Governance, conduct and ethics
Building and maintaining an ethical culture of integrity, transparency, and accountability at all levels. This is achieved through the application of robust policies, systems, leadership, aligning remuneration with organisational values, risk management, and the appropriate training in place to prevent misconduct and to enable whistleblowing.
Climate change
The collective risks and opportunities posed by climate change. These include physical impacts (e.g. droughts, fires, floods) as well as the transition towards a lower emission economy (e.g., changes in market sentiment, resource use and efficiency, regulations, and legal issues). The effects of climate change are considered with respect to customers, the Bank’s operations, and the Bank’s supply chain.
Community prosperity
Enabling the social and economic prosperity of Australian communities via the broader social impacts of banking. This is achieved through understanding, measuring, and communicating the value of banking to communities, which is created through both a human-centred financial system that enables self-determination, and through direct community investment via philanthropy, volunteering, disaster relief, and capacity building.
Customer trust and experience
Offering banking services that are simple, relevant, and meet customer needs to drive customer satisfaction and trust in our brand.
Customer accessibility and financial inclusion
Ensuring all individuals and communities, regardless of location, background, or capability, have equitable access to safe, affordable, and inclusive physical and digital financial services.
Customers experiencing vulnerability
Providing proactive support and tailored extra care to help customers facing temporary or ongoing life challenges – such as illness, domestic violence, or financial hardship etc - overcome barriers to banking, protect them from harm, and support their financial wellbeing.
Data privacy and security
Protecting our customers, our people and our business from cyber security attacks and protect critical and sensitive data, including all personal information. This includes the appropriate use and sharing of data internally and externally, and the investment and implementation of governance, people, processes, controls, and technology to support this.
AI and digital innovation
Leveraging digital technology to continuously innovate how we operate and deliver value to our customers. This focus on ongoing digital innovation is central to achieving the Bank's strategic imperatives.
Diversity, equity and inclusion
Building a diverse and inclusive workplace that reflects our customer base and fosters thriving communities is integral to how the Bank serves its customers, grows its people, and contributes to its communities. A foundational part of this commitment is our journey of Reconciliation, which involves promoting and practicing respect, building relationships, and investing in development opportunities with, and for, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees, customers, and communities.
Employee engagement and wellbeing
Enriching the employee experience through the Bank’s culture, purpose, values and transformation agenda to be a better bank. This is achieved by entrenching a culture of respect and psychological safety, while providing relevant and business-aligned opportunities for learning and development to build the skills of the future. Our commitment to a healthy and safe workplace proactively supports our employees’ physical, mental, and social wellbeing, which is foundational to building their engagement, resilience, and innovation.
Financial crime risk
Proactively managing the risks and incidences of financial crime (including anti-money laundering, counter-terrorism financing, scams and fraud, anti-bribery and corruption and sanctions) for our customers and the organisation. This is done by investing in appropriate systems, processes and understanding to enable identification and resolution of risks and incidents and to minimise their negative impacts.
Modern slavery
Modern slavery refers to a range of serious human rights violations, which are also crimes in Australia. The term is used to describe situations where coercion, threats or deception are used to exploit people and deprive them of their freedom. Bendigo Bank has a risk of enabling or being complicit in the abuse of human rights and modern slavery through our operations, supply chain and products and services.
Nature
The collective risks, opportunities, dependencies, and impacts of the Bank, its customers, and its supply chain has in relation to the natural world (e.g., earth, oceans, air, plants, and animals) in which human life depends on to survive.
Responsible lending and investment
Ensuring that the Bank explicitly acknowledges and considers the wellbeing of customers, investors and the market as a whole when engaging with stakeholders regarding lending and investment. Examples of this include ensuring a customer is not issued a credit product that is not suitable for them and considering environmental, social and governance factors in addition to financial returns when investing funds.
Responsible sourcing and partnerships
Assessing, managing, and disclosing sustainability risks across the Bank’s value chain. This includes addressing identified risks and actively partnering with businesses that align to the Bank’s values to drive positive social impact and environmental outcomes.
