Within the framework of the FinanceAsia Awards 2024, SHB secured victories in three significant award categories, assessed for their positive effects on customers, society, and employees. These accolades validate the bank’s commitment to sustainable development, people-centricity and emphasizing community responsibility.
FinanceAsia Awards is one of the most prestigious awards in the financial sector, organized annually by FinanceAsia Magazine with a jury of leading financial experts in the Asia-Pacific region. In 2024, SHB was honored in 3 award categories: Biggest ESG Impact Bank in Vietnam; Best Commercial Bank – SME in Vietnam and Most DEI Progressive Bank in Vietnam.
Winning three award categories from FinanceAsia Magazine validates SHB’s progress on its transformation journey. Building on the momentum of last year, the bank is now directing resources towards executing a robust and comprehensive Transformation Strategy anchored on four pillars: Institutional Reform, People-centricity, Customer-centricity, Modernized Information Technology and Digital Transformation. Moreover, SHB remains resolute in upholding six core cultural values: “Heart – Faith – Trustworthiness – Knowledge – Wisdom – Greater heights”.
SHB endeavors to achieve several key goals: to excel as the top-performing bank in terms of efficiency, to be recognized as the most preferred digital bank, to stand out as the premier retail bank, and to emerge as a leading provider of capital, products, and financial services to both private and public strategic corporate customers possessing green supply chains, value chains, and ecosystems
The bank remains steadfast in its commitment to promoting green credit and facilitating capital financing across various sectors such as agriculture, forestry, food processing, and industry. Special emphasis will be placed on supporting investments in green energy projects, renewable energy, and infrastructure development. Additionally, the bank aims to foster the establishment of a circular economy in key regions nationwide.
With a robust three-decade foundation and a deeply ingrained corporate culture, SHB remains unwavering in its commitment to sustainable, secure, and efficient development. Furthermore, it continues to instill and spread good values to the society and the country.
At present, SHB stands as a reliable partner for numerous financial institutions, including the WB, IFC, and ADB. It channels credit towards energy projects and endeavors aligned with “green” criteria, facilitating access to capital for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and businesses owned by women, supporting their business endeavors.
In 2023, there was a significant surge in credit extension for SMEs, particularly those in the green business sector, surpassing the bank’s overall credit growth by more than double. In addition to issuing and refining product policies, SHB has taken a comprehensive approach to bolster SME business activities. This includes forging partnerships and formalizing agreements with SMEs, offering support through consultation and training programs, enhancing corporate governance capabilities, and optimizing the management of capital resources and risks.
Concurrently, SHB entered into a credit cooperation agreement with IFC amounting to USD 120 million, aimed at nurturing an SME loan portfolio, with particular emphasis on supporting women-owned businesses and enterprises engaged in the supply chain. As part of its commitment, SHB pledges to allocate a minimum of 37.5% of the loan amount to women-owned businesses. Additionally, the bank will be granted USD 226,000 from the Financial Initiative Fund for Women Entrepreneurs (We-Fi) and the Women Entrepreneurs Opportunity Fund (WEOF), global initiatives dedicated to enhancing women entrepreneurs’ access to capital.
The bank also actively engages in programs and initiatives that support the community and society, leaving a notable positive impact. One such initiative is the program aimed at mitigating the effects of COVID-19 on women-owned businesses, funded by ADB. Among the five banks involved in the project, SHB takes the lead, providing a total non-refundable aid amounting to USD 1.7 million to its customers.
By adopting a comprehensive ESG risk management framework, SHB ensures that every facet aligns with international standards and practices. This approach not only facilitates the attraction of capital inflows from international entities but also guarantees resources for sustaining green transformation initiatives and providing support to small and medium-sized enterprises as well as women-owned businesses, bringing positive impacts to the society and the economy.
In addition to offering a wide range of products and services tailored to meet financial requirements, SHB is committed to enhancing customer convenience by streamlining processes, reducing wait times, and optimizing cash flow management efficiency. As a result of these efforts, SHB has made a significant impact in the market and earned prestigious accolades, including the titles of the Biggest ESG Impact Bank in Vietnam and the Best SME Bank in Vietnam for several consecutive years.
Internally, SHB’s focus on cultivating corporate culture and providing training to attract talent reflects a steadfast commitment to its pillar of “People-centricity.” The bank fosters a culture of creativity and readiness for new challenges. By nurturing an open working environment that embraces fresh ideas and innovative approaches while upholding traditional humanistic values, SHB has successfully attracted talent, fostered employee loyalty, and collaborated effectively in developing services, solutions, and advancing the bank’s growth.
Particularly noteworthy at SHB is the significant representation of female employees, comprising 58.9% of the workforce. Among them, 56.9% hold managerial positions (as of February 28, 2024). Within the Board of General Directors, three out of eight leadership positions, including the CEO and Deputy CEO, are held by women. SHB is dedicated to recognizing and nurturing the talents of its female workforce, providing comprehensive and equitable welfare policies encompassing over 35 benefits distributed across seven categories, such as salary, bonuses, and health insurance. Additionally, the bank offers mental well-being initiatives, including celebratory events on International Women’s Day, National Women’s day, and birthdays, as well as vacation programs, team-building activities, art performances, and sports events, all aimed at fostering work-life balance, alleviating work-related stress, and strengthening bonds among colleagues.
Being recognized as the “Most DEI Progressive Bank” by FinanceAsia is a testament to SHB’s holistic approach towards human development, fostering an inclusive workplace culture, and promoting diversity. This acknowledgment underscores the efforts that SHB has consistently made in cultivating and disseminating these values.