News

• Banca March is the first financial institution in the Balearic Islands to receive this certificate.
• This seal certifies that all of the measures that the bank has adopted since the beginning of the crisis at its branches and central services have been effective in preserving the health of professionals and the environment, and in ensuring business continuity.
• An internal action protocol was put in place immediately. Working from home was implemented, communication channels were reinforced and new work-life balance measures were introduced to respond to new needs.

One of the keys to the success of the measures that Banca March adopted was its quick response to the pandemic. Even before lockdown, the company had already set up a crisis committee, the members of which included the Chairman, Deputy Chairman and CEO. The purpose of the committee was to guarantee the health of all customers and employees, including their relatives, and ensure business continuity. Working from home was rolled out across all areas in both central services and the branch network, meaning that all employees could work from home.  Action protocols were put in place immediately, and as well as encouraging working from home, communication channels were reinforced and new work-life balance measures were introduced to respond to new needs. 

“We are very proud to receive this AENOR certificate, which highlights the effectiveness of the Banca March people management model. Our long-held motto is Shared Growth with all stakeholders: customers, employees, shareholders and society as a whole. We always try to find the option that is best for everyone. If we have learned one thing from the past few months it is the importance of creating a work environment in which people's health is the priority. We try to incorporate ethical, social and environmental criteria into our business at all times. Our goal is a more profitable, sustainable business that respects people and the environment. By adopting measures in record time we were able to overcome the biggest challenge anyone has faced in recent years and guarantee our priorities, which have not changed since the beginning: guaranteeing the health of our customers and employees, and ensuring business continuity”, explains Sonia Colino, Director of Development, Communication and Brand at Banca March.

The AENOR Director for the Balearic Islands, Soledad Seisdedos, said that “this certificate boosts the confidence of everyone involved, which is vital for the economy to recover from the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. The step that Banca March has taken is in keeping with the quality of its service and its drive to continually improve”.

Apart from the protocols introduced —safety measures, return-to-work protocol, business protocols—, the company bought enough face masks, gloves, hand sanitiser and screens to allow business to continue while keeping the risk of spreading the virus to a minimum. 

Some of the first decisions aimed at providing services to customers focused on payment methods and ATMs. For the past year, all Banca March cardholders have been able to withdraw cash (minimum €150) without a fee at any ATM in Spain and abroad. They have also been able to defer their credit card payments for three or six months, at no extra cost. We have also made it easier to collect pension and unemployment benefits paid into accounts by bringing forward the collection date and extending the collection period. These measures aimed to reduce queues at branches and thereby limit the risk of spreading the virus.