Report of the Management Board on the activities of Bank Millennium S.A.
and the Bank Millennium S.A. Group for 2025
269
20.1 Corporate culture and business ethics
[G1 IRO-1] The Bank Millennium Group operates in a sustainable manner, while considering adherence
to ethical principles to be of paramount significance for its corporate culture and business conduct. This
follows from our mission as a financial sector operator and the Group’s professed values, which we
consider crucial. We build relationships based, among others, on trust, we support employee
development and promote cooperation, guided by such principles as: compliance with laws and internal
regulations, transparency, confidentiality and reliability.
The Group's operations are conducted based on a clear organisational structure, a transparent and
documented division of responsibilities, and a comprehensive set of internal regulations and a training
programme allowing employees to familiarize themselves on an ongoing basis with new or updated
procedures and principles of conduct. The risk management area in the Group is organized in the same
way.
Procedures and rules of conduct are available to employees (including franchise employees) in
MilleTeka – the internal database of regulations in force at the Bank.
[G1-1] The fundamental document that governs key issues for the Bank Millennium Group is the Bank
Millennium Group Code of Ethics – a set of principles implemented at the Management Board level and
approved by the Supervisory Board, which must be observed by all employees of the Bank Millennium
Group. The Code of Ethics contains principles and values that should guide employees in the
performance of their duties and in the relations with their colleagues and with the Bank as an employer.
It also sets out guidelines for relations with clients, the market and suppliers, referring to such areas as:
respect for human rights, quality of service, ethical sales, fair competition and communication, focus on
ensuring long-term continuity and sustainability, principles for conducting business relations, anti-money
laundering, prevention of conflict of interest and anti-corruption, including rules on accepting and giving
benefits, as well as participation in and organisation of tenders. The Code of Ethics also applies to
franchisees and employees at franchise locations.
Every employee is required to become familiar with the Code of Ethics, complete a mandatory e-learning
course in this respect, and to confirm their knowledge and apply the principles included in the Code of
Ethics in daily work. The scope of the training covers, among others, conflict of interest management,
anti-corruption, confidential information, personal transactions, and other topics. The knowledge and
materials provided during the training are intended, among others, to sensitize employees on how to
identify and handle situations which in any way may cause a conflict between the interests of Bank
Millennium and the client, as well as how to handle information which is or may be price-sensitive and
the disclosure of which might affect the price of financial instruments. Additionally, the scope of training
also covers the discussion of specific issues related to our principles of conduct, including within
separate e-learning courses such as, among others: “Counteracting corruption in the Bank Millennium
Group”, “Countering conflicts of interest”, “Counteracting money laundering and terrorist financing and
compliance with international sanctions”. As part of such training, employees also learn what
responsibilities (including legal orders and prohibitions) are associated with conflict situations and with
coming into possession of confidential information. The role of employees as those who must adequately
identify their own behavior as well as that of other employees and clients is highlighted in the examples.
The above-mentioned e-learnings make up a mandatory package of regulatory trainings that every Bank
employee is required to undergo. Also, every newly hired employee of the Bank Millennium Group must
complete them as part of the onboarding process, and subsequently participates in refresher trainings
annually.
The Ethics Officer stands guard over compliance with the Code of Ethics. This function is exercised by
the head of the Compliance Department. The tasks of the Ethics Officer, in addition to safeguarding
compliance with the principles contained in the Code of Ethics, also include: promoting ethical
standards, ordering inspections of compliance with ethical principles, as well as verifying cases of
conduct inconsistent with the adopted principles. The Code of Ethics is subject to annual review and
updates on an as-needed basis. The document may also be updated depending on current needs,
supervisory recommendations or detected irregularities, in particular as regards adjusting to changes in
the regulatory environment, changes in the profile and level of risk related to the Bank’s activities, as
well as factors of the economic and the environment in which we operate.
The Code of Ethics has been published on the Internet – among others at
www.bankmillennium.pl/en/about-the-bank/esg – and on the Intranet (in the MilleTeka service available
also for franchise employees).