|
48.8%
|
As well as the network itself, the branch network management system is being improved. The Bank is uniting branches at the level of RF constituent entities. In 2011 sixteen branches were reorganized.
In 2011, the large scale program for redesigning branch network divisions began, which is aimed at standardizing offices, implementing new sales models and a new corporate style and brand. In 2011, 871 new format branches opened. Most of the redesigned branches were base offices (60%) and an expansion of the flagship format (30%). The rest consisted of special format branches, business development centers, self-service offices and branches for VIP clients. Over 76% of the redesigned branches were opened in areas of most importance for business development, in cities with populations above 100 thousand, including cities with over a million people.
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