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Materiality and dialogue

Communication and dialogue are essential if we are to promote the progress of people, groups and territories. 

Our way of relating to our stakeholders (customers, investors, analysts, employees, social agents and suppliers) always starts with listening to them, learning about their opinions and needs, talking to them and trying to make things happen.

In order to identify and prioritise those fields that could have significant impacts on Environmental, Social and Governance issues, we carry out an annual Materiality Study, the conclusions of which provide guidelines for the management of the Company's Sustainability Strategy and Strategic Plan, and determine the correct scale of the information to be reported.

The 2023 Materiality Study has continued evolving towards the perspective of double materiality by incorporating the main methodological recommendations. Similarly, the company will continue working this year to adapt the Study to the requirements set out in the new CSRD(1) and the ESRS(2) in keeping with the guidelines of EFRAG(3) that are publicly available at the time of the Study.

Double Materiality analysis

The preparation of the double materiality study relies on support from an independent expert, in accordance with a new methodology, based on new requirements in the reference standards that indicate how to carry out a double materiality approach.

 

  • Impact materiality (from the inside out): considers the real and/or potential impacts of activities on the environment and how they affect stakeholders in the short, medium and short term. 
  • Financial materiality (from the outside in): considers the potential financial impact of ESG (environmental, social and governance) risks and opportunities on the Entity in the short, medium and long term.


In this regard, a subject can be material from the point of view of impacting stakeholders, from a financial point of view, or from both perspectives. This Materiality Study is presented to the Management Committee, the Appointments and Sustainability Committee, and to the Board of Directors for approval.

Learn about the phases of the study

We have consolidated the overall results of prioritization for the business and for the CaixaBank and BPI stakeholders in a materiality matrix that integrates the double perspective of impact: impact of the issues on the financial situation (outside-in) and on the groups of interest and the planet (inside-out).

To determine the impact of material topics on stakeholders, surveys and direct interviews were carried out involving a wide spectrum of groups, including customers, retail shareholders, employees, suppliers and experts. In addition, for the first time a survey was conducted of the public that involved customers and non-customers (the hierarchy of the stakeholders was determined using the weights in CaixaBank's General Reputation Index (IGR)).

To determine the impact of material topics on the business, an online survey was administered to executives, members of Group companies and subsidiaries, and members and participants of CaixaBank's Sustainability Committee.

Download CaixaBank Group 2023 Materiality Matrix

Cybersecurity and data protection and financial soundness and profitability are the two issues with the highest impact on the consolidated rating of the stakeholders' and business' results.

All the topics continue to have a high score (of at least 76%). Of all of them, only three are at a medium-impact level: environmental management and operational carbon footprint, access to microfinancing and solutions with a social impact and alliances to promote sustainability.

Channels for communication and dialogue

Starting from the concerns of our stakeholders and with the aim of cultivating fair relations, based on the benefit of all parties and continuing over time, CaixaBank has opted for the use of clear language and a closer, more real and more transparent way of communicating through the different systems and channels we use to reach our stakeholders.


Customers

At CaixaBank, we seek to promote active communication with customers and to offer them the channels necessary to send their enquiries and complaints in order to offer them a quick, personalised, quality response.

The opinions of customers are mainly gathered through the Customer Experience Measurement Model, the Global Reputation Index and Materiality Analysis.

And through the Customer Contact Center and Customer Service Department, we handle enquiries and complaints from users.

Customer Experience Measurement Model

Pursuing excellence in Customer Experience at all times, our listening model has evolved towards a real-time measurement system across the Retail, Intouch and Private Banking network, which enables us to obtain customer feedback in real time.

The use of Artificial Intelligence platforms has also enabled us to design structural improvements that translate into cross-cutting improvements in processes, products and the different journeys (Outer Loop).

And the creation of a Customer Experience communication channel and site also means having a space that brings together information on the measurement model and action geared to improving the experience of our customers in each interaction.

Customer Contact Center

The Contact Center manages the enquiries, requests, suggestions and incidents that customers and users submit to us through the channels provided by the bank: telephone, WhatsApp, website form, email, post, chat, Twitter  and Apps comments. 

Over the course of 2023, we have continued to work on enhancing the integrated management of our customers' contacts, in order to avoid sending them to face-to-face channels as much as possible. Our primary objective is to improve the customer experience. In order to be able to evaluate the experience and study the incorporation of improvements, we include customer feedback at the end of the call.

Following the same strategic line of improving the customer experience, has been promoted the senior customer telephone service, which offers an exclusive telephone with agents trained in Gerontology, avoiding virtual assistants, and the fixed telephone service at the Store branches, which guarantees telephone service to manage operational issues for all CaixaBank customers, referring only calls of a commercial nature to the managers.

The quality of the Contact Center’s service is continually assessed through internal and external audits to ensure it functions correctly and complies with the standards of quality and excellence set by the company.

7.6 million interactions in CCCs in 2023

- 7% interactions with respect to 2022

Report on Sustainability, socio-economic impact and contribution to SDGs

Corporate blog 

Profiles on social networks 

Customer Service

The Customer Service department is responsible for responding to and resolving customer complaints. The service is separate from commercial services and acts independently in accordance with its knowledge of regulations on customer protection, the regulators and best banking practices and their application.

The implementation of the modernisation plan for complaint handling was completed in 2023, where the reduced response times have been consolidated and the quality for the Bank's customers has been prioritised.

With regard to the Senior group of customers, the protocols designed to serve this group have been strictly applied.

In addition, in order to mitigate or eliminate potential legal, operational and behavioral risks, the CCS has developed a compendium of proposals for improvement through preventive management of complaints.

During this period, we have managed to reduce the average complaint resolution time to less than 10 calendar days.

Shareholders and institutional investors

At CaixaBank, we work to justify the trust that shareholders and investors have placed in us and, as far as possible, to meet their needs and expectations. To do this, we seek to offer tools and channels to facilitate communication, their involvement in the Group and the exercise of their rights as owners.

CaixaBank received the Fifth Manuel Olivencia Award for Good Corporate Governance, which distinguishes the best practices of governance of companies listed in Spain.


Shareholders

We offer clear, complete and accurate information to markets and shareholders, including financial and non-financial aspects of the business, and encourage informed participation at the General Shareholders Meetings.

We also organise training and information initiatives for shareholders and take their ideas into account through annual opinion surveys (Global Reputation Index and Materiality Analysis, among others). . 

Information is made available to shareholders through the monthly newsletter, corporate event emails (reaching more than 200,000 shareholders), SMS alerts and other options for them to subscribe via the corporate website.

Materials for financial education are also produced and specific courses are held.

Shareholders' area

Economic and financial information

Shareholder Advisory Committee

Non-binding advisory body created to learn first-hand about members' assessment of initiatives aimed at the shareholder base and contribute to the ongoing improvement of communication and transparency.

12

members

4

meetings

Corporate meetings

At these sessions, CaixaBank executives explain the results to shareholders directly, and pass on any other relevant corporate information.

12

meetings

2,603

attendees

Shareholder Information Service

Through our information service for shareholders (telephone, email and video call) and institutional investors and analysts, we also offer personalised attention in accordance with our Policy on Information, Communication and Contacts with Shareholders, Institutional Investors and Voting Advisors.

1,671

contacts

Institutional investors

CaixaBank organises roadshows and meetings with institutional investors. An investor diary has been created to provide details of significant dates in CaixaBank's corporate calendar and activities of interest to shareholders and investors.

519

Meetings with national and foreign institutions investing in equity and fixed-income

32

Meetings on ESG issues with specific investors

266

Reports by analysts on CaixaBank published, including sector reports with analyses of CaixaBank

Suppliers

The continuous improvement of relations with suppliers is key to creating value at CaixaBank. We therefore seek to establish quality relationships with suppliers who share our ethical principles and social commitment.

In line with our business strategy, the aim is to obtain goods and services of the quantity and quality we need, within an acceptable timeframe, at the lowest total cost and with the minimum risk for our business, according to responsible, sustainable procurement practices and applying unified criteria for the whole Group.

In 2023, the processes for approving, bidding and contracting part of the purchasing process were reviewed in order to reinforce the integration of ESG aspects into the process. These aspects are added to the economic and technical criteria, with the aim of adding value in the process of selecting the best supplier.


The management of procurement through electronic negotiation reflects CaixaBank's desire to guarantee traceability and integrity in the contracting process.

Electronic negotiation begins with the approval of all the suppliers involved and ensures that, during the process, information will be the same for all participants and selection will be based on objective criteria.

Since 2020, new certifications have been taken into account when approving suppliers with regard to corporate social responsibility: OHSAS18001/ISO45000 certification and SA8000/BSCI/Responsible Business Alliance certification and/or social audit. Contracts with suppliers also include a specific clause dealing with Human Rights.

721

Suppliers certified in social and environmental management

100

% of purchase categories with an environmental impact have environmental requirements

More in Procurement and Suppliers

Employees

CaixaBank's internal communication focuses mainly on:

Promoting and tackling the Strategic Plan's challenges and business priorities.

Transmitting our corporate values as a differentiating factor.

Recognising and reinforcing good professional practice.

Promoting our corporate culture and the pride of belonging.

CaixaBank staff have a new social intranet, PeopleNow, which constitutes a lever for Digital and Cultural Transformation, encouraging participation by employees, improving their experience and working towards modern, visual, multi-platform, participatory communication (mobile-first).

It brings together business, corporate and social content in a smart, modern space in which all staff have a profile to develop their personal “brand” and participate in communities according to their area of influence, as well as subscribing to information channels according to their interests. 

In 2023, the main areas of action were to promote:

  • Closer relations in the Entity, leveraging the full potential of CaixaBank’s teams and professionals in alignment with our brand purpose.
  • The internal communication strategies developed in support of the implementation of the Human Resources Strategic Projects., such as the new People Xperience platform, the new Skills Review and AHEAD Review processes, the launch of the new Employee Office and the We are Healthy initiatives, among others.
  • Internal communication, especially among management, of the We Plan.


We also set up external committees with workers' representatives, hold face-to-face training, biannual opinion surveys and follow-up surveys, and we have a programme for the induction of new employees, CaixaBank Experience, and a confidential channel for queries and complaints regarding the Code of Ethics.

More in Our People

Dialogue with associations, affiliations and alliances