It is people who make the difference
It is people who make the real difference between companies. That is why there is no doubt they are the key to the success the BBVA Group’s differentiation. The three key features that set us apart most as an Organization are:
- A well defined corporate culture, which can be summed up in the Group’s vision, as mentioned earlier: “At BBVA, we work for a better future for people.”
- A model of people management geared above all to professional development.
- A way of doing things that is characterized by an explicit commitment to transparency, objectivity and equal opportunity as basic principles in BBVA’s management style.
Corporate culture
The main features that BBVA aims to promote are a customer-centric approach, teamwork, healthy ambition, high ethical standards, focus on results, humility and simplicity.
These characteristics make BBVA one of the best companies to work for, and the proof is:
BBVA, one of the best companies to work for
- More than 270,000 CVs received in 2012 (over 250,000 in 2011), resulting in 15,565 new employees joining the Group during the year. This also makes clear the interest generated by the BBVA brand.
- The external awards and recognition received. Some of them will be highlighted in this section. The awards received by the Bank as a good employer include the following:
- BBVA as “Best People Bank”, according to Banca 15. The award, granted every three years, was received in September 2011 for “the special dedication shown by BBVA in recent times to spread and make possible this great idea of a bank based on the development of personal and human relations.”
- BBVA, chosen as “Best European and Spanish Company in Leadership Development,” according to the ranking published every two years (the last was in September 2011) by Fortune magazine (and which was discussed at length in the 2011 Financial Report).
- But most important of all: our opinion, the opinion of the BBVA team, which is expressed through the Satisfaction Poll.
Every two years BBVA conducts a Satisfaction Poll. This participative process is a way of discovering the opinion of the team on professional matters, such as relations with co-workers or immediate superiors, the balance between professional and personal life and the level of knowledge of human resources policies.
Of the more than 105,000 people who took part in the poll in 2012, 77% completed it fully, a figure that is one percentage point above participation in 2010. The rate of overall satisfaction was 76%, three percentage points above the previous poll and seven more than in 2008. There were also rises in almost all the areas in the Group, and in the main indicators of the poll.
As in the previous poll, the most valued aspects in 2012 have been those related to the treatment of people in BBVA, the sense of pride in belonging to the Group, and above all the potential for future growth offered by the Bank to all its team. This growth is the result of more than 150 improvement plans implemented by the various units over the last two years. After analyzing the results, it is now time to repeat the cycle: in other words, new projects have to be identified with the same aim of improvement. They must be developed before the next poll, which will take place in 2014.
Management model
A model of people management geared to professional development
The model of people management at BBVA is geared above all to professional development. It is a model whose target is to generate the appropriate conditions for professional growth.
But it is not enough to provide opportunities and challenges. There has to be support for people during their growth process. Training plays a key role here. It is in fact another differentiating feature of BBVA and a basic element for the development of talent. Training is conceived of in the Group as an investment, with a two-fold objective:
- As a response to customer needs, within the BBVA customer-centric corporate culture.
- As a response to the individual needs of all the professionals who work in the Group, with the aim of promoting their professional development.
In 2012, training in the Group became more focused on the lines for action that make up the Campus BBVA model. A specialized and global training system has been designed, continuously aligned with and adapted to the Bank’s strategy. The importance given by BBVA to training is clear from the more than €40m invested in 2012. At the same time, the global nature of the Organization means that training in languages is an essential element, with investment of more than €3m. The interest of people in their training is reflected by the more than 400,000 individual development actions implemented in the last competence assessment process, thus demonstrating that the commitment to professional development is mutual. In the final analysis, it also materializes in tangible aspects, such as:
- Around 20% of the people in BBVA are promoted every year.
- Campus BBVA received the award for “Innovation in Training in Innovation and Technology (IT)” from the consultancy Greenlight Project Management in March 2012. The award recognizes BBVA’s innovative IT courses, which makes Campus BBVA a benchmark for training in the global financial industry.
- BBVA Group has received the award for “Best Trainer of Professionals in China” in January 2012 from the China Club. It recognizes the Bank as the best trainer of Chinese professionals, highlighting BBVA’s work in attracting talent in the Asian country.
In addition, making use of the advantages offered by new technologies, e-learning is becoming the main training channel in the Group. In 2012, it provided 5.4 million hours of training, 63% of the total. Technology is thus becoming increasingly important, and is ensuring a more efficient and flexible distribution of content. This medium gives the Group a tool for global learning, with the efficiency derived from mass distribution, but with content developed or adapted locally. It allows attention to be given to the specific needs of each employee by designing individual training plans that match each personal profile.
A way of doing things
Transparency, objectivity and equal opportunity
Within these basic principles of the BBVA management style, it is important to note that all human resources processes are global, standardized and cross-cutting. In other words, they cover all the people who work at BBVA, thus guaranteeing their objectivity and effectiveness.
First, we have the commitment to make public all the internal selection processes, so that the best professionals fill the most important positions. A further element that enhances both objectivity and professional transparency and development is BBVA’s job-posting tool “Apúntate”. Thanks to this, professionals in the Group are able to manage their development by applying for positions generated and made public from time to time in all the geographical areas. In 2012 over 4,000 positions were offered through this mechanism, with a coverage ratio of 79%.
Second, on the question of equal opportunity, BBVA has a firm commitment to gender diversity. A clear example of this is the proportion of women in the Group: 53% of the professionals are female. This drive is organized through a global diversity plan, which aims to boost the role of women in the Group by making it easier for them to work and laying the foundations for a harmonious balance between work and family life. The program is focused on 3 key areas for action (maternity, promotion and development and awareness). It has led to the launch of 8 corporate initiatives so far, as well as others at a local level. It is worth noting here that BBVA has obtained the “Equality in the Company” award in June 2012. The award is a recognition granted by the Ministry of Health, Social Services and Equality, which considers BBVA as a model for the incorporation of good practices in gender equality.
Third, BBVA’s commitment to its professionals can also be seen in a number of actions within the “Pasión por las Personas” (Passion for People) program, which is a fundamental element of the Group’s value offer to its employees, whether active or retired. This program includes initiatives such as the system of flexible remuneration, which has been defined and designed for all the Group’s employees in Spain regardless of their level in the Organization; measures for reconciling work and family life; social volunteering activities; and the relationship model for early-retired employees, those who are retired and widows or widowers of the Group’s employees.
Lastly, BBVA considers the remuneration policy to be a key element for value creation. That is why it has an advanced remuneration system based on reciprocal generation of value for employees and the Group, in line with shareholder interests and based on prudent risk management. It is guided by the following principles:
- Creation of long-term value.
- Compensation for the achievement of results based on prudent and responsible assumption of risks.
- Attraction and retention of the best professionals.
- Compensation for the level of responsibility and professional career.
- Internal equity and external competitiveness.
- Use of market references through analyses carried out by prestigious companies
- Transparency in the remuneration policy.
The system of remuneration is adapted at all times to what is established by law. It also aims to incorporate the standards and principles of best domestic and international practices generally accepted in the matter of remuneration and good corporate governance at any time, making it a dynamic system in constant evolution and improvement.
To sum up, the combination of the above elements makes up a balanced system of remuneration which is consistent with the Group’s strategy and its values, and with the interests of its shareholders.
Volunteer work and corporate responsibility initiatives for employees
BBVA, very active in promoting volunteer activities among their employees
The BBVA Group develops initiatives that make it possible for the team to participate in social projects requiring technical know-how and personal skills. A total of 4,334 employees have taken part in volunteer work which represents the 4% of the total employees.
In Spain, the BBVA Volunteer Office, which is run by early-retired and retired employees, maintains the commitment to collaborate with the most disadvantaged groups and other community, educational or environmental initiatives. The main volunteer projects carried out in 2012 have been the “Valores de futuro” (Future values) financial literacy program; the Sixth BBVA Charity Run; literacy and computing courses; and environmental reforestation initiatives such as the “Bosques BBVA” (BBVA forests) project. The “Territorios Solidarios” (Solidarity territories) program has also been launched as an initiative organized by people for people. It is a program in which BBVA employees in Spain propose and select social projects with which they feel involved or identified from among those developed by non-profit organizations. The projects selected are then given financial assistance. In the first edition in 2012, a total of €1.9m went to support projects presented by 202 selected organizations in areas such as education, community support, culture, the environment and care for the most disadvantaged groups in society.
In Latin America similar reforestation activities have been undertaken with volunteers, with a very good uptake by the employees taking part. In Argentina BBVA Francés has started the “Concurso de Proyectos Solidarios” (Charity project competition) as part of the corporate volunteer program “Territorios Solidarios” to support the best ideas in partnership with its employees. Finally, the Sixth BBVA Charity Run was held in Mexico, Colombia, Chile and Venezuela.
In the United States, BBVA Compass offers its workforce the opportunity to work together in “BBVA Compass Volunteers.” The program has given employees the chance to participate in activities such as financial training or book donations, the latter through the “Leer es importante” (Reading is important) literacy initiative. BBVA Compass Charity also guarantees control and transparency with respect to voluntary charity contributions. Employees can choose up to four organizations from the complete IRS database of more than 2 million existing NGOs. Finally, the Sixth BBVA Charity Run was also held in the United States.