Business Code of Conduct and Ethics

The Code helps us understand how Bank’s values are put into practice every day.

Co-operative Bank’s Business Code of Conduct and Ethics is founded on our core values and highlights the principles that guide our business conduct. It provides questions and answers for situations that staff might encounter on the job and lists resources for help or further information.

However, the Code cannot address every possible workplace situation or list all of Bank’s corporate policies and procedures. It is used for guidance about our ethical standards and where to take any arising questions or concerns.

When each member of staff adheres to the Code, we communicate our commitment to the values that have made Co-operative Bank admired in the industry. It is important to note, however, that violations of the Code, or the policies referred to in the Code, could result in disciplinary action.

The Co-operative Bank enjoys a strong reputation for honesty and integrity and preserving the trust of our stakeholders is the responsibility of every member of staff in the Kingdom Bank. Our Business Code of Conduct and Ethics is designed to help each of us meet that obligation.

The Code explains Bank’s policy for how we conduct business and each of us must commit to understanding this Code and abiding by its principles.

The principles support full compliance with applicable laws and also represent the practical ways that we put our values to work every day. Our corporate values serve as the foundation for this Code. Simply stated, it’s about “getting results the right way.”

We believe that when we apply our ethical principles to our business decisions, the Bank is positioned for success.

Our values guide our actions in conducting business in a socially responsible and ethical manner and distinguish Co-operative Bank in the eyes of our stakeholders. As a corporation and as individuals, we respect the law, support universal human rights, protect the environment, achieve operational excellence and benefit the communities where we work.

In a competitive environment, we will sometimes encounter situations that will test our judgment and integrity. When that test arises, we can use this Code to help us answer the following questions before we act:

• Is this legal and complying with the Bank Policies?
• Is this consistent with our values as a Bank?
• If my actions were made public, would I be comfortable?

At their most basic level our Code of Conduct guidelines describe what is expected of every Co-op Bank staff member in complying with laws and ethical practices, within the organization and in the marketplace.

These Code of Conduct guidelines seek to embed the standards of conduct that we have established as an institution and giving them the weight of a governing document, we want to ensure that all our interactions and relationships – with customers, shareholders, suppliers, colleagues and external parties including the communities in which we live and work – would be grounded in our values as individuals and as a Bank.

For this reason, the Code of Conduct is not a set of top-down rules but is a living expression of each of our staff members’ responsibility to demonstrate the highest standards of integrity in all of our actions and relationships.

Now more than ever ‘personal responsibility’ is more relevant where each of us has an obligation to know and understand not only the guidelines but also the values on which they are based. Knowing and understanding are not enough. We have an obligation to comply with the letter and the spirit of the Code of Conduct and to help others do the same.

While the Code provides a broad range of guidance about the standards of integrity and business conduct, no code can address every situation that individuals are likely to encounter. 

As such the Code of Conduct is not a substitute for staff responsibility and accountability to exercise good judgement and obtain guidance on proper business conduct.