Communication generates trust, heightens transparency and acts as a vehicle for the transfer of knowledge. For this reason, we believe it is important to communicate openly, both within and outside the organization.
The last fiscal year saw a particular effort to consolidate and expand our communications with the public. To achieve this, we make use of a wide range of information channels at international level: we publish in online and off-line media, supply appropriate press releases to journalists worldwide and ensure that we are actively represented at trade fairs and seminars. Our external communications are also targeted at the capital markets with whom we maintain regular contact (see also the section entitled Stock).
To improve Group-wide communications with the whole spectrum of interested parties, we have redesigned our website, which now features additional content, a modern layout, a simpler structure and faster navigation, giving visitors a clearer picture of what our organization is all about.
We make full use of our global sales organization to conduct an intensive dialog with customers, including special business events at which we promote an ongoing exchange of information and experiences. Some of these are organized by the company itself, such as the international “Wincor World” trade fair, our “International Management Seminar” and the international “Retail Banking Conference”, which is run in collaboration with the internationally renowned German financial journal Börsen-Zeitung. Along with a number of other specialist banking conferences, these events have become an established part of our customer communication activities.
Internally, we place tremendous importance on making information about important business developments available promptly to all employees throughout the organization. In certain areas, we achieve this through information media designed in-house. During the year under review, for example, we published a newsletter for German staff to keep them informed about implementation of the framework pay agreement. We also expanded our Group-wide intranet and provided specific communications platforms for our subsidiaries in other countries.
