ANNUAL REPORT 2010

The following year, 2009, following guidelines on how to use state-of-the-art technology to
provide services, the Bank introduced chip technology into its ATM network, points of sale
and debit and credit cards, making its transactions more secure for the benefit of all its clients.
Mercantil is its People, a key success factor
For eight and a half decades Mercantil has never failed to respect and attend to its people,
who in turn have learned: enhancing their working skills; developing individually and
professionally; improving the way they serve customer and enforcing the standards set by
the regulatory bodies.
This process has evolved over time. Its scope has ranged from credit analysis courses through
which generations of skilled banking staff have been trained over the past 42 years; operations
courses held at recognized education institutes in the country; and more recently the use of
modern technologies to train Mercantil’s employees at their work stations through distance
education.
Our staff has responded by working more efficiently; showing respect for the Institution’s
principles and values; participating on a massive scale in leisure activities designed for
employees and their families; and adopting a positive attitude to working with colleagues as
a team, and to participating in voluntary work for the community.
Within the framework of its human talent policies, Mercantil Banco Universal is considered
by its workers to be an excellent company to work for in Venezuela. This has been confirmed
in the past few years by the company that specializes in this subject, through studies on
human resource management policies. These included surveys to find out what employees
think about the Institution’s organizational climate. For Mercantil it has been a priority to
stimulate the individual development of its workers in an appropriate labor environment.
The important role that union representatives played during these years should also be
mentioned. Together with the bank they have worked hard to strengthen and develop
workers’ benefits within the conditions of the market, always within a framework of mutual
respect and autonomy.
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