20 minute read
Award highlights
.WORLD
Awards 2019
Winter announcement highlights
AN INVITATION TO VOTE Readers are cordially invited to vote in the Business Vision (BV) Awards Programme.
BV seeks out candidates with outstanding corporate achievements but all eventual winners will have convinced the judging panel that they have the vision to maintain and build on their success well into the future.
Visit our website www.bv.world/awards to place your vote or email us at award@bv.world We will send you a copy of the nomination form.
The information you provide will be used by the BV judging panel but not shared with third parties. As a small token of our thanks you will be entered in a free draw for a one-year complimentary subscription.
DANSKE Bank can trace its roots to 1871, growing through numerous strategic mergers to become one of Denmark's largest banks, with a core market covering the Nordics and a presence in 13 countries. The bank's innovative product developments and collaborative partnerships have left it firmly footed to meet clients' future financial needs. Danske Bank counts 2.8 million personal and business customers amongst its roster, with 2.1 million registered users of its digital banking services. Across its core markets, cash is no longer king, and Danske Bank has launched cashless solutions for everything from the kids' pocket money to customisable credit card offerings. Danske banking apps transform mobile phones into personal finance hubs for any-time cross-account access and convenient payment processing. The BV judging panel presents Danske Bank with the 2019 Best Digital Bank (Denmark) award.
RBS (Royal Bank of Scotland) — Most Visionary Retail Banking Team | United Kingdom 2019
RBS, or the Royal Bank of Scotland, ensures employee engagement by creating a work environment where dreamers with diligence are recognised and rewarded. The RBS retail banking team has rolled out all the stops to offer clients an above-and-beyond suite of products and services. Through RBS's mobile banking app, customers can send money or make payments, freeze and unfreeze misplaced cards, and even access accounts from select other banks. They can order travel cash in foreign currencies for branch pick-up or home delivery. RBS recently launched a budgeting tool to help clients visualise — and better control — where their money goes. For a history rooted in product innovation and customer commitment, the BV judging panel declares RBS as the 2019 winner of the Most Visionary Retail Banking Team (United Kingdom).
EUROPCAR hopes to dissuade urban residents from individual car ownership through its Urban Mobility Business Unit. Founded as a rental car company in Paris in 1949, Europcar now runs operations in 140 countries. It has embarked on a growth and diversification strategy aptly named SHIFT 2023, which details its roadmap for further profitable expansion. The Urban Mobility Unit is fuelled by the acquisition and development of start-up Ubeeqo, a specialist of corporate ridesharing and mobility solutions. Individual urban cars typically spend over 90 percent of their time parked, but Europcar's elegant solution enables multimodality of its auto assets while offering consumers an attractive alternative to ownership. The BV judging panel applauds the closed-loop business model and presents Europcar with the 2019 Best Urban Mobility Solutions (Europe) award.
AS ONE of the first Belarusian banks to recognise the potential of — and focus funding on — small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), JSC MTBank offers a comprehensive suite of value-added products and services. MTBank provides credit lines for working capital, investment projects, leasing assets and trade finance. As a modern commercial bank, it also offers security deposits, currency exchanges with an option of individual rates, bank guarantees and brokerage services, paying attention to the online payment tools improvement. MTBank always aimed to help private business to develop, to become efficient and profitable. Therefore, the bank actively supports various educational projects, creates its own business training initiatives and organizes regular networking meetings. Fruitful partnership with leading international financial institutions such as the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) also gives MTBank the funding to further fuel the SME market. The BV judging panel recognises MTBank with the 2019 award for Best SME Bank (Belarus).
ESTABLISHED as a Dutch agricultural co-operative bank in the late 19th century, Rabobank remains committed to its members by reinvesting profits to support local, national, and international projects of strong social impact. Rabobank engages in open dialogue with members to elicit feedback to shape the bank's trajectory and to transform the current global food system into a more ecologically and economically sustainable model. As such, Rabobank recently partnered with IBM to implement a blockchain-based application that gives coffee lovers a trusted account of the beans' journey, from farm to mug. Consumers can use the app to monitor the supply chain and to support initiatives that benefit local farming communities. The BV judging panel agrees that no challenge can withstand a unified front of collaboration and solidarity. The judges present Rabobank with the 2019 Best Community Social Impact Bank (Netherlands) award.
Jerónimo Martins — Best Corporate Responsibility | Portugal 2019
THE JERÓNIMO Martins story dates back more than two centuries, giving the food distributor ample time to perfect the five-pillar action plan outlining its corporate responsibilities. Jerónimo Martins stocks shelves with quality food that promotes good health, including expanding product lines free from lactose, gluten, and animal proteins. It prioritises environmental initiatives that combat climate change, boost biodiversity, and optimise waste management. It forges lasting partnerships with local suppliers and leads by example to incorporate the highest standards of safety, environmental stewardship, and social impact across the supply chain. Jerónimo Martins runs community support programmes that tackle hunger and malnutrition. As a benchmark employer, it demonstrates leadership in gender equality and initiatives that strike a healthy worklife balance. The BV judging panel presents Jerónimo Martins with the 2019 Best Corporate Responsibility (Portugal) award.
KOMMUNALKREDIT Austria specialises in financing infrastructure and energy projects, and prides itself on its swift and decisive management processes. Its stated aim — to be a leader in the European infrastructure market — has been realised with aplomb. Recognition from the media, its partners, customers, and even its competitors, shows that another of its ambitions — to improve people's lives — has been equally successful. In 2018, Kommunalkredit was ranked in the Top 30 Initial Mandated Lead Arrangers of credit financing in the EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) region. The BV judges recognise this as an organisation with sustainability at the heart of its business model, and at the core of its activities. With ongoing projects in the areas of energy, the environment, social infrastructure, communications and transport, it shows that true sustainability can be more than just a noble goal. Kommunalkredit Austria AG is the winner of the 2019 award for Most Sustainable Infrastructure Project Partner (Central Europe).
WITH OVER 90 percent of Forbes Global 2000 companies counted amongst its client roster and 200 million subscribers to its cloud base in 180 countries, SAP has proven itself an ideal partner of intelligent enterprise. The European multinational is a world leader of enterprise application software solutions, with 77 percent of global transaction revenue passing through an SAP system. SAP has formed partnerships with more than 18,000 organisations worldwide, including hyperscalers like Microsoft, IBM, Amazon, and Google. It honours a 47-year legacy of business innovation by funding over 100 research and development centres to deliver the digital solutions that make the world run more smoothly. The BV judging panel names SAP as the worthy winner of the 2019 Best Enterprise Application Software Solutions (Europe) award.
Tesco plc — Best Customer Satisfaction Retailer | United Kingdom 2019
TESCO is enjoying the fruits of a five-year turnaround plan led by outgoing CEO Dave Lewis, who is credited with steering the British grocery giant back to its former glory. When he took the helm, Lewis applied a back-to-basics approach to force executive leadership to live the shopping experience of the common consumer. Tesco offloaded underperforming facilities, refined its merchandise mix, and expanded its range of plant-based foods to boost customer satisfaction. It launched the Clubcard Plus, a monthly subscription customer reward card with special savings on Tesco exclusive brands and Tesco mobile data. The strategies are paying off as Tesco has received the highest customer satisfaction ratings in years. The BV judging panel recognises Tesco's strong turnaround with the 2019 award for Best Customer Satisfaction Retailer in the United Kingdom.
AS THE oldest bank in the country, the National Bank of Bahrain (NBB) takes pride in a history steeped in service and innovation. The farsighted bank articulates a team vision of harnessing modern tech advancements and knowledgeable human capital to deliver on customer demands. The bank runs regular training sessions across its ranks, including a Director Development Programme, to ensure the NBB team keeps a sharp competitive edge in the rapidly changing financial industry. NBB has updated its product portfolio with the digital solutions and services that contribute towards a more financially inclusive and economically empowered nation. The BV judging panel congratulates the National Bank of Bahrain, winner of the 2019 Most Innovative Banking Team (Bahrain) award.
Equinor — Most Responsible Energy Corporate Leadership | Nordics 2019
EQUINOR follows the Nordic tradition of exploring beyond the horizon to shape the future of a global market. The Norwegian company develops oil, gas, wind and solar energy in over 30 countries, and is an active advocate of the Paris Climate Agreement and UN Sustainable Development Goals. Equinor has pledged to cut carbon emissions by 40 percent by 2030, 70 percent by 2040, and to near zero by 2050. It's establishing a framework to create the long-term value that leads to a low-carbon future — and collaboration is key. Along with a network of like-minded partners, Equinor plans to invest 50 billion Norwegian kroner (more than $5bn) to undertake large-scale industrial measures to reduce its carbon footprint, including energy efficiency, digitalisation and electrification initiatives. The BV judging panel recognises Equinor's climateaction contributions with the 2019 award for Most Responsible Energy Corporate Leadership (Nordics).
ENGIE — Best ESG Mobility Solutions | Europe 2019
URBAN municipalities are tackling the challenges of gridlocked traffic and poor air quality with the help of ENGIE, a French multinational leader of the energy revolution. With 2.4 billion new inhabitants expected by 2050 — two thirds of which will reside in cities — ENGIE is committed to optimising urban transit networks and promoting the transition towards green fuels. ENGIE's eco-mobility programme is in overdrive as it races to help cities strengthen transport infrastructure and upgrade to smart transit systems. The company receives top marks in environmental, social, and governance (ESG) assessments and has issued an open invitation for collaboration to start-ups working on promising projects in sustainable mobility, smart communities, and renewable energy storage. The BV judging panel is delighted to present ENGIE with the 2019 award for Best ESG Mobility Solutions (Europe).
TESLA has reached international fame as a high-tech alternative to legacy luxury car brands, with a focus on sustainable energy that has pushed product development and diversification from smart cars to power storage and solar energy. Tesla has evolved from a niche manufacturer to a mass producer of zero or lowemission solutions. The company entered the solar energy market in 2017, selling traditional solar panels and innovative solar roof tiles. Tesla storage solutions include the Powerwall, Powerpack, and Megapack, which enable users to collect and save solar energy for a rainy day. Over the past year, Tesla has doubled its global energy storage capacity to more than 2 GWh. Company founder Elon Musk asserts that Tesla is poised for exponential growth — and that renewables are fuelling the development process. The BV judging panel recognises Tesla as an industry innovator with the 2019 Outstanding Contribution to Sustainable Energy (Global) award.
GLAXOSMITHKLINE pushes the boundaries of innovation to bring medicines to market in the shortest timeframe and safest manner possible. It nurtures collaborative partnerships — academic, business, non-profit, and private — to unlock potential in the discovery and manufacturing process of vaccines and transformational medicines. GlaxoSmithKline established a Research and Development (R&D) department that employs 16,000 people across three global businesses — and invested more than $5 bn in 2018. The Fortune-500 company invested along with various collaborators to launch the Medicines Manufacturing Innovation Centre (MMIC) in Scotland. By 2023, the $73m innovation centre will provide high-value R&D employment. The GlaxoSmithKline R&D team at the MMIC will focus on continuous manufacturing and advanced crystallisation, which can drastically reduce market launch times while still meeting strict standards of quality control. The BV judging panel presents GlaxoSmithKline with the 2019 Most Innovative Pharma R&D Team (United Kingdom) award.
UniCredit — Best Banking Growth Strategy | Italy 2019
UNICREDIT is a pan-European bank with a strong core market and an expansive — and expanding — international presence. The bank seeks to strengthen the group value by focusing on customer satisfaction, supporting the personal and professional development of its workforce, and generating synergies throughout the network. Conscientious risk management and disciplined execution of growth strategies have proven successful, yielding steady performance and marked progress. Digitalisation has simplified processes, boosting ease of access and convenience while shoring up security. The BV judging panel believes that UniCredit has laid the groundwork for a sustainable and future-proof business, with optimisation initiatives that will help it build the bank of tomorrow. The judges congratulate UniCredit, the 2019 winner of the Best Banking Growth Strategy (Italy) award.
VEOLIA Environment boasts a 166-year legacy of utility innovation. The French transnational collaborates with municipalities, businesses, and private citizens to develop solutions that make the most of finite resources through a circular economy system. The recovery and regeneration of materials and energy is a prime focus of Veolia. It offers water distribution, wastewater treatment, energy optimisation, power production and distribution, and waste treatment services. Veolia operates more than 140 facilities on five continents, helping public and private entities fulfil basic human needs as well as meeting rapidly evolving environmental, social, and governance (ESG) standards. It has achieved nearly 60 milestone projects, half in its core European market and the others spread across the globe. The BV judging panel present Veolia with the 2019 Best ESG Utility Management Solutions (Europe) award.
Zoomlion Ghana — Best ESG Waste Management Solutions Team | West Africa 2019
WITH a worldwide shift towards sustainability, circular economies become less of a pipe dream and more an inevitable part of the future. Founded in 2006 as one of the few private waste collections providers, Zoomlion Ghana now claims 70 percent of the market. The industry leader operates as a knowledgeable and like-minded partner, not adversarial market competitor. Through public-private partnerships, Zoomlion manages over 85,000 workers across the continent. The environmental sanitation specialist recovers and recycles plastics. It diverts organic waste to its 600-tonne, 400 tonne — and soon to be completed 1,000-tonne — composting facilities. The company fulfils its corporate social responsibility through ongoing environmental, educational, and health care initiatives. For outstanding contributions to a clean, green, and healthy Africa, the BV judging panel presents Zoomlion Ghana with the 2019 Best ESG Waste Management Solutions Team (West Africa) award.
The LEGO Group — Best ESG Transformation Strategy | Nordics 2019
LEGO's brightly coloured, interlocking bricks are a staple of childhood playrooms. The tiny indestructible toys have been passed down from generation to generation, just as the LEGO company has passed from father to son since 1932. The LEGO Group safeguards the inheritance of future generations by investing in sustainable solutions today. It has invested about $150m to build the Sustainable Materials Centre that will search for sustainable yet durable alternatives to the traditional plastic bricks. The group makes strong environmental, social, and governance (ESG) commitments and logs steady progress towards its eco-ambitions. In 2018, LEGO recycled 93 percent of operational waste and fully balanced its energy consumption with renewable wind investments. In 2020, it will phase out all single-use plastic bags in favour of responsibly sourced paper packaging. For a company of purpose and play, the BV judging panel presents the LEGO Group with the 2019 Best ESG Transformation Strategy (Nordics) award.
THE UNITED Bank of Switzerland (UBS) has roots that stretch back to 1862. The Swiss group is a trusted financial partner at home and abroad, offering asset management as well as personal, commercial, and investment banking services. As an industry leader of Sustainable Investing (SI), UBS assists investors in aligning portfolios with principles to reap healthy rewards. UBS pledged to direct $5 bn worth of assets towards completion of the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2022 — and it's already more than halfway to its target. Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) integration across asset classes enables investors to cherry-pick their portfolio structure according to theme, impact, or exclusion. Furthermore, the bank leads by example in terms of organisation-wide programmes promoting education and entrepreneurship. The BV judging panel applauds the bank's eco-stance and presents UBS with the 2019 Best Banking ESG Strategy (Europe) award.
Mashreq Bank — Best Digital Banking Technology | Middle East 2019
MASHREQ works in client-bank partnership to find the best opportunities for innovation. Over its more than 52-year history, Mashreq Bank has maintained a process of continuous self-assessment and actualisation to deliver superior customer service and cutting-edge fintech products. One of the UAE's best performing banks for five decades, Mashreq is a leading financial institution with an expanding footprint across the Middle East. They have international offices across Europe, Asia, Africa and the US, and a strong presence in all the financial capitals of the world. Across Mashreq operations, the focus is on cultivating client relationships and pushing product innovation. Mashreq Digital and Online Banking platforms convert devices — phone or fax, inbox or ATM — into a personal bank branch. Dozens of next-generation features ensure the Mashreq Mobile app brings convenience and ease — plus a bit of the “wow” factor — to finance management. For its customer-driven innovation, the BV judging panel declares Mashreq Bank as the winner of the 2019 Best Digital Banking Technology (Middle East) award.
Philips — Best CSR Leadership | Netherlands 2019
PHILIPS is a Dutch multinational with global brand exposure and exemplary leadership in sustainability. The conglomerate has set itself some ambitious targets, including achieving carbon-neutral operations by the end of 2020 and leveraging products and programmes to positively impact the lives of three billion people each year by 2030. Philips shares the results of its corporate social responsibility (CSR) plan in regularly published and externally audited assessments, with data that details its steadfast march towards its targets. It approaches sustainability as a solution to the climate crisis and a driver of economic growth and innovation, making Philips the obvious choice of the BV judging panel for the 2019 Best CSR Leadership (Netherlands) award.
Zhang Xin
10 PEOPLE
ZHANG Xin heads the largest real estate developer in China, and that’s saying a lot. Xin co-founded SOHO China and now has a net worth of more than $3bn; all the more impressive considering her humble beginnings, and was pulling 12-hour factory shifts at the age of 15 to help her family. She quickly realised that the transformative power of education could change her life, and began saving to study abroad.
She managed to fund studies at Cambridge University and went on to work with Goldman Sachs in London, New York, and Hong Kong. With her husband, Pan Shiyi, she founded the real estate giant in 1995.
Over the past 25 years, SOHO China has developed 60 million square feet of real estate. The organisation also engages in education-focused initiatives to fight poverty. Through the philanthropic SOHO China Foundation, Xin has funded a $100m initiative to help outstanding scholars to attend top universities.
She acknowledges that gender discrimination still exists in the country. “We still see a bias towards boys in the countryside,” she says. “Most abandoned children are girls; we have few women ministers. But women dominate in school and the Olympics, and there are more and more self-made women entrepreneurs.” Zhang Xi has contributed to China’s rise to super power status, and worries that trade disputes such as the recent one with the US are hurting investor sentiment.
“There seems to be a public consensus that the rise of China is inevitable,” she says. “The United States seems to not want to see a strong China to be its rival. And therefore, there is a strong will to contain China.”
There was no chance of a collapse of economic growth in the country, she believes, but acknowledges the days of 10 percent GDP growth are over.
Dogan
Boyner
Senesenevler via Wikimedia Commons
10 PEOPLE
AS THE daughter of a billionaire newspaper mogul, Hanzade Dogan-Boyner may have been born the silver-spooned darling of Turkey, but she bucked stereotypes to forge an empire of her own. The tech entrepreneur started Hepsiburada in 2000; today, it is the largest e-commerce platform in Turkey, with $786m in revenue for 2018. The platform attracts 150m visitors each month, and annual company growth is 60 to 70 percent.
Before launching Hepsiburada, Dogan-Boyner spent a decade in the family media business. She was an early advocate of digitalisation and suggested the media group invest in the sector to modernise. She could sense a revolution building, but her timing was off.
“It was probably my drive that pushed me out of the company,” she says. Her father, Aydin Dogan, agrees and admits that “our structure was not to accept fresh, and perhaps risky, ideas at that time”.
Hanzade Dogan-Boyner continues to challenge stereotypes as a Muslim woman running a top tech company. When she realised that only 400 of the 8,000 merchants on the Hepsiburada platform were female-owned, she launched an initiative to level the playing field.
Hepsiburada offers free training seminars and on-boarding assistance to women. Female merchants are promoted on the company’s homepage, and algorithms help consumers identify products marketed by women. Merchants “graduate” from the programme when their company revenues hit certain thresholds. Business owners then cede their spots — and benefits — to a newcomer.
By November 2019, 4,000 women had enrolled in the programme, and nine percent of the platform’s GMV (Gross Merchandise Value) comes from female entrepreneurs. “It's an investment we're very proud of making,” Dogan-Boyner said. “We have to support women for their financial independence. This is important for women and for Turkey's continued development.” Hepsiburada’s growing market presence in Europe, the Middle East and Africa has led international media to label it the Amazon of the East.
