Our Aim as a Bank is to be the best open financial services platform, by acting responsibly and earning the lasting loyalty of our people, customers, shareholders and communities. Progress has been made in the following areas during the year.
- 82% of employees showed their commitment to the Group (six percentage points more than the financial industry’s average), and in seven countries we were among the best three banks to work for, according to the GPTW ranking.
- The 360 assessment process, in which employees are evaluated by their peers, direct subordinates and line managers, became widespread.
- Progress was made in installing the Workday platform, which enables teams and people to be managed globally in a homogeneous way.
- Once the pilot phase of the Strategic Workforce Planning in the UK, Mexico and the corporate centre was concluded, action plans were launched in the rest of countries.
- A new campaing to strengthen the Group`s image and make it more attractive to capture talent was developed (Efecto Santander). We launched iniciatives to attract digital talents (Digital Cellar) and launched a programme that identified 280 employees for their youth (younger than 35 years old) and potential to contribute to the Group’s future evolution (Young Leaders).
- Various strategies continued to be developed under the commercial transformation programme in order to improve customer loyalty and the customer experience. The number of loyal customers rose by 2.6 million in 2018 and digital ones by 6.6 million, and in seven of our core countries we were in the Top 3 in customer satisfaction.
- Of note among the commercial actions was the launch of various current accounts (Conta SIM in Portugal, 1|2|3 business for SME in the UK, 1|2|3 Profesional in Spain) and the first digital account for SME with SAS (Sociedad por Acciones Simplificadas) status in Mexico, together with other products and services such as mortgages, investment products, services and advice.
- We continued to strengthen our traditional branches, as well as developing new ones (SMART, Super Ágil y Work Café), while investing in new generation ATMs and our contact centres.
- As regards digitalisation, progress in all countries with apps, platforms, products and services. Of note globally was the expansion of Openbank, our fully digital bank, the launch of OnePay Fx, a blockchain-based service and the development of Superdigital, an alternative solution to traditional banking mainly focused on the unbanked population of Latin America.
- The total dividend per share charged to 2018’s earnings was scheduled at EUR 0.23 via a scrip dividend and three payments in cash, 4.5% more than that for 2017*.
- We continued to strenghten measures that increased and enhanced communication with our shareholders and fostered transparency through the use of new technologies. Of note was the creation of a new personal service channel via video conference.
- Santander was recognised as one of the best companies and European banks in the area of investor relations, corporate events, website and multimedia use by Institutional Investor, IR Magazine and Global Capital and by the Extel survey, conducted among more than 11,000 investment professionals.
- Banco Santander is ranked the world’s third best bank and the first in Europe in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI), the reference index in which Santander has been present for 18 straight years, and which measures companies’ performance in sustainability matters, in its three dimensions (economic, social and environmental).
- The magazine Fortune included Santander in its 2018 Change the World ranking, which includes a small group of companies that “combine success with their contribution to society” by generating a positive social impact with initiatives that form part of their business strategy.
- Santander Universities held its fourth international meeting of rectors, a reference event in academic world and launched the new Santander Scholarships portal. A record number of scholarships (almost 55,000) were granted in 2018 and close to 19,000 entrepreneurs were supported by Santander X.