| The Mediolanum Group’s results for 2014 were again very positive. For the sixth consecutive year, the subsidiary Banca Mediolanum SpA had the highest net income in Italy, rising 22% compared to the previous year to €4,028 million – the best in the company’s history. Assets managed and administered by the Group also increased 11% compared to 2013, with customer numbers rising by 6%. In keeping with its people-centric vision and values, the Mediolanum Group continues to show that it is a socially responsible company in its dealings with all stakeholders, as reflected above all by the Group’s results. In demonstration of the Group’s support for customers and contractors facing difficulties, this year Banca Mediolanum allocated €1,300,000 for customers and Family Bankers® affected by natural disasters in Italy’s various regions. Furthermore, as part of our continuing desire to assist those who have helped us grow, a number of benefits have been provided such as: allowing the suspension of mortgage and loan repayments for 12 months; providing preferential credit lines; a 1% reduction in existing mortgage and loan rate spreads for 24 months and making all current account and deposit accounts free-of-charge for 24 months. For Mediolanum, commitment and relationships have always been key intangible assets that guide the Group’s work at all times. Thanks to our efforts to benefit our major stakeholders through fast, practical and efficient action on sustainability, the Group was awarded the the Italian Banking Association (ABI) award for Banking Innovation in the category “The responsible and sustainable bank”, as a result of our ability to meet customer requirements in terms of innovation and cost effectiveness. In addition, because of the distinctive products we offer, we were also awarded the “MF INNOVATION AWARD”. Specifically, the award singled out Banca Mediolanum’s new registered pre-paid card, designed to encourage independent management of personal expenditure. Innovation – which has always been our core value – is translated into all our activities and is also being recognised externally. The Group’s socially responsible ethos is also made a reality in our dealings with contractors, employees and Family Bankers®, through services and benefits designed to help them achieve work-life balance. Continuously developing new services for customers and our consistent focus on service quality require the ongoing development of human capital. In 2014, these commitments resulted in Mediolanum hiring highly specialised personnel, with an 8.4% rise in permanent employment contracts compared to 2013, in addition to developing our training initiatives designed to nurture and develop the skills of Group personnel. We also attach huge importance to our partnerships with suppliers, which are key stakeholders in the value creation chain. Our rigorous recruitment policy and steadfast ethical principles create the best possible conditions for getting the very best out of all our people, thereby establishing stable, lasting and transparent relationships between suppliers/contractors and the Group. As of 31 December 2014, the Mediolanum Group had approximately 2,300 suppliers. The majority of them are concentrated in the following areas: information technology, marketing and communications, consultancy, systems and maintenance. Last, but by no means least, care for the environment is realised through a number of concrete initiatives aimed at reducing consumption and waste, as well as encouraging environmentally friendly behaviour. A tri-generation system has been in use at the Milano 3 headquarters since 2009, enabling the simultaneous production of electricity, heat and cooling. In 2014, this system covered all heating requirements, some air conditioning needs and more than half (58.08%) of total electricity demand. In June 2014, Banca Mediolanum S.p.A. set up the Corporate Social Responsibility function to develop CSR along the lines of sustainability and shared value. Of course, acting in a socially responsible way is right at the very heart of the Group’s origins; it is the CSR function’s job to formalise this approach, elevate it and propagate an ethical culture among all stakeholders. The assets that the company uses to develop social responsibility are: Banca Mediolanum’s model, products and services; Mediolanum Corporate University; and the partnership with the Mediolanum Foundation NPO. During 2014, the Foundation again benefited from the Mediolanum Group's regular contributions and its various fundraising activities, allowing it to continue its work as a donor to its partners' projects for children in need. During the year, the Mediolanum Foundation NPO assessed 102 projects and funded 31, donating a total of €629,888.Starting in January 2014, Mediolanum Corporate University launched a project called “Centodieci” (Italian for “with honours – evoking the idea of excellence) to raise customer awareness and spread culture and values within the Mediolanum Community. Building relationships based on freedom, commitment, care and innovation – the founding values of the company – is the “modus operandi” of Mediolanum, which has acted responsibly since its foundation and remains focused on people, the essential condition for the sustainable growth of the Group. Enjoy the reading.
|
 |
