Development directions
The development directions of PKO Bank Polski SA are set out in the Strategy for the years 2016–2020 “Wspieramy rozwój Polski i Polaków” (We support the development of Poland and the Poles) (“Strategy”), approved by the Supervisory Board on 3 November 2016.
Annual report
2018
2018
Who we are - our mission
For 100 years we have been delivering financial solutions to our Customers; therefore, we understand the needs of Poles and Polish firms.
We are consistently changing, investing in development, and we responsibly implement modern technologies to enable easy finance management at any place or time. We are proud of our history and of our Polish roots.
We wish to continue exerting a positive influence on Poland – its people, firms, culture and the environment. As one of the largest banks in Central and Eastern Europe we responsibly care for the interests of the shareholders, customers, employees, and local communities.
We are consistently changing, investing in development, and we responsibly implement modern technologies to enable easy finance management at any place or time. We are proud of our history and of our Polish roots.
We wish to continue exerting a positive influence on Poland – its people, firms, culture and the environment. As one of the largest banks in Central and Eastern Europe we responsibly care for the interests of the shareholders, customers, employees, and local communities.
PKO Bank Polski SA's strategy for the years 2016-2020
The strategy is our response to the changing market environment and the need for our organization to adapt to the new challenges facing the banking sector and the Polish economy. The direction of transformations of the Bank’s business model remains closely related to the digitization of social life and to Poland’s economic development strategy.
PKO Bank Polski SA reinforces its position as the unchallenged leader of the Polish banking market, systematically develops the scope and quality of its services, enhances its processes and organizational efficiency.
Strategic goals
The PKO Bank Polski SA Group achieved its strategic financial goals under the 2016–2020 Strategy two years in advance, already in 2018:
- it achieved return on equity (ROE) above 10%;
- it reduced the cost to income ratio (C/I) to below 45%;
- it maintained the cost of risk in the 75–85 b.p. bracket;
- it effectively and rationally managed capital adequacy so as to ensure that TCR and Tier1 ratios exceed the regulatory and supervisory requirements, and at the same time enable the distribution of dividend.
| 2018 | 2020 | Realization | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ROE | 10.0% | >10% |  |
| C/I | 44.2% | <45% | |
| Cost of risk | 0.59% | 0.75%-0.85% | |
| Equity | TCR: 18.88% | Dividend capability | |
| Tier 1: 17.54% |
The Bank addresses its challenges to 2020 in the following strategic goals:
- Supporting Polish entrepreneurship, in particular in the firms and companies segment;
- Customer satisfaction;
- Increase in the number of digital Customers;
- Simple and efficient processes – “faster and paperless”;
- Best employer;
- Innovation and new sources of revenue;
- Leader in cooperation in the area of cybersafety.
Pursuit of the Strategy
The Bank is consistently changing, investing in its development and becoming more and more digital. It also responsibly implements new technologies. At the same time, it is increasing its business scale, developing solid, highest profits in the banking sector, and strengthening its lead market position.
PKO Bank Polski SA’s strategic goals are achieved through six levers of sustainable development:
The effects of the pursuit of strategic goals in 2018 in the area of particular strategic levers were, among others:
- The new marketing communication platform, aimed at connecting the product and image campaign. The campaign refers to Polish history in the context of the 100th anniversary of Poland regaining its independence and the centenary of PKO Bank Polski SA’s operations;
- The possibility of foreign currency exchange in eKANTOR via the transaction service iPKO, and using the IKO mobile app;
- Launching Centrum Bankowości Przedsiębiorstw (Enterprise Banking Centre), which provides the Bank’s Customers with a network of mobile bank advisors and with the technical support of experts;
- Possibility of registering firms with CEIDG via iPKO electronic banking, including opening a firm bank account. The Bank’s Customers may register remotely and to a large extent automatically via the e-Urząd service;
- New electronic banking services for Customers who are firms: the firm assistant and e-sklep.
- Expanding the functionalities of the iPKO service;
- A mobile IKO application, supported by iOS and Android systems, and an information site about the app (iko.pkobp.pl) are maintained in four languages: Polish, English, Ukrainian and Russian;
- In March 2018 IKO ranked first in the Retail Banker International mobile applications ranking of the 100 largest banks in the world;
- Equipping debit cards issued to personal accounts with a multi-currency function;
- Cooperation of PKO Bank Polski SA with CEUP eService sp. z o.o. in the Cashless Poland program;
- Optimizing the network of branches based on the economic feasibility of their operation which includes both actions in respect of changing the nature of the outlets and reducing their number;
- Implementation of SMS authorizations for orders in branches in respect of making payments, disbursements, transfers, standing orders;
- Implementation of further banking operation digitization and automation initiatives, among other things, in respect of paperless solutions which enable the acceptance of a single qualified signature for a selected number of orders and automatic recording of documentation;
- Implementation of the first automated processes in the RPA (Robotic Process Automation) technology aimed at increasing back office effectiveness without the necessity to increase employment;
- The Trusted Profile in the iPKO and Inteligo services. Under the Trusted Profile the Bank offers its Customers handling many administrative matters through the e-Urząd portal.
- New Organization and Cooperation – the Digital Transformation program at the Bank. The purpose of the program is to transform the organizational structure into an even more modern one, directed at development and constant excelling;
- Training cycle “Dzień dobry Biznes” (Good morning business) – expert support addressed to firms and companies, which enables entrepreneurs to listen to speakers and at the same time to obtain direct advice from professional experts from particular sectors.
- Implementing blockchain technology solutions. PKO Bank Polski SA and the start-up Coinfirm signed a cooperation contract under which the Bank, as the first financial institution in Poland, has begun implementing blockchain technology solutions.
- The use of the blockchain technology to confirm the authenticity and constancy of the documents sent by the Bank electronically – providing it using the new product regulations to more than 5 million Customers (instead of their paper versions);
- Establishing Operator Chmury Krajowej sp. z o.o., a company whose business will be to provide comprehensive data safekeeping and processing services. In accordance with the agreement signed, Polski Fundusz RozwojuSA will join PKO Bank Polski SA;
- Implementing the processes automation platform (Robotic Process Automation). Applying the RPA technology to automate banking activities and develop new employees’ competencies;
- The construction of the modern technologies development platform “Let’s Fintech with PKO Bank Polski!”. With its use the Bank is searching for and developing prospective solutions, and engaging start-ups and fintechs for this purpose;
- PKO Bank Polski SA’s obtaining (as the first financial company in Poland) membership in the elite initiative FIRST (Forum of Incident Response and Security Teams), which is the global organization associating teams which react to infocomm incidents;
- Making available payments to PKO Bank Polski SA and Inteligo customers who are using Visa and Mastercard proximity cards via Apple Pay and Garmin Pay.
- Expanding the Bank’s offer by motor insurance available to Customers in the Bank’s branches and agencies as well as through the Customer Call Centre; Starting sales of OC with Zielona Karta (liability insurance valid abroad), Autocasco (all risks insurance), NNW (accident insurance) and Assistance insurance;
- Establishing an investment fund, PKO VC (venture capital), which will invest in start-ups and fintechs. The Fund will search for companies in which the majority of interest should be acquired to include them in the Group’s structures, and will acquire minority interests.