“In Santander Group we have a strong Corporate culture where ethics, honesty and integrity play a key role and should be truly part of how we do things.
We all have a role to play in embedding such a culture and specially in changing things that are not entirely as they should be. To do so we should truly listen and create and open and honest environment in which all of us feel free to speak without fear retaliation.
I want to encourage you to speak up and be clear about anything which is not appropriate (unethical behaviours, compliance related issues, etc.).” José Luis de Mora and Ezequiel Szafir, co-CEOs Santander Consumer Finance Group.
5 things you need to know about Canal Abierto
What is Canal Abierto?
The Canal Abierto is the tool that Santander Group’s employees and stakeholders have to report any conduct which may breach the General Code of Conduct or violate our corporate behaviours or the ethical principles in force.
What are its characteristics?
The Canal Abierto’s key characteristics are as follows:
- Open door policy: This channel can be used by any active employees, suppliers, customers, shareholders or any third party related to Santander Group.
- The Canal Abierto’s access platform and call centre will be managed by an external provider (NAVEX); any reported situations will be handled and investigated by the corresponding internal teams.
- The strict prohibition of reprisals or any type of negative consequence for having reported a situation, except for any disciplinary measures which may have to be applied if the internal investigation determines that the situation was reported in bad faith.
Why is the Canal Abierto needed?
- To detect and act on conduct which breaches the General Code of Conduct or violates our corporate behaviours and ethical principles, while fostering an atmosphere where employees can speak up and be truly listened.
- To comply with those regulations that demand specific reporting channels to notify misconduct (e.g. accounting, auditing, internal control or inappropriate influence on external auditors, anti- money laundering and the financing of terrorism).
- To reinforce our commitment to promoting an ethical and honest culture in line with the responsible banking strategy, to which Santander Group is strongly committed.
Are reports to Canal Abierto secure, confidential and anonymous?
The Canal Abierto system uses the EthicsPoint website and does not keep any type of internal connection log with IP addresses. As such, no information will link your computer to the Canal Abierto. You can also access the Canal Abierto through a call centre with the same guarantees.
If you are reporting anonymously, we may not have sufficient information to conduct a full investigation. It is important that you supply as many details as possible about the situation or behaviour in question. Remember you can access the platform and check for messages requesting further information for the internal investigation.
What are next steps?
After you report the situation, the incident is registered in EthicsPoint’s secure server. Depending on the selected category of breach and where it occurred, the case will be assigned to the appropriate Group team for its management.
If further information is needed during the investigations, you will receive a message through EthicsPoint to respond the questions (using your case code and password).
We recommend that you access the platform regularly and check the status of your report as it is your means of communication with the team managing and investigating your notification. You will see the result of the case too.