Responsibility as an employer

We also owe our success to the efforts and enthusiasm of our employees throughout the entire Group. Therefore we feel it is important for us to support our employees individually. 

VP Bank recognises its responsibility as an employer, as it creates modern and attractive working conditions. Each person’s ability to perform depends as much on motivation and health as the work environment. VP Bank seeks to attract and retain the best talent by offering attractive career opportunities and extensive continuing education options.

Motivated and well-trained employees exhibit a service-­oriented approach, competency and openness to their clients. That requires, among other factors, a work environment in which all employees feel welcome and are encouraged. VP Bank offers them the space to develop and implement their own ideas. It motivates them to perform at an above-average level while offering them future prospects as well as training and continuing education possibilities. By creating and securing skilled jobs, VP Bank allows ­people to make a living and enjoy a high quality of life. More information is available in the section “Employees of VP Bank” on page 53.

VP Bank promotes the sustainable use of tap water and supports drinking water projects in developing countries. “Drink & Donate” is a non-profit association that promotes consumption of tap water over bottled water. VP Bank supports the association with a substantial annual contribution. Further underscoring its commitment, all shareholders at the 2017 Annual General Meeting and all VP Bank employees in the Vaduz and Zurich offices received a free “Drink & Donate” water bottle specially produced for VP Bank. Appropriately, the office buildings in Liechtenstein have water coolers installed that are hooked up to the main water lines.

9 November 2017 was National Future Day in Switzerland and Liechtenstein. On this day many companies opened their doors to schoolchildren in grades 5 to 7 to give them an opportunity to discover the working world up close and in person. The National Future Day thus helps young boys and girls to broaden their horizons as regards professional choices and prospects and to chart their own futures free of gender stereotypes. 

In 2017, VP Bank’s Vaduz site participated in National Future Day for the fifth time, while VP Bank (Switzerland) Ltd also participated for the first time. Youths between the ages of 10 and 13 had the opportunity to spend a day learning about the working world with a chaperone. They were given a lot of information about VP Bank, learned the processes in the respective departments and were very interested to learn about the different types of jobs in a bank. The high point was the visit to the vault and the trading room, the dismantling and rebuilding of a PC and a video conference between the Vaduz, Triesen and Zurich offices. 

In Liechtenstein, the VP Bank Sport Club was founded in 1974 to encourage employees to participate in sports and socialise. The club organises numerous activities that are available either free of charge or at significantly discounted prices. These activities include spinning, skiing, tennis, nordic walking, bowling, mini-golf, hiking and sport weekends. 

Much information is available on VP Bank’s intranet on the topics “Fit in the Workplace”, “Promoting Health through Movement” and “Healthy Eating”. Stress checks and ergonomic tips for desk jobs with computers as well as accident prevention are among the topics. Employees receive rebates on the purchase of skis and snowboards and other outdoor gear as well as discounts on massages, fitness centres, chiropractic treatment, dance lessons and eyeglasses for the workplace. VP Bank in Liechtenstein also offers its employees the opportunity to get a massage during the workday. The massages are specifically designed to address employees needs and problems in the office. 

The Volunteering Day introduced in late 2015 was continued in 2017 and keeps generating considerable interest. Since it was introduced, a total of 74 employees have performed charitable work in the social, educational or ecological/environmental fields. The bank gives each employee one day per year to participate in the charitable work. The feedback from both the participating employees as well as the institutions on the receiving end of this volunteer work has been overwhelmingly positive. 

Diversity and equal opportunity create a solid foundation for the development of closer relations between VP Bank and its employees and its external stakeholders. VP Bank affirms diversity at every employee and management level. Such diversity at the company ensures that the decision-­makers are put in a position where they engage in constructive questioning are more open to innovative ideas. The Board of Directors has focused on this issue and prepared a skills analysis for future challenges. With two new female Board members from the Legal/Compliance and HR/Business Development areas, these skills were expanded in optimal fashion. 

Employees and managers are hired strictly on the basis of their qualifications without regard for age, gender or nationality. VP Bank offers all employees equal opportunities for employment and promotions. The assessment of an employee’s work performance is carried out in a fair, objective and transparent manner. 

VP Bank Group’s employee base also includes individuals with physical and/or mental disabilities. Whenever pos­sible, employees with long-term illnesses are reintegrated into the work flow with professional support. 

According to a 2017 study on gender diversity at Swiss companies, VP Bank Group was recognised as exemplary for its share of women in management. In an overall comparison of women as a percentage of the workforce and of management and the Board of Directors, VP Bank Group came in above the average for the companies surveyed. 

At 31.12.2017, VP Bank had 42.4 per cent female employees (2016: 40.9 per cent). As from January 2017 a woman is also part of management level 1 (Group Executive Management).