CREATING RESPONSIBLE AND SUSTAINABLE VALUE FOR ALL STAKEHOLDERS

Considering the health of all its stakeholders as its topmost priority during the pandemic, Garanti BBVA, as always, focused on taking responsible and sustainable actions through these times. Infrastructures capable of tracking the impact and course of the pandemic and of strengthening data-driven decisionmaking were developed, and regular analysis of data using the pandemic-linked comprehensive, up-to-date database backed proactive action plans. One of the strongest muscles of the Bank in this period has been its organizational agility, which provided the ability to rapidly shift its focus for redefining its priorities, fulfill its stakeholders’ needs uninterruptedly and rapidly while protecting their health, and consequently to deliver good experiences.

LOOKING OUT FOR EMPLOYEES’ HEALTH

Being Türkiye’s leading financial institution, Garanti BBVA erected its primary responsibility upon protecting first and foremost employee health in every step along the way and to manage this strategy in a balanced fashion with the priority given to its customers. The Bank has been handling the steps taken and precautions adopted under the headings monitoring the current situation and health processes, hygiene and employee services, physical environment, and finally, technology and data. In doing so, Garanti BBVA takes the utmost care to achieve total alignment with the instructions and guidance of local and international health authorities.

WORKING ORDER DURING 2021

As one of the most vital steps of preventing the spread of the pandemic, all employees falling under the “vulnerable group” as defined by local health authorities and all employees that Garanti BBVA specifically wanted to keep safe such as pregnant employees were kept away from working environments during high-risk periods. All non-essential events, trainings and foreign trips were canceled. As work-from-home under the remote access model was sustained when necessary, rotating working model of home-based working and in-office presence was carried on in regional offices and branches to the extent compelled by the course of the pandemic. Working hours were modified in line with the decisions made by the authorities. Flexibility was provided in the dress code to allow employees to work more comfortably and to facilitate their adherence to hygiene guidelines

Plexiglass separators were installed in branches in order to protect the health of customers and branch employees in contact with customers. Besides regular disinfection in all branches and buildings, masks, disinfectants, gloves and similar products for ensuring hygiene continue to be supplied on an ongoing basis to all the employees in work locations.

With the goal of giving the foreground to protect the health of its customers, employees and their families and ensuring business continuity, Garanti BBVA has been one of the first companies to switch to location-independent working, which was enabled by its robust digital infrastructure. The Bank was able to sustain all its activities efficiently with the help of the agile transformation that had been finalized prior to the pandemic, its robust digital infrastructure and one team culture. Always turning a careful ear to its employees’ expectations, the Bank aimed to deliver a sustainable best employee experience. Combining the productivity of teleworking and face-to-face communication necessary for bonding socially, the hybrid working model began to be implemented successfully at the Bank. It will become a major working model in the future as well.

Combining the productivity of teleworking and face-to-face communication necessary for bonding socially, the hybrid working model began to be implemented successfully at the Bank and it will become a major working model in the future as well.

In a bid to provide the best service quality in business areas that saw a marked increase in customer demands during the pandemic, a fast transformation was realized thanks to Garanti BBVA’s flexible organizational structure, and employees’ capabilities were bolstered with the necessary training programs, as emerging customer needs were resolved quickly based on an agile approach.

DAILY INVENTORIES TO FOLLOW UP THE HEALTH OF EMPLOYEES AND THEIR FAMILIES

Created in 2020 and actively used in 2021, the inventory, which can be easily reached through digital platforms, lets all employees to report illness and suspected cases for themselves and their families on a daily basis to the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) team. In addition to the inventory, online platforms were established for monitoring risk situations and taking action proactively, and for employees to enter their HES codes and vaccination statuses to move ahead while taking advantage of the protection provided by the vaccine both for the sake of employee health and business continuity. Information and reminders about vaccination processes were periodically shared with the employees. Corporate Integration with the Ministry of Health was brought to completion and vaccination, isolation and PCR test data of all employees began to be evaluated by the OHS team in order to offer the necessary healthcare support and to preclude any risk of infection at the locations. Evaluating all the data gathered continuously, the OHS Team made the necessary medical assessments and followed up employees’ isolation processes. Contact was established with all employees reporting a suspicious case within 24 hours. Employees who are confirmed or highly suspected COVID-19 cases were followed up closely through their recovery. Adherence to the Bank’s corporate policies and practices not just by Garanti BBVA employees but also by 3rd party service providers was monitored closely

Infrastructures capable of tracking the impact and course of the pandemic and of strengthening data-driven decisionmaking were developed, and regular analysis of data using the pandemic-linked comprehensive, up-to-date database backed proactive action plans. In principle, the Bank closely followed the course of the pandemic around the world, and its evolution across the country, along with certain high-risk hinterlands. Accordingly, proactive measures customized for regions for the days ahead were adopted, rather than reactive ones for today. Ratios of office- or home-based working were dynamically arranged. Social distancing and close contact tracking processes in buildings were backed by technological infrastructure and mobile applications, and steps were taken as necessary. In addition, available data were monitored constantly; decisions were updated as and when necessary, and needs were fulfilled with an employee-centric flexible structure.

COVID-19 HOTLINE FOR EMPLOYEES

Believing in the high value of information provision and transparent communication in every step taken, Garanti BBVA keeps its employees informed about the evolution of the situation through regular announcements and broadcasts. Bringing its employees together with occupational physicians and subject matter experts on respective fields, as well as the senior management, the Bank facilitates access of its employees to the most accurate and quality information needed. The COVID-19 Hotline remained in use also in 2021. The information page created on the intranet allowed all employees to instantly track the implementations and developments.

PSYCHOLOGICAL SUPPORT

Putting emphasis and dwelling also on its employees’ psychological well-being, Garanti BBVA incorporated additional psychological support service for the negative effects of the pandemic to its existing “Employee Support Hotline” service offered since 2010. In this context, employees who feel the need benefit from the online psychological support service on this line. Additionally, monthly interactive seminars were organized whereby expert psychologists gave information about the different aspects of the pandemic to all Garanti BBVA employees. Moreover, monthly bulletins covering suggestions to increase the well-being of employees continued to be published in 2021.