HSBC Brazil Sustainability Report 2011

HSBC Brazil 

Sustainability 

Report 2011 

Renascença branch, in São Luis (MA). 

The first bank branch in Brazil with wind power generator.

Summary 

The mission of the 

sustainability area 

Message 

03 Message 

04 About the Report 

08 Sustainability vision 

11 HSBC at a glance 

12 Performance in 2011 

12 Awards 

14 Corporate Governance 

17 Values and Principles 

18 Risk Management 

18 Commitments 

20 Economic Development 

22 Responsible Loan Concession 

26 Investments 

28 Financial Literacy 

30 Insurance 

32 Products 

36 Sustainability = People 

39 Employee Development 

42 Diversity 

44 Customers 

45 Suppliers 

46 Environment 

48 Footprint 

54 Sustainable Constructions 

58 HSBC Climate Partnership 

62 Instituto HSBC Solidariedade 

62 Message 

64 Community Development 

72 HSBC Volunteer Programme 

Collaborate towards 

the insertion of 

sustainability as 

a major practice into 

HSBC’s operations 

and businesses, 

adding value 

to customers 

and shareholders, 

and developing 

society at large. 

Sustainability is deeply embodied 

into HSBC’s business principles. 

Our role is to streamline all efforts 

towards strengthening our long-term 

operation pillars: the development of 

new businesses in response to future 

demands; management of our risks 

and opportunities, taking into account 

all socio-environmental impacts; 

promotion of a sustainable economy; 

enhancement of operational efficiency; 

construction of customer and employee 

trust in our trademark; and the practice 

of our values, aimed to always do 

the right thing. As the CEO of HSBC 

Brazil, I have been closely following our 

advancements towards the attainment 

of our most important long-term goal: 

to insert environmental, social and 

economic impact management into 

the bank’s strategy and corporate 

governance. We all know that business 

should be done in the correct way. 

Profits should always be pursued based 

upon balanced business behaviours, 

so that society as a whole does not 

have to pay the price, either today or 

in the future. For ten years I have been 

an executive in HSBC. Now, at the 

highest position in the national structure 

of the company, I have the opportunity 

to contribute in a much more effective 

way to our successful trajectory. This is 

my commitment. HSBC has a story of 

over 140 years. Business perennity is 

the company’s most essential concern. 

This principle is reflected on our 

commitment to the sustainability of our 

commercial operations, management of 

environmental impacts, and contribution 

towards the development of 

communities where the bank operates. 

These core values are shared by HSBC 

Brazil. Since the arrival of the company 

to the country 15 years ago, the 

bank’s strategies are grounded upon 

sustainable practices. This positioning 

has brought several challenges; but, at 

the same time, a stronger employeebased 

commitment. In past years, we 

have been steadily working towards 

the construction of a sustainabilityoriented 

internal culture. We firmly 

believe that people are the starting 

points of changes to come and 

results to be achieved. That’s why the 

qualification of our internal audience 

and the involvement of all areas in 

the discussion of sustainability are 

crucial actions towards unleashing 

new cultural perspectives. We do not 

want sustainability to be restricted to 

a group of experts within the bank. It 

has to be part of the commitments 

and decisions of all of us who work at 

HSBC. We triggered a process in order 

to get closer to our suppliers, so that 

they can apply for a future partnership 

with the bank based on socioenvironmental 

performance criteria. 

In HSBC Technology and Services 

area, leaders have been more and 

more involved in sustainability-related 

strategic decisions. Thanks to this 

commitment, we have implemented 

relevant employee engagement 

initiatives and ecoefficiency actions. 

One example is the considerable 

reduction in the use of paper in the 

company. In 2011 we re-inaugurated 

our new training centre. The centre 

has been projected and built in 

compliance with the world’s most 

rigid sustainability standards. In São 

Luis, Maranhão (northeast of Brazil), 

we launched our first sustainable 

branch, which counts on a wind 

power generator, HSBC’s first in the 

André Brandão, HSBC Brazil CEO. 

world and unheard of in Brazilian bank 

branches. Initiatives such as this are 

milestones in the history of the bank 

and will serve as pilot plans for the 

replication of other similar projects. 

The greatest contribution of the facility, 

however, goes beyond the reduction 

of environmental impacts. In their 

everyday life, buildings like this one 

incorporate sustainability 

and consolidate the learning process 

of our internal audience. 

As a recognition to HSBC 

works – a company that believes 

in sustainability and in socioenvironmental 

investments -, 

and also to all employees, who 

strongly act as volunteers, Instituto 

HSBC Solidariedade (IHS) became 

an associate to the United Nations 

Department of Public Information, 

being the first corporate-based NGO 

in the world to receive such status. 

This outstanding acknowledgement 

is a result of the Institute’s 

commitment to the sustainable 

development agenda. Now, the entity 

will contribute to the UN projects and 

objectives, mobilising society and 

strengthening the UN operations. 

The publication of this sustainability 

report aims to communicate, 

in a clear and transparent way, 

the accomplishments and challenges 

ahead. The strengthening of ties with 

our customers, suppliers, employees 

and society at large directly 

reverberates in the strengthening 

of our own operations. 

Have a nice reading! 

André Brandão, 

HSBC Brazil CEO 

2 

3

About the Report 

The sustainability report is one of the 

major tools used by HSBC Brazil to inform 

stakeholders on all economic, social 

and environmental management initiatives 

inserted in the bank’s operations. 

The parametres adopted by the 

bank come from the internationally 

awarded multistakeholder 

sustainability network, the 

Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), 

headquartered in Amsterdam, 

the Netherlands. The company 

works under the premise of 

developing management drivers and 

guidelines towards the elaboration 

of reports on economic, social and 

environmental performances. 

One of the main principles set up 

by GRI in the process of outlining 

and defining the subjects to be 

taken into account in the publication 

is the materiality process, in which 

the identification of relevant issues 

is drawn from the perspective 

of the company and the perception 

of society about the sector and 

about the company’s operations. 

This process complies with the 

AA1000 standard, which is mostly 

grounded on the engagement 

of stakeholders – such as 

customers, employees, suppliers, 

and civil society. The international 

norm establishes account rendering 

principles and processes, and 

ensures the quality of information 

reporting on social, environmental 

and financial aspects. 

HSBC invited representatives 

of its major stakeholders for 

presence-based meetings that were 

carried out in São Paulo and Curitiba, 

and counted on the participation 

of 63 people. The different aspect 

of the process compared to previous 

years was the creation of two 

multistakeholder panels, instead 

of specific panels for specific 

stakeholder groups. 

This model allowed audiences 

to share opinions and identify what 

was really important for the business 

through the exchange of several 

different perceptions. 

GRI Financial Services Sector 

Supplement Overview, Ethos- 

FEBRABAN Indicators, FEBRABAN’s 

Green Protocol Indicators, and 

Equator Principles highly contributed 

towards the vision of society. These 

documents enriched the materiality 

matrix by presenting issues and 

information deemed to be relevant 

to the sector. The internal axle 

was defined based on the bank’s 

protocols and internal policies, 

such as the HSBC Group’s global 

guidelines, the strategic planning, 

the set goals aimed to improve the 

company’s socio-environmental 

performance, and the operational 

focuses. Here, the perceptions 

Illustrative image 

4 5

and opinions of employees 

who took part in the panels 

were reported. The matrix below 

graphically shows how both 

visions have been correlated in 

the materiality definition process: 

the vertical axle presents external 

opinions (society); the horizontal axle 

shows internal opinions (company). 

Converged relevant issues in each 

one of these axles pointed out 

five material issues for HSBC. The 

bank decided to develop two other 

material issues, thus amounting 

seven issues (see graph below). 

HSBC self-affirms an A level. 

The company reports on all 

Materiality Matrix 

performance indicators deemed to 

be essential by the GRI guidelines. 

Specific indicators to the financial 

sector were also made available, 

as part of the GRI sectorial 

supplement. The content has been 

defined by the analysis of the most 

relevant issues pointed out by 

HSBC and its major stakeholders. 

Material issues are recorded 

in a priority order and specially 

highlighted throughout the report, 

guiding the whole content of the 

publication. Listed issues are given 

more attention and are graphically 

identified, according to the 

indications in the table at right. 

Converged relevant 

issues in each one 

of these axles pointed 

out five material 

issues for HSBC. 

The bank decided 

to develop two other 

material issues, 

thus amounting 

seven issues. 

Learn more about 

the key themes that 

guided the construction 

of this report 

Theme 

Social and environmental 

criteria for loans 

Ethics and Transparency 

Description 

Specific sectorial risk policies applied by the bank towards 

critical segments work as a parametre for loans and 

determine the company’s code of conduct. 

HSBC is grounded on values and principles that ensure 

total adherence to the company’s strategy and guarantee 

the effective achievement of business results. These 

values and principles also prevent the emergence 

of conflicts of interest. 

Where to find 

Responsible Loan Concession 

Corporate Governance 

Values and Principles 

Most relevant 

2,50 

External 

Sectorial commitments 

to sustainability 

Sectorial initiatives consolidate the bank’s positioning 

regarding formerly agreed commitments. UN Global 

Compact, Equator Principles and Principles for 

Responsible Investment are listed among them. 

Commitments 

Equator Principles 

Responsible Investments 

Work Environment 

Managing natural 

resources 

HSBC works towards reducing the impacts of its 

operations and to reach ecoefficiency goals. The present 

publication is a roadmap to the accomplishment of such 

objectives and to the management of natural resources. 

Footprint 

Next steps 

EXTERNAL FACTORS (society) 

1,25 

0,00 

0,00 

1,25 

INTERNAL FACTORS (company) 

Internal 

2,50 

Most relevant 

Education for 

sustainability 

and conscientious 

consumption 

Sustainable 

financial products 

Investments in 

social projects 

Financial awareness and literacy of all stakeholders 

become a strategic front towards the long-term survival 

of the business. Priorities include aligning customers 

with the conscientious use of money and educating 

employees on sustainability practices. 

Sustainability is inserted into the approval workflow 

of each new product. The process takes into account 

customers’ financial literacy levels, opportunities for 

reducing environmental impacts, and how sustainability 

practices differ from other initiatives. 

HSBC’s positioning as a relevant socio-environmental 

investor is consolidated by the actions of Instituto HSBC 

Solidariedade. Social, environmental and economic 

actions and projects are promoted and supported 

by the entity in response to the country’s demands. 

Financial Literacy 

Education for sustainability 

Products 

Instituto HSBC Solidariedade 

Community Development 

6 

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Vision 

Fostering transformation 

HSBC acknowledges the relevance of minimizing 

socio-environmental impacts of any human 

activity; at the same time, the bank recognises 

that companies, governments and people must 

be responsible for the achievement of such goal. 

In accordance with this guideline, 

the bank’s actions seek to unleash 

cultural changes capable of 

encouraging its value chain to 

embody good practices, so that 

society as a whole can be positively 

influenced. HSBC’s sustainability 

strategy is connected with its 

values and principles. The bank 

makes continuous efforts towards 

disseminating sustainability into 

all operation areas, taking advantage 

of opportunities, awakening 

interest on the issue, strengthening 

relationships, working towards people 

awareness, and educating employees 

on the connectedness among 

the social, environmental and 

economic dimensions. 

The bank is also focused on 

the consolidation of transversal 

behaviours in the organisation’s 

structure, aiming to turn speeches 

into concrete actions and effectively 

putting the sustainability issue into 

practice. Attitude, value adding, 

transformation, innovation, 

and most especially, people, 

are the words that guide the bank 

in the development of its activities. 

As a result of this positioning, 

Corporate Sustainability area 

is no longer just a support department 

bound to the co-ordination of actions 

and execution of projects. It becomes 

a counselor that employs its expertise 

to orient, provide subsidies and also 

to assess whether or not proposals 

are aligned with HSBC’s sustainability 

strategy. Several achievements 

substantiate this guideline. 

The volunteer engagement 

of 15% of staff; the composition 

of sustainability Work Groups 

in several areas; technological 

efficiency projects, such as the 

Thin Client; the construction 

of the Renascença Branch; and 

the restoration of the Training 

Centre (CETRE) are clear evidences 

of the bank’s vanguard evolution 

in the sustainability path. 

In addition to other commitments 

taken on in past years - including 

socio-environmental risk 

management for consumer 

credit and the adoption of socioenvironmental 

criteria to monitor 

the performance of suppliers – 

HSBC’s sustainability strategies 

are also grounded on clear and 

transparent communication of 

actions and results, as well as on 

investments in socio-environmental 

and corporate volunteering projects. 

Based upon the responsible 

management of economic, social 

and environmental impacts, the 

bank operates its businesses 

focused on long-term success. 

“Sustainability must 

lie at the heart of any 

business if it is to 

achieve the long-term 

success that allows 

it to contribute to the 

economic well-being 

of society.” 

Douglas Flint, 

HSBC Group’s Chairman 

Renascença sustainable branch, in São Luis (MA). 

Renascença sustainable branch, in São Luis (MA). 

8 9

HSBC’s 


strategy 

COMMUNITY 

Investment in 3 focus: 

Education, Environment 

and Community 

Volunteer Programme: 

Employee engagement 

ECONOMIC 

Products and services that 

associate income generation to 

social and environmental solutions 

Economically viable 

Socially just 

Environmentally correct 

Sustainability as a 

business opportunity 

ENVIRONMETAL 

Direct impacts: 

Footprint Management 

(water, energy, waste, CO ² 

) 

Indirect impacts: 

Risk Management, 

Credit Assessment, 

Partners, Certification 

HSBC Triple 

Bottom Line 

HSBC at a glance 

Focus on business 

HSBC is one of the world’s largest banking 

and financial services organisations. 

HSBC is one of the largest banking 

and financial services conglomerates 

in the world. Headquartered in 

London, the group’s international 

network is comprised of around 

7,200 offices in over 80 countries and 

territories in Europe, the Asia-Pacific 

region, the Americas, the Middle 

East and Africa. With listings on 

the London, Hong Kong, New York, 

Paris and Bermuda stock exchanges, 

shares in HSBC Holdings are held 

by over 221,000 shareholders in 127 

countries. In Brazil, the company has 

been operating since 1997 and is 

now present in 545 municipalities, 

providing assistance to over 

5.1 million people and 450,000 

Palácio Avenida, HSBC Brazil headquarters and one of the Curitiba (PR) Christmas post cards. 

companies in all regions of the 

country in the following segments: 

retail, commerce, corporate (large 

companies), investment, and private 

bank (high net worth individual). 

HSBC Brazil’s Administrative Centres 

are located in São Paulo and Curitiba. 

Information related to 2011. 

Responsible profits 

HSBC is in the vanguard of 

Brazilian banks owning tailor-made, 

sustainability-based loan policies. 

Similar attention is given to the 

Asset Management area. 

The company counts on 

a sustainability rating for the 

assessment and classification 

of environmental, social and 

corporate governance assets. 

HSBC’s operations are 

managed through the 

application of several 

indicators. 

The bank counts on clear-cut 

tools, such as the Balanced 

Scorecard (BSC) and the Key 

Performance Indicators (KPI). 

These methodologies monitor the 

company’s goals, as well as the 

results of sustainability-focused 

actions. In order to ensure the 

achievement of such goals, the 

Sustainability Committee (more 

information on the Corporate 

Governance chapter) gathers 

periodically. These meetings 

allow HSBC to ratify the insertion 

of sustainability into the bank’s 

corporate governance. 

10 11

International Awards 

HSBC presence in Brazil 

867 branches 

390 mini-branches 

1,059 electronic customer 

service units 

2,522 self-service facilities 

5,284 cash machines 

Deployed services 

Current accounts 

Credit and debit cards 

Investment funds 

Pension funds 

Insurance and retirement plans 

Capital markets 

Exchange/international 

transactions 

Payments and cash 

management 

Treasury service management 

Direct consumer credit and 

personal loan services to low 

income population made by 

Losango, a subsidiary 

of HSBC Brazil. 

Performance in 2011 

At the end of 2011, HSBC Brazil 

presented a net income of 

R$ 1.35 billion – a 7% increase 

comparing to the previous year 

– and now the bank stands out 

as the fourth major operation 

of the HSBC Group worldwide. 

This result was impaired by 

the reduction of a recoverable 

amount of R$ 107 million 

related to a handful of global 

projects. Had this reduction not 

been taken into account, the 

company’s recurrent net income 

would have reached R$ 1.45 

billion – a 15% rise compared 

to the bank’s result in 2010. 

Total assets recorded an 8% 

increase, rising from R$ 121.4 

to R$ 130.9 billion. High net 

worth reached R$ 9.4 billion, 

representing a 17% increase 

to the R$ 8 billion recorded in 

2010 and displaying a 16.2% 

return. Such thriving performance 

was mainly influenced by both 

the 15% expansion in the 

credit portfolio, with special 

highlight given to commercial 

banking, and also by the 

bank’s growing shares 

in the international market. 

Awards 

In 2011, HSBC’s operations achieved 

several acknowledgements. 

Here’s a list of recognitions. 

National Awards 

Ecologia e Ambientalismo 2011 

(Ecology and Environmentalism): 

The award is granted by the 

Curitiba City Council. The local 

public entity acknowledged HSBC’s 

Green Insurance product line, 

eco-efficiency initiatives and HSBC 

Climate Partnership. 

Época Empresa Verde 

(Época Green Company): 

This important national magazine 

listed the bank in the top 20 leading 

companies in the field 

of environmental policies. 

Expressão de Ecologia 

(Expressão Ecology): 

Expressão Publishing House 

granted HSBC Insurance the award 

in the Ecologic Marketing category, 

recognising the company as one of 

the 11 cutting-edge enterprises in 

the sustainable management area. 

Ozires Silva de 

Empreendedorismo 

Sustentável (Ozires Silva of 

Sustainable Entrepreneurship): 

The award was granted by the 

university Instituto Superior 

de Administração e Economia 

(ISAE/FGV), in partnership with 

the communication group Grupo 

Paranaense de Comunicação 

(GRPCOM). HSBC Climate 

Partnership received an award 

in the Cultural Category for 

its contribution to all-embracing 

research on climate change 

and cultural transformations 

of society. 

Thomson Reuters 

Extel Survey 2011: 

For two years in a row (2010 

and 2011), HSBC Global Research 

team was acknowledged by the 

survey as the most prominent 

integrated team on climate 

change and renewable 

energies. Also in 2011, the 

renewable energies analyst, 

Nick Robins – HSBC’s Director 

of the Climate Change Centre 

of Excellence – was ranked first 

(second in 2010) as the most 

renowned professional in this 

field. Collected in companies 

and individual investors, 

resulting data consolidated 

the survey as a major reference 

among investment banks and 

asset management enterprises. 

The survey acknowledges advisory 

companies, stockbrokers and 

investor relations teams working 

with European and Asian investors. 

Bloomberg Markets 

Magazine - World’s 

greenest banks: 

HSBC Group was ranked the 7 th 

greenest bank in the world, based 

on support for low carbon energy 

and the bank’s own operational 

efficiency performance. 

2011 Highlights 

The Brazil-China Chamber of 

Commerce deemed HSBC Brazil 

to be the foremost institution 

in the promotion of business 

development between both 

nations. The bank records a 9% 

participation in the business flows 

between both countries, a 40% 

increase comparing with 2010. 

HSBC Brazil investment funds 

sales recorded a 163% growth 

rate, 86% on property finance, 

26% on insurance, and 26% on 

card receivables (credit modality). 

The company’s base of Premier 

(high income segment) customers 

reported a 22% increase, reaching 

500,000 customers in the country. 

Losango, HSBC Brazil’s Sales 

Subsidiary, was once again ranked 

on the leading position in the 

Direct Consumer Credit (CDC) 

area, participating in 24% 

in the market share. 

12 

13

Corporate 

Governance 

Courageous integrity 

In harmony with the bank’s global strategy, 

HSBC Brazil seeks to identify new 

opportunities, while potential risks 

stemming from operations are minimised. 

HSBC Brazil’s corporate governance 

model ensures a high adherence 

level to the company’s strategies, 

and makes sure that business 

results are effectively pursued 

and achieved. The model also 

contributes to risk management 

processes in the local, regional 

and global settings. 

The Executive Committee (EXCO) 

is the bank’s highest governance 

body, responding to strategic and 

executive decisions. In 2011, 

the body was comprised of 11 full 

members. From the beginning of 

2012 on, the executive body started 

counting on ten members, the 

president (and also the Group’s 

CEO) included. The group gathers 

together in a monthly basis. 

Ten other committees are 

connected to EXCO, thus 

safeguarding HSBC Brazil’s 

coporate governance process. 

The main committees are: 

Audit Committee 

Ensures the alignment of the 

bank’s practices with internal and 

external audit recommendations. 

Comprised of four full members, 

the Committee meets every three 

months and is sponsored by the 

executive director of the Internal 

Audit department. 

Cost Strategy Committee 

Implements strategies towards 

ensuring cost maximisation and 

efficiency. The Committee counts 

on 11 members and is headed by 

HSBC’s top executive. The group 

meets quarterly. 

Human Resources Committee 

HSBC Brazil is in charge of 

defining and formulating strategies 

for the following fields: labour 

relations, internal communication, 

compensation, training, and general 

HR issues. The Committee is also 

responsible for the dissemination 

of diversity-based principles 

and practices within the Group. 

Comprised of six members, the 

group gets together every month. 

The Sarbanes-Oxley Committee 

HSBC is globally complied with 

this United States’ legislation 

guideline, the Sarbanes-Oxley 

(SOx). The Committee guarantees 

that HSBC Brazil is in harmony with 

the international parametres, such 

as internal control mechanisms 

and disclosure of consolidated 

financial results. Comprised of 21 

members, the Committee meets 

Illustrative image 

14 

15

The very nature of HSBC 

SUSTAINABILITY 

INTEGRATED 

FINANCIAL STRENGTH 

OPEN 

PERFORMANCE- 

CUSTOMER- 

FOCUS 

every month. The SOx was born 

under the premise of getting rid 

of accounting frauds. The group is 

also responsible for enhancing the 

credibility of organisations at the 

eyes of investors. The Committee 

establishes severe corporate 

governance and transparency 

criteria to financial reports of 

companies sharing the New York 

Stock Exchange Market. 

Sustainability Committee 

This is HSBC’s highest governance 

body for sustainability-related 

CONECTED 

COURAGEOUS 

INTEGRITY 

QUALITY 

RISK-MANAGEMENT 

DEPENDABLE 

issues. The group is comprised 

of the bank’s president and top 

executive directors from the 

following departments: HSBC 

Technology and Services (HTS), 

Commercial Banking, RBWM 

(individuals), Losango, HSBC Global 

Technology, Human Resources, and 

Internal Communication. By holding 

periodical meetings, the team 

elaborates on actions to be carried 

out and performs a follow-up to 

social, economic and environmental 

goals. Specific work groups, 

gathered from different areas, 

EFICIENCY 

SPEED 

FOCUS 

Mandala - HSBC values 

and business principles 

are subordinated to this 

Committee. In the long-term, 

these groups aim to lead each 

business unit towards embodying 

sustainability into its strategic 

planning. Presently, five areas 

of the bank display sustainability 

work groups, namely: HTS, HSBC 

Insurance, Personal Finance and 

Asset Management. In 2012, 

the Commercial Banking area 

is expected to outline actions 

towards the creation of 

a sustainability group. 

Whenever organisations’ 

guidelines are grounded on values 

and principles, they can count 

on more accurate commercial 

decision-making and risk mitigation 

processes allowing for long-term, 

sustainable gains. The combination 

of business values and principles 

shapes HSBC’s character and holds 

up the bank’s strategies. HSBC 

actions are endorsed by courageous 

integrity. In essence, it means 

that the bank has the courage of 

making decisions based upon what 

is correct, without compromising 

its integrity and ethical standards. 

In other words, our focus is on 

identifying, understanding and 

dealing with those risks in line with 

our agreed risk appetite. It also 

points to the responsibility each and 

every employee has of showing 

business values and principles in 

their relationship with customers, 

colleagues, regulatory bodies, 

and community at large. Strongly 

seen in the company’s major 

actions and practices, sustainability 

lies among the principles that 

integrate HSBC’s culture. 

Values 

Dependable and do the right thing 

Open to different ideas and cultures 

Conected to customers, 

communities, regulators, 

and to each other. 

Principles 

Financial strenght 

Risk management 

Speed 

Performance-focus 

Efficiency 

Quality 

Customer-focus 

Integrated 


Values and Principles 

Right after being hired, new 

employees attend a training process 

on HSBC’s Code of Conduct. The 

protocol shows HSBC’s specific 

behaviour guidelines whenever 

an employee is involved in any 

business or relationship with 

customers, suppliers or other 

stakeholders. Increased value 

for integrity, commitment to 

quality, reduction of bureaucracy, 

engagement towards the 

development of communities 

where the company operates, and 

promotion of sustainable socioenvironmental 

practices are set 

by the document as fundamental 

milestones to be respected. 

In compliance with the Group’s 

global policy, risk assessment 

processes are deployed in all units. 

One major objective is to prevent 

the bank’s structure from being 

used for money laundering or for 

funding illegal activities. HSBC 

monitors all customer records and 

financial transactions; besides, 

any suspicious procedure can 

be identified by strict operational 

control systems and the systematic 

qualification of employees. No 

account whatsoever can be 

operated by anonymous customers 

or customers using fictitious 

names; moreover, in compliance 

with the Brazilian Legislation, all 

records are periodically updated. 

At the emergence of any doubtful 

case, HSBC collaborates with 

investigations performed by 

official authorities and discloses 

all necessary information required 

by regulatory agencies, without 

disregarding customers’ 

legal privacy boundaries. 

HSBC’s Procedures Manual 

establishes clear norms aimed to 

identify and deal with conflicts of 

interest of employees, customers 

and the company properly said. 

The bank adopts a contention 

and control system for all data 

exchanged among its several 

teams, in order to prevent any 

leak of information and preserve 

the confidentiality of processes 

that may deal with any suspicious 

customer. Besides ensuring the 

previously mentioned secrecy, 

a system called Chinese Wall 

was envisaged to promote 

a clear distinction between 

the financial institutions’ own 

resource administration and 

the management of resources 

belonging to third parties. 

“Sustainability governance 

in HSBC Brasil is very well 

organised. Our executive 

board is commited to 

conscious initiatives 

and constantly pushes 

employee engagement 

forward initiatives”. 

Marco Tavares, 

CTSO HSBC Brazil 

16 

17

Risk Management 

In Brazil, both the CEO and the 

Executive Board are especially 

accountable for HSBC’s risk 

management. They count on 

the support of three Committees 

that respond to the protection 

of specific risks. 

The Risk Management 

Market Risk 

Consists of any chance of loss 

resulted from price fluctuations, 

once the asset portfolio can bring 

about tenor, currency and index 

mismatches. Exchange and interest 

rates, as well as the prices of 

shares and commodities, are also 

enrolled in this risk category. 

Committee ensures the 

formulation of specific policies to 

different risk categories, tracking 

down eventual problems and 

determining distinct actions in 

order to tackle emerging issues. 

Executives of the Operational Risk 

and Internal Control Committee 

are directly involved in the control 

and function of any operational 

risk. Finally, the Retail Credit Risk 

Operational Risk 

Each aspect of HSBC Brazil’s 

business processes presents 

a relevant operational risk, covering 

a wide array of issues, such as 

fraud-based losses, non-authorised 

activities, mistakes, omissions, 

lack of efficiency, and failures 

stemming from system downfalls 

or external events. 

Committee is in charge of the 

management and the performance 

of the retail portfolios, including 

personal finance services and 

small sized companies. 

The major risk categories monitored 

by HSBC Brazil are as follows: 

HSBC also counts on specific 

sectorial policies directed to critical 

segments, which defines the 

conduct guidelines to be adopted by 

the bank and serves as a parametre 

for consumer credit analysis. 

More information on the Responsible 

Loan Concession chapter 

Credit Risk 

Implies any financial loss-related risk 

whenever a clause in the contract is 

not complied with by the company 

or customer. Primarily emerging 

from loans, advanced payments 

or leasing contracts, the risk is 

also present in certain products 

registered in balancing accounts, 

such as derivatives’ warranties 

and reference values; HSBC 

Brazil’s positioning regarding debt 

instruments is also listed as a credit 

risk. Among the risks HSBC Brazil 

is exposed to, the credit risk is the 

one with the highest demand for 

regulatory capital. 

Commitments 

The Group HSBC is a signatory 

of the Global Compact, a United 

Nations initiative aimed to stimulate 

corporate social responsibility by 

means of ten universal principles 

encompassing human rights, labour 

rights, environmental protection, 

and actions against corruption. The 

bank also follows the Sullivan Global 

Principles guidelines, in an effort 

to promote policies that respect 

Illustrative image. 

human rights, comply with the law, 

and minimise economic, social and 

environmental impacts. 

HSBC Brazil achieved the SA8000 

certification, created by the UN 

Council on Economic Priorities 

in order to promote corporate 

accountability (more information 

in the Work Environment 

chapter). The Group also signed the 

International Finance Corporation’s 

Equator Principles (more information 

in the Responsible Credit chapter), 

as well as the UN Principles for 

Responsible Investment (more 

information in the Investments 

chapter). Last but not least, the 

company also complies with 

a number of guidelines practised 

by the financial sector, such as 

the Green Protocol, an initiative 

of the Brazilian Federation of 

Banks (FEBRABAN) that seeks to 

implement a common sustainability 

agenda for the banking segment. 

In addition, HSBC is an associate 

of the Brazilian Business Council 

(Cebds), and is actively represented 

in sectorial discussions by specific 

associations, such as the FEBRABAN, 

the Brazilian Association of 

International Banks (ABBI), the National 

Confederation of Financial Institutions 

(CNF), and the Brazilian Association 

of Entities in the Financial and 

Capital Markets (ANBIMA). 

18 

19

Economic 

Development 

Ensuring perennity 

HSBC acts ethically by developing 

responsible credit operation initiatives 

and providing the insertion of companies 

and customers into sustainability. 

The current development 

setting of the Brazilian economy 

has led financial institutions 

to undergo intense social 

pressure concerning the coming 

challenges for the sector. In 

order to cope with such reality, 

the adoption of safer and more 

transparent credit operations and 

the financial literacy of customers 

towards fighting overindebtness 

can be turned into strategic 

frontlines that guarantee both 

the perennity and favourable 

performance of any given 

business. HSBC’s Sustainability 

Risk Policy sets out consumer 

credit guidelines in accordance 

with the company’s operation 

segment. Added to that, the 

policy also stands out in the field 

of third party fund management. 

Currently, HSBC Brazil is one 

of the few Brazilian banks to have 

its own methodology to assess 

the sustainability performance 

of companies that participate 

in investment funds. 

The bank seeks to make 

customers aware and 

increasingly encourages them 

towards responsibly using 

money. In the Financial Literacy 

field, for instance, Losango has 

been developing quite a relevant 

task as a way of mobilising 

the whole value chain towards 

adopting sustainable practices. 

Since 2010, employees of 

partnering agencies have 

been trained and prepared 

to make their customers aware 

of the rational use of loans, 

thus preventing overindebtness 

from occurring. 

Goals and 

Accomplishments 

in 2011 

Develop sustainability actions 

focusing corporate customers. 

The task follows the guidelines 

set in the Personal Finance and 

Insurance segments, whose 

sustainability objectives and 

goals are to be formalised. 

- Organisation of the Commercial 

Banking work group; 

- Support to seven corporate 

customer-related projects 

focusing education, environment 

and income generation. 


Increase the amount of 

people trained by the Losango 

Sustainable Credit Programme, 

aimed to provide financial 

literacy to final consumers. 

- Launch of the Losango 

Training Portal to partnering 

agencies; 

- Over 14,000 employees have 

already attended the training 

programmes. 

Keep on sustainability risk 

training programmes to 

employees from Sales 

and Credit areas. 

- In 2011, 918 employees 

attended the training 

programmes. 

In the Asset Management area, 

a larger group of companies 

will be assessed by the bank’s 

own sustainability assessment 

methodology, aiming to present 

a wider array of choices for 

companies indicated to the FIC 

Sustainability fund. 

- 57 companies were assessed 

in 2011 (65% of which have 

been previously contacted); 

the total amount of assessed 

companies now reaches 117. 

20 

21

Sectorial Policies update 

Goals 

for 2012 

Use the e-learning website 

to achieve 24,000 trained 

employees from Losango’s 

partnering agents; 

Apply the bank’s in-house 

sustainability assessment 

methodology in all 

investment funds. In 2012, 

all companies inserted into 

HSBC’s funds framework 

will be assessed. 

Trigger the implementation 

of the Climate Business 

strategy by training 

previously selected 

employees from sales 

areas; the goal is to enhance 

business volume. 

Expand the work group 

model and encompass 

Commercial Banking’s 

employees. 

Revise processes aimed 

to decrease the amount 

of letters sent by mail, 

as well as to upgrade the 

functionality standards 

of assistance channels 

as a strategy towards 

approaching customers 

and reducing environmental 

impacts. 

Responsible loan 

concession 

Critical segments require specific 

sectorial risk policies. That’s exactly 

what HSBC has for the segments 

of Mining and Metals, Chemical 

Industry, Fresh Water Infrastructure, 

Forestry and Forestry Products, 

Energy, and Defense Equipments. 

These sectors stand out as 

references for the bank’s analysis 

of any consumer credit programme. 

These sectorial policies will be 

employed regardless the financial 

amount of the transaction or the 

size of the company. 

The policies also settle HSBC’s 

conduct guidelines, including 

not tendering financial services 

to the producers of small arms, 

illegal wood extractors, or those 

companies whose operations 

are located in areas declared 

by Unesco (United Nations 

Educational, Scientific and 

Cultural Organisation) 

as World Heritage sites. 

Sectorial policies, moreover, 

set specific restrictions for the 

operations of the company in given 

countries and regions. Brazil, for 

instance, is a country that displays 

high risks in the forestry segment; 

hence, all loans in excess of 

US$ 15 million must also be 

endorsed by HSBC’s Global 

Risk Department in London. In 

addition to specific cases, such as 

the one just quoted, HSBC also 

ranks the sustainability risks of 

customers and projects inserted 

into the framework of its sectorial 

policies, regardless the financial 

volume of the transaction. For 

some companies, clauses that 

foresee their commitment to 

the development of action plans 

are clearly pointed out in the 

contract; from then on, the action 

plan becomes an indispensable 

requirement for either 

the confirmation or the 

maintenance of the loan. 

At HSBC, credit consumer 

complies with the Sustainability 

Risk Policy. This guideline is 

based upon two assessment 

parametres – the sectorial policies 

and the Equator Principles (more 

information on the Equator 

Principles chapter). Each of 

them is comprised of specific 

risk analysis processes. A 

sustainability rating is applied for 

the assessment of all proposals, 

taking into account the company’s 

activity field, the amount of the 

loan, and the customer’s ability 

to comply with the sectorial 

policies. Throughout 2011, HSBC 

paid customers personal visits, 

aiming to present the bank’s 

Sustainability Risk Policy. Visited 

customers were selected either 

by the risk degree of the project or 

by their growing potential. 

In 2011, the bank doubled the 

number of assessed customers 

comparing with 2010, when the 

Sustainability Risk Policy was 

launched in Brazil. Of the total 

amount of assessments, 10% 

did not follow the protocol. These 

customers were given a six-month 

deadline to meet the demands. 

“Brazil has a deep 

lack of infrastructure. 

Both opportunities 

and risks are 

abounding. Thus, 

it is crucial to select 

projects that 

effectively generate 

improvements 

to the country”. 

Ildefonso Netto, 

Chief Risk Officer (CRO) 

In 2010, the Group HSBC has 

accomplished an extensive review 

of Energy Sector Policy. In 2011, 

the bank successfully implemented 

one of the first policies amongst 

financial institutions to cover coalfired 

power, oil sands and nuclear 

power industries, which were 

welcomed by many stakeholders, 

including customers. In Brazil, 

customers working in the energy 

segment were also approached. In 

2011, the Metals & Mining policy 

guidelines were also updated. 

Equator Principles 

The Equator Principles were made 

to ensure that large-scale projects 

are developed and executed 

without generating any negative 

impact to local communities and 

the environment. At HSBC, these 

principles are applied for project 

funding and financial advising 

processes that reach a capital cost 

equal to or over US$ 10 million. 

Since 2003, the Equator Principles 

guide all loan transactions for new 

projects supported by the bank. 

Training: a permanent process 

In order to identify risks 

and opportunities, HSBC’s 

managers take responsibility 

for acknowledging customers’ 

sustainability practices. As a way 

of having them prepared to 

respond to such demands, the 

bank provides a permanent training 

environment. In order to carry on 

the development process initiated 

in 2010, 149 people received 

presence-based training in 2011. 

As a way of facilitating this work, 

HSBC created an e-learning tool 

on sustainability-related risks. The 

Equator Principles, the Sustainability 

Risk Management, and the sectorial 

policy-based credit approval process 

are among the addressed issues. 

The target audience is comprised 

of business managers, credit analysts 

and employees from the Compliance, 

Commercial Banking, Project 

Financing, and Insurance areas. 

In 2011, 918 employees attended 

remote training programmes. 

Microcredit 

In partnership with Banco do 

Nordeste, HSBC implements 

microcredit operations. By means 

of the Crediamigo programme, the 

partner bank ensures credit access 

to thousands of small entrepreneurs 

in formal and informal sectors 

of economy. Loans can be required 

by individuals or groups of people 

who conjointly share the commitment 

of paying for installment obligations. 

Crediamigo is inserted into the Federal 

Government’s National Microcredit 

Programme. The programme was 

launched in August 2011 in order 

to meet the financial needs of 

citizens who own small businesses. 

Seventy percent of Banco do 

Nordeste’s current available 

credit line aimed to microcredit 

operations are supplied by HSBC. 

HSBC has also set a partnership 

with a Latin American institution 

called Acción Internacional, 

a reference in loan programmes 

for small entrepreneurs. 

The commercial relationship, 

conjointly co-ordinated by the 

MME (middle market enterprises) 

Platform and the Global Asset 

Management, was launched in 

February 2011, and is harmonised 

with the bank’s strategy of providing 

financial services that meet up the 

demands of microfinance institutions. 

22 

23

Access to 

fresh water 

Levering good 

practices 

HSBC is always mindful 

of creating business 

opportunities together 

with customers 

who develop socioenvironmental-oriented 

projects. In compliance 

with such guideline, the 

bank released a loan 

reaching R$ 10 million 

to Águas do Amazonas 

(Amazonas’ Water). The 

company is accountable 

for the basic sanitation 

and water treatment 

in the city of Manaus, 

Amazonas. The purpose 

of the loan was to 

enhance the impact of 

the company’s water 

treatment project, as well 

as to universalise the 

distribution of fresh 

water in the city. 

Águas do Amazonas 

works towards ensuring 

the distribution of high 

quality fresh water in 

the municipality of 

Manaus. The water 

that supplies the city 

springs from Rio Negro, 

a river with acid, dark, 

undrinkable water. The 

education of inhabitants 

towards conscientious 

consumption practices 

is also part of the 

partnership programme. 


Shifting to a lowcarbon 

economy 

Last year, HSBC deployed 

a global strategy aimed to 

stimulate special loans for 

companies who collaborate 

on carbon emission mitigation 

activities and programmes, 

and who join actions aimed 

to fight climate change, the 

so-called Climate Business. 

In Brazil, Densevix was the 

first company to apply for such 

positioning. The company has 

been building three wind power 

parks in the city of Brotas de 

Macaúbas, Bahia (northeast of 

Brazil). The total amount of the 

operation reached R$ 84.6 million. 

Densevix was created in 1995 and 

develops business opportunities 

related to renewable energy 

infrastructure and projects. 

“We’re focused on funding 

renewable energy-based 

projects. This strategy is 

called Climate Business. Our 

personnel have been trained 

towards following this track. 

Our employees need to talk 

One of the major goals of HSBC’s 

Sustainability Risk Policy is to 

provide its stakeholders with 

improvement. This positioning 

was shown in 2011, when the 

bank sponsored a company in 

the gold mining segment. During 

the loan analysis process, HSBC 

observed that the company was 

not a signatory of the International 

Cyanide Management Code, in 

accordance with the demand of 

HSBC’s Mining Sectorial Policy. 

The adherence to the Code must 

be voluntary, and is part of a 

programme that aims to safely deal 

with cyanide in gold production 

processes. Instead of ceasing the 

relationship with the customer, 

HSBC adopted a partnering attitude. 

An independent advisory company 

was hired by the bank in order to 

orient the company towards the 

adoption of the code. In addition 

to minimising the sustainability 

risk of the operation, HSBC also 

strengthened its commercial 

presence. 

to customers and carry on 

the sustainability speech, thus 

maximising funding processes 

for solar energy, wind power, 

among others.” 

Fernando Freiberger, 

Head of HSBC Corporate 

24 25

Investments 

Aiming to motivate the adoption 

of improved social, environmental 

and corporate governance practices, 

as well as to channel investments 

towards prominent companies 

in the market, HSBC applies 

the sustainability rating, a tool 

developed by the bank to guide 

third party funds’ management 

processes. The following three 

aspects inserted into the analysis 

of risks and opportunities are taken 

into account in the methodology: 

Environment: environmental 

management system, 

development of ecoefficiency 

programmes, environmental 

security, biodiversity, climate 

changes, and adoption of 

environmental criteria for 

suppliers’ hiring processes. 

Social: relationship of the 

company with employees and 

suppliers, participation in the 

local community, and quality of 

the commercialised product. 

Corporate Governance: 

transparency, ethics, market 

relationship, history of the 

company, internal controls, and 

protection of minority investors. 

The company’s assessment 

has to be validated by a specific 

committee comprised of the bank’s 

analysts and executives. By the end 

of 2011, 110 companies had already 

been assessed. HSBC approached 

the majority of the companies 

by means of presence-based 

meetings or phone calls, aiming to 

encourage them towards adopting 

sustainability strategies, as well 

as searching for any information 

missing in the analysis process. 

In 2011, the bank employed the 

methodology in the launch 

of three investment funds: 

FI SRI Stocks, FIC Sustainability 

Stocks, and FI SRI 20 Performance 

Private Credit Fixed Income. 

These funds gather companies 

that achieve fine results in all 

three aspects and who also 

show attractive finance-based 

risk-return relationship. 

More information on 

the Products chapter 

Companies operating in segments 

such as alcoholic beverages, 

tobacco and the defense industry 

are not allowed to take part in the 

funds. Besides, an Advisory Council 

comprised of market professionals 

with solid experience in sustainabilityrelated 

issues guides all investment 

decisions. The Council has veto 

powers over potential insertions into 

the fund portfolio. In 2012, HSBC 

aims to expand the assessment of 

socio-environmental and corporate 

governance aspects to all the funds 

made available by the bank. 

“Our investment 

analysis encompasses 

the company’s 

organisational profile, 

corporate governance, 

and social role within 

the context it operates. 

Our investment 

process is more and 

more grounded on 

this background. This 

economy-financebased, 

sustainabilityfocused 

analysis is 

named ‘integration’”. 

Pedro Bastos, 

Regional CEO, HSBC Global 

Asset Management 


26 

27

Responsible investment 

Financial literacy 

HSBC is also a signatory 

of the Principles for Responsible 

Investment (PRI), developed 

by investors in partnership with 

the United Nations Environmental 

Programme’s Financial Initiative 

(Unep-FI). The PRI highlights 

contents related to the insertion 

of social, environmental and 

corporate governance criteria 

into investment decisions. 

HSBC co-ordinates the PRI’s 

Engagement Group. Whose major 

goal is to gather investors together 

and promote positive changes 

in the sustainability management 

of investing companies. In 2011, 

the group focused on the 

mobilisation of companies towards 

improving the reporting level 

of their sustainability information. 

HSBC is also a strong voice in 

the Latin American Sustainable 

Finance Forum (LASFF), an initiative 

taken by the Fundação Getulio 

Vargas and the International 

Finance Corporation (IFC) that 

aims to promote sustainability 

practices and undertakings in 

the financial segment. HSBC’s 

accountability concerning these 

aspects is quite recognised in 

the segment. The bank’s Global 

Asset Management is a highlight. 

It is ranked among the top three 

best resource management 

actions in Brazil towards the 

adoption of sustainability criteria 

for investments. The conclusion 

was drawn by Mercer Consulting 

in a survey supported by the 

International Finance Corporation, 

the private arm of the World Bank. 

The Sustainable Credit Programme 

is one of HSBC’s financial literacy 

initiatives. Losango, HSBC’s sales 

affiliate, started developing the 

programme in 2009 by launching a 

sustainable credit project directed 

to the financial literacy of partnering 

agencies. The goal is to prepare 

and stimulate salespeople towards 

being aware of their customers’ 

needs, and to offer adequate 

personalised products and credit 

to their income profile. Since then, 

Losango has been focusing on the 

creation of training programmes 

for partners. In 2011, the company 

devised an Online Training portal, 

which enhanced the reach of 

the work and began to present 

fast-track, standardised training 

programmes directed to employees 

from partnering credit agencies 

all around the nation. Altogether, 

14,000 agents have already 

been trained. The goal for 2012 

is to reach 10,000 other people. 

Losango is also committed to the 

reinforcement of communication 

with the final consumer. The 

company’s website will bring a 

digital manual containing advices 

and cares to be taken at the time 

of contracting loans. The material 

will also be distributed to Losango’s 

affiliates and other partnering 

agencies all around Brazil. 

Losango operations 

count on over 20,000 

accredited agencies 

in 2,300 municipalities 

and receive 10 million 

credit proposals 

each year. 

Practising financial 

literacy 

Junior Achievement is HSBC’s 

partner in the creation and 

execution of financial literacy 

programmes. Sponsored by 

private companies, Junior 

Achievement is the world’s 

largest and most experienced 

organisation in the fields of 

practical business literacy, 

economy and entrepreneurship. 

The global partnership with 

HSBC started in 2009 in 15 

countries, including Brazil. 

In 2011, HSBC Brazil provided 

support to a Financial Literacybased 

programme called Mais 

Focus on the customer 

Customer-focused actions carried 

out by Losango go beyond the 

simple offer of sustainable credit. In 

2011, after participating in a survey 

carried out by the Consumidor 

Moderno magazine – performed 

with 1,389 consumers in six 

Brazilian states – Losango was 

appointed as the company that 

most respects its consumers in the 

national Financial Sector. 

The survey evaluated the 

experience of customers in 

issues such as assistance, prices, 

payment method, and respect to 

the consumer’s rights code. In the 

same year, Losango’s call centres 

received over five million calls. From 

these, 95% of complaints were 

solved after the first contact. 

que Dinheiro (More Than Money). 

The initiative focuses on students 

from 5 th through 7 th grades of Primary 

School. HSBC’s employees 

volunteer to the programme. 

For this purpose, they are trained 

by Junior Achievement in order 

to effectively apply the programme 

in public schools located in 

the surroundings of the bank’s 

administrative centres. The goal is 

to provide these young people with 

support towards a clearer vision 

of the business world, leading them 

to reflect on conscientious 

consumption practices and 

“Losango has been a 

leading company in its 

segment for 41 years 

now. Our major goal 

is to offer ideal credit 

standards that fit each 

customer’s profile. We 

constantly encourage a 

respectful environment 

towards customers, 

taking into account both 

their consumption needs 

to more deeply understand 

personal finance processes. 

The programme was first 

implemented in 2009 and four 

new Brazilian cities are selected 

to enter the project each year. In 

2011, São Paulo (SP), Rio de Janeiro 

(RJ), Curitiba (PR) and Cuiabá (MT) 

hosted the programme, reaching 

1,115 students and involving 98 

volunteers. In 2012, the initiative 

will take place in São Paulo (SP), 

Rio de Janeiro (RJ), Curitiba (PR) 

and Rondonópolis (MT). 

and credit worthiness. 

The Sustainable Credit 

Project cause salespeople 

to be extra motivated 

towards getting to 

know their customers 

in a deeper way, and 

this leads Losango to 

provide partners and final 

consumers with tailormade 

credit solutions.” 

Hilgo Gonçalves, 

CEO of Losango 

“More Than Money is a simple 

and playful programme aimed 

to awaken in 5 th and 7 th grade 

students an awareness status 

concerning their consumption 

actions and their dealing with 

money. All information they 

gather in training sessions 

are transmitted to their parents 

or caregivers at home, causing 

families to rethink their financial 

management. It’s a great learning 

opportunity for both HSBC’s 

volunteers, who teach on 

a familiar, practical issue, 

and for benefited children.” 

Fatima Lima, 

HSBC Volunteer 

Programme Coordinator 

The HSBC website Guide for 

the Conscientious Use of Credit, 

hosted at the Loans and Financing 

section, HSBC developed a tool 

aimed to assist customers and 

society at large to make better use 

of loans. The guide offers, among 

other advices, tips on how to 

manage one’s monthly income 

and how to organise one’s 

financial aspects of life. 

The guide also helps one calculate 

the impact of loan interests and 

displays the best credit options in 

the market, in accordance with each 

one’s needs. Moreover, the bank’s 

employees can count on the Guide 

of Personal Financing, placed 

at HSBC’s Intranet aimed 

to support financial planning and 

family budgeting processes. 

28 

29

Goal 

Simulator 

Information on financial literacy is 

also disclosed at HSBC’s website. 

The bank has recently launched the 

so-called “goal simulator”, an online 

financial planning tool that calculates 

how much one should save in order to 

achieve a personal goal. After entries 

are supplied by the customer, the 

tool presents the necessary monthly 

value to be saved, including taxes. 

There are five different 

goal simulators: Plan your 

financial reserve; Plan your 

next trip; Plan the wedding 

of your dreams; Plan your 

post-graduation; and Plan 

your exchange programme. 

The service is made available 

to both customers and noncustomers 

at HSBC’s website. 

http://www.hsbc.com.br/1/2/portal/pt/para-voce/investimentos/simulador-de-objetivos 

Insurance 

Araucaria trees - General Carneiro (PR). 

Photo: Zig Kock 

HSBC Insurance area created 

means of sustainable-based 

Brazilian biomes are expected 

aims to analyse the vulnerability of 

the Insurance & Sustainability 

products and services; 

to be encompassed by the 

communities surrounding the major 

project, aiming to act in five major 

actions of the project. 

watersheds in the country, define 

pillars: employee engagement, 

Connecting suppliers: 

In 2011, two other Araucária 

impact mitigation and adaptation 

review of internal processes, 

sharing responsibility with 

customers, connecting suppliers, 

Steps are taken towards engaging 

partnering suppliers in sustainable 

actions and practices; 

Forest areas located in the 

State of Paraná were adopted. 

At Fazenda Conquista, situated 

plans, mobilise and educate society 

on climate change issues and their 

role in this momentous challenge, 

and relationship with partners. 

Initiatives are developed as follows: 

Employee Engagement: 

Recognised as the foundation 

of the strategy, the Insurance 

Relationship with partners: 

Implementation of partnerships 

with NGOs and active participation 

in the development and launch of 

Insurance Sustainability Principles. 

in the municipality of Palmeira, 

on the border of the Iguazu River, 

300 hectares were adopted. The 

other area is located at Fazenda do 

Salto, in the municipality of Castro. 

This is a transition site located 

and also to take advantage of risk 

reduction opportunities in business. 

The execution of this plan, previously 

forecast to take place in 2011, will 

be definitely put into action in 2012. 

The Insurance & Sustainability 

area seeks to guarantee 

employee engagement by 

deploying training programmes 

and several volunteering actions; 

Review of internal processes: 

This action ensures the 

optimisation of resources and 

reduces the environmental 

footprint; 

Sharing responsibility 

HSBC sponsors two special 

projects reaching yearly investments 

of R$ 3.5 million: Adoption of 

Brazilian Ecosystem Areas and 

Community Adaptation and 

Prevention against Climate 

Change. The former - comprised 

of investments in projects related 

to biodiversity conservation and 

community engagement towards 

the optimisation of positive 

results - is developed in partnership 

between the Araucária Forest and 

the coastal Atlantic Rainforest. Both 

properties are part of the Corredor 

das Araucárias (Araucária Corridor), 

a project created by the Brazilian 

Ministry of Environment that 

determines priority sites directed 

to conservation and replication of 

income generation projects. SPVS 

has also improved result control 

processes by devising a year-round, 

in-house methodology. 

project stands out as an evolution 

in the efforts of the Insurance area 

towards inserting sustainability into 

management processes. The project 

was triggered in 2007 after the 

launch of the Green Home and Auto 

Insurances. From 2007 through 2010, 

commercialised products directed 

R$ 9 million to the conservation of 

four thousand hectares of native 

forests in Paraná and Santa Catarina 

states, as well as in the western 

with customers: 

with the Society for Wildlife 

The second project is developed 

region of Bahia. The task was 

Environmental preservation 

is shared with customers by 

Research and Environmental 

Education (SPVS). The major 

by a partnership between HSBC 

and WWF-Brazil. The project 

partnered by SPVS’s Deforestation 

Prevention Programme. 

São Jorge River - Prudentópolis (PR). 


30 

31

Relationship with the customer 

Mobilising 

society 

One of the year’s major highlights 

was the leading role taken up by 

HSBC Insurance in the UNEP’s 

Policy Programme of the Latin 

America Insurance Group 

(UNEP-FI). The entity gathers 

around 200 worldwide financial 

institutions that voluntarily debate 

on the improvement of socioenvironmental 

and sustainability 

practices in the financial 

segment (banks, investment 

fund agencies and insurance 

companies). In 2011, the institution 

worked towards the formulation 

of the Principles for Sustainable 

Insurance - PSI. HSBC was 

assigned to organise the 

Products 

Starting in 2011, HSBC’s 

sustainability analysis was also 

inserted into the flow of creation of 

new products. Prior to final approval 

and launch, products must take into 

account the financial literacy level 

of customers, opportunities for 

reducing environmental impacts, 

the relevant role of sustainability 

in the process, and whether or 

not products are aligned with 

sustainability risk policies and 

the Principles for Responsible 

Investment (PRI).The action 

is aimed at ensuring that new 

products are grounded on basic 

sustainability principles. 

Moreover, it promotes the 

commitment of employees 

and encourages them to reflect 

meeting of over 60 

representatives of the Latin 

American and the Caribbean 

insurance industry, in order to 

present and discuss proposals 

for these principles. The 

outcomes of the meeting were 

forwarded to the UNEP-FI. In 

order to propose the adoption 

of innovative solutions and 

stimulate collective actions, 

the PSI must reach global 

consensus. Results are believed 

to be prompted for Rio+20, the 

UN Conference for Sustainable 

Development to be held in 

Brazil in June 2012. 

on the issue while developing 

a product. The Sustainable 

Business area accounts for 

the analysis of any product 

requirement and also for the 

recommendation of eventual 

adaptation needs. The favourable 

outcome of this work was 

preceded by meetings with the 

areas involved in the creation 

of product modalities, 

in an attempt to make clear 

HSBC’s positioning regarding 

sustainability. In 2011, these 

parametres were applied in 

the flow of creation of seven 

new products. Six of them 

presented information on 

sustainability. 

Araucaria tree (Araucaria angustifolia) - Turvo (PR). 


“Sustainability is not bound 

to a specific area. It is a 

collective construction. 

One of our top priorities is 

to convey the sustainability 

governance system to all 

areas of our business, so 

that such practice is fully 

integrated to the internal 

and external processes of 

the bank. Currently, the 

assessment of sustainable 

aspects is part of the 

approval workflow of any 

new product or service.” 

Claudia Malschitzky, 

Executive Superintendent of 

Sustainability and Executive 

Director of Instituto 

HSBC Solidariedade 

Ademir Correa - Executive Superintendent 

of Paraná Branches’ Network 

Solidarity Day 

In May 2011, HSBC carried out the 

second edition of the Solidarity 

Day. The event serves the purpose 

of disseminating the Instituto 

HSBC Solidariedade Credit Card. 

In addition to that, it is also a time 

to render account to society on the 

application of the resources raised 

with the product sales. A total 

amount of 25,011 card units 

HSBC Insurance adopts socioenvironmental 

and corporate 

governance criteria in risk 

underwriting processes. The 

Insurance evaluates whether or not 

corporate customers are committed 

to sustainable practices and if 

they are acting in accordance with 

HSBC’s policies. Over 100 business 

sectors will be demanded to comply 

with the analysis, such as sugar 

cane, soya bean, rubber tree and 

eucalyptus production, beef cattle 

breeding, wood extraction from 

native and planted forests, 

and production of composts 

and fertilisers. Customer-based 

communication approaches have 

also been restructured. Printing 

works were limited and general 

information is now disclosed at 

HSBC’s website. The periodicity 

of bank statements was reduced 

and HSBC Insurance began to offer 

customers the choice of interrupting 

the mailing of printed information. 

After the implementation of these 

initiatives, approximately one ton 

of printed paperwork is no longer 

forwarded to customers. 

were commercialised in 2011, 

4% higher than 2010. From these, 

18,250 are full membership 

cardholders (those who monthly 

donate R$ 10). These fixed 

donations helped raise over 

R$ 2 million and support 60 new 

yearly projects that will benefit 

approximately 35,000 people. 

There was a 60% increase in 

the amount of resources to 

be invested in social projects 

compared to the Solidarity 

Day of the previous year. 

32 33

Socio-environmental products 

HSBC Brazil seeks to offer 

products that incorporate financial 

returns into the solution of socioenvironmental 

problems. For that 

purpose, the bank establishes 

partnerships aimed to generate allembracing 

benefits to customers, 

the communities where the bank 

operates, the environment and, 

of course, the business properly 

said. In search of more and more 

competitive, transparent and 

connected services before the 

challenges posed by today’s world, 

HSBC offers diverse product lines 

that provide support to social 

and environmental causes. 

Here’s a list of the main products. 

Socio-environmental product lines Description Main results 

Credit card 

Instituto HSBC 

Solidariedade 

Credit Card 

Solidariedade 

Credit Card 

HSBC Solidarity 

FIC DI LP Indexed 

Open-End Fund 

No annual membership fee. The bank donates up to 50% of 

the interchange rate. Customers make monthly donations of 

R$ 10. The resource is fully employed in educational projects 

managed by Instituto HSBC Solidariedade. 70% of raised 

funds support social projects selected by IHS, 10% are 

directed to training programmes of partnering NGOs, and 

20% are destined to Pastoral da Criança, which invests in 

life quality and nutrition projects for children. The card is now 

manufactured from recycled PET bottles. 

It’s no longer been commercialised since 2007. However, 

18,000 cards are still active. The bank does not keep the 

annual membership fee and donates 50% of the interchange 

rate to Pastoral da Criança. Customers’ monthly contributions 

are fully forwarded to the entity. 

HSBC gives up to 50% of the fund’s administration fee. The 

resource is directed to the projects carried out by the Instituto 

HSBC Solidariedade. 

In 2011, 55,026 cards 

were sold and the R$ 8.7 

million donation (bank and 

customers) was invested in 

152 social projects, assisting 

over 123,000 people. Ever 

since the launch of the 

programme in 2006, 

R$ 31 million have 

already been raised. 

Donation of R$ 1.1 million 

(bank and customers). 

Donations reached 

R$ 1.56 million (50% of 

the administration fee) 

Social and 

environmental benefits 

Funded 

education-focused 

socialprojects are 

selected, evaluated 

and monitored by 


Solidariedade. 

Support to the Pastoral 

da Criança. The entity is 

given the whole amount 

of raised resources. 

Funded socioenvironmental-focused 

projects are selected, 

evaluated and monitored 

by Instituto HSBC 


Investment funds 

HSBC GIF Brazil 

Equity Fund 

It’s an off-shore investment managed by HSBC Global Asset 

Management. The bank donates 7.5% of the fund’s revenue 

(capped at US$ 50,000 per quarter) to NGO Brazil Foundation, 

an international institution that supports local sustainable 

development initiatives focused on education, health, human 

rights, citizenship, and culture in all regions of the country. 

Donations reached R$ 

335,000 (7.5% of the 

administration fee) in 2011. 

Training of Brazilian 

non-profit organisations. 

FIC Sustainability 

Stocks 

The fund entails high performing companies in the areas of 

corporate governance and socio-environmental development 

displaying financial growth potential. The selection of appointed 

companies follow the methodology developed by the bank. 

- 

- 

FI SRI 20 LP 

Performance Private 

The fund concurrently invests in companies that are both 

assessed by credit analysis teams and approved by HSBC’s 

in-house methodology. The insertion of sustainable criteria into 

the process makes way to a broader vision of companies, and 

contributes to more efficient decisions. 

- 

- 

Instituto HSBC Solidariedade credit card, made of recycled PET bottles. 

Other funds 

Credit Fixed Income 

Benefits Club 

Loyalty Programme aimed to the users of HSBC’s Credit 

Cards. Added up points resulting from purchases can be 

exchanged for prizes. The club’s catalogue brings sections on 

Donations and Sustainabile Products, counting on products 

such as pan sets manufactured with recycled materials, which 

result in lower environmental impacts, specific garbage bins 

for the separation of recyclable garbage, and magazine holders 

certified by the Fair Business Solidarium. Customers can also 

choose to donate points to the Instituto HSBC Solidariedade. 

2,117 points resulted in 

the donation of R$ 21,170 

(customers) 

Funded socioenvironmental-focused 

projects are selected, 

evaluated and monitored 

by Instituto HSBC 


34 

35

Sustainability = People 

Building permanent relationships 

HSBC cherishes the dialogue with all 

stakeholders as a cultural feature. The bank 

takes on a protagonistic role in communication 

and in conjoint efforts towards solutions. 

HSBC Brazil makes heavy 

investments in the qualification 

process of leaders and employees. 

The bank involves customers in 

sustainability discussions and 

works towards the improvement 

of its suppliers. Levering favourable 

relationships with stakeholders 

and stimulating agents located in 

the bank’s value chain regarding 

engagement initiatives are major 

features observed in all of the 

company’s activities. 

HSBC’s employee management 

actions focus on three top 

priorities: investment in leadership, 

development of effective 

communication, and promotion of 

diversity and inclusion processes 

in the workforce. Bearing that in 

mind, inclusion plays a relevant role 

at HSBC: the bank stands for the 

idea that a great company must 

treat diverse teams and diverse 

customer portfolios equally. 

As a way of getting familiar with 

its suppliers, HSBC is highly 

committed towards efficiently 

approaching and engaging these 

companies; at the same time, 

the bank aims to insert social 

and environmental criteria into 

the selection process for new 

suppliers. Customer satisfaction 

is another top priority for HSBC. 

Communication channels are 

improved year after year. The 

purpose is to identify major 

demands presented by this 

audience and to collect qualitative 

reference information towards the 

execution of any improvement plan. 

Goals and 



Comply with the legal job 

opportunity demand (5%) 

of the Brazilian Law towards 

People with Disabilities. 

- In December 2011, 5.05% 

of HSBC’s employees were 

comprised of people with 

disabilities. 

(PARCIAL) Comply with 

the legal (5%), FEBRABAN 

(7% of apprentices in each 

business unit with seven 

or more positions) and 

SA8000 demand. 

- The quota complied with 

legal and SA8000 criteria. In 

December 2011, HSBC counted 

on 730 apprentices (8.29%). 

The next goal is to comply with 

FEBRABAN and Labour Ministry 

agreement that establishes 

7% per unit (branches and 

administrative centres). 

Provide effective 

communication towards 

the promotion of Diversity 

& Inclusion within the 

bank’s framework. 

- HSBC’s Intranet disclosed 

a series of information on 

diversity and inclusion; the bank 

also organised a regional photo 

competition on diversity. In July, 

news on the diversity issue 

was published at the local level; 

in October, the month 

of diversity, global news 

was widely broadcast. 

Goals 

for 2012 

Keep up the legal demand for 

People with Disabilities; 

Keep up the legal demand 

for Apprentices; 

Promote Diversity & Inclusion by 

means of effective communication 

processes. 

Employees during training about leadership towards sustainability in Curitiba/PR. 

Jornalists&Co/HSBC 

Press and Sustainability 

Award 

The Jornalists&Co/HSBC Press 

and Sustainability Award 

encourages professionals and 

communication channels all 

around Brazil to produce quality 

information on sustainability, thus 

stimulating society to discuss the 

issue. The award is comprised of 

two categories (National Media 

and Regional Media) split into 

several segments, among them 

newspaper, magazine, television, 

radio, internet, and clip art. 

Three other special awards 

are granted: Sustainability 

Channel of the Year, Specialised 

Sustainability Channel of the 

Year, and Sustainability Character 

of the Year. Winner indications 

are made in three different 

levels. The Selection Committee 

appoints finalists and the 

Award Commission grants the 

Jornalists&Co/HSBC Press and 

Sustainability Award. Winners of 

the special awards are appointed 

by the Advisory Council, 

comprised of sustainability 

experts from NGOs, companies 

and universities. 

36 

37

Employee 

development 

Aiming to strengthen its corporate 

on HR processes, HSBC’s 

development, HSBC counts on the 


manuals 

education global strategy, HSBC 

Group created HSBC Business 

School in 2011. Comprised of 19 

management concepts, and the 

role of the manager in all life cycles 

of employees. Every chapter brings 

Leading Beyond Boundaries (LBB) 

programme, which provides senior 

executives with diverse issues on 

Business Academies, the initiative 

references to the values of the bank. 

talent attraction and retention, career 

HSBC is highly committed 

to the engagement of all 

its stakeholders in more 

sustainable business practices. 

Hence, the company launched 

in 2011 an exclusive website 

content presenting accessible 

guidelines to be applied 

in everyday life. 

The Sustainability in Practice 

is one of HSBC Property 

Finance’s initiatives. It 

is an electronic manual 

displaying basic concepts 

on the issue, as well as 

HSBC’s commitment towards 

sustainability. The guide 

also provides tips on how 

to reduce environmental 

impacts by separating 

residues and saving water 

and energy at home. All 

customers with approved 

property finance are given 

the electronic format 

of the manual. 

The Sustainability 

on Wheels is another 

electronic manual 

elaborated by the the 

bank’s Auto Finance area. 

The guide brings tests and 

information on how to 

minimise impacts produced 

by cars in the environment. 

It also presents easy-to-get 

sustainability information 

and HSBC’s thoughts about 

the issue. The material 

highlights the relevance 

of periodical maintenance 

processes towards 

decreasing the emissions 

of pollutants, stimulates 

the use of the carpooling, 

and brings a calculator 

that shows each driver the 

size of his environmental 

footprint. Manuals can be 

found at www.hsbc.com.br 

> Sustentabilidade 

> Guias Sustentáveis. 

develops technical and behavioural 

qualifications, in accordance with 

the employees’ working areas. 

Training sessions are based on 

presenced-based and/or remote 

courses through the employment 

of e-learning, e-books and 

other technological tools. 

HSBC has also broadened the 

amount of resources directed 

to leadership development 

programmes. The bank recently 

launched the Manager Book. The 

publication gathers processes 

and tools aimed to facilitate 

management, engagement and 

high performance processes. 

Contents also include explanations 

The Book was personally handed 

to managers in specially designed 

management-based workshops, 

in a way of aligning the behaviuors 

of HSBC’s leaders throughout 

the country. Since 2010, the bank 

carries out the High Performance 

Programme (HPP), in partnership 

with the Brazilian Institute of 

Education and Research. The 

initiative takes place in São Paulo 

and Curitiba and brings cuttingedge 

management concepts and 

tools. The programme is directed 

to HSBC’s Executive Committee, 

the Management Committee and 

Business and Service Managers. 

Still on the grounds of leadership 

“Diversity symbol. Sign language conversation at Kennedy Administrative Centre”. Photo of Renata Martins, IT Technician. 

One of the 10 best images of the HSBC Regional Photographic Contest - Latin America, theme Diversity and Inclusion (Oct/11). 

management, performance and 

potentiality differences, and how to 

make business in compliance with 

HSBC’s culture and organisational 

values. Launched in the end of 2011, 

the training programme was certified 

by the British Advisory 3gHR. 

The programme will be carried 

on throughout 2012. Approximately 

50 people have already been trained. 

In Brazil, HSBC has 23,467 

professionals. R$ 22 million were 

invested in training programmes only 

in 2011, amounting over 336,000 

hours – 309,000 hours were directed 

to the banking category. This 

investment represents a 10% rise 

compared to the previous year. 

38

Education for 


HSBC has taken a leap forward by 

educating its internal audience on 

sustainability-driven issues. Since 

2010, the training area orients 

employees on the company’s 

major environmental, social and 

corporate governance challenges. 

In 2011, the bank launched 

the Sustainability e-Learning 

programme, in order to sensitise 

employees on the issue. Contents 

present information on dayto-day 

sustainability practices 

concerning the bank’s business. 

Up to December 2011, 50% of 

Individual Entity’s employees had 

already received formal training. 

Besides, in January 2011, the 

company triggered a global 

training programme on bribery 

and corruption prevention 

processes, a mandatory course 

for all of HSBC’s employees. 

The remote course presents 

a detailed analysis on the 

major obligations of companies 

regarding the issue, and 

addresses the impacts generated 

by the Bribery Act, approved by 

the British Parliament. By the end 

of January 2012, 20,808 Brazilian 

employees had already taken the 

course – 94% of the total amount. 

Another significant contribution 

to the development of employees 

has been the recent launch of 

the sustainability risk e-learning 

programme. The core idea is to 

highlight HSBC’s credit sectorial 

policy and to provide employees 

with support on decision-making 

processes in the consumer 

credit area. 

Work environment 

HSBC Brasil is certified by SA8000, 

created by the UN Council on 

Economic Priorities to foster 

corporate responsibility. The 

building-based certification process 

was launched in 2007 and currently 

eight administrative centres have 

already been certified. SA8000 

guideline encompasses around 

8,500 people altogether, namely 

employees, trainees, apprentices, 

and suppliers. All employees receive 

specific training on this certification. 

Elected by employees, 

representatives are assigned 

to receive any whistleblowing 

actions on eventual irregularities. 

Uncertified SA8000 buildings must 

submit to corporate policies, which 

disavow any discriminatory practice. 

Employees also have access to 

the Voz Ativa (Active Voice), a 

confidential whistleblowing channel. 

Recorded cases are thoroughly 

investigated. In addition, HSBC 

makes use of Intranet in order 

to disclose information on nondiscriminatory 

practices and 

also to sensitise employees 

on the issue. 

Work climate survey 

HSBC carries out the work 

organisational climate survey, 

named Global People Survey 

(GPS). The action aims to identify 

employee satisfaction levels 

regarding all issues related to 

the work environment, such as 

their relationship with leaders and 

internal communication, among 

others. In 2011, 20,947 people 

responded to the questionnaire. 

Although the participation in 

the survey is voluntary, 83% of 

employees adhered to it in 2011. 

Seventy-five percent of employees 

were favourable to participate in 

the survey (three percent higher 

than the number reported in 

2010). This index led the Kenexa 

Consulting, one of the world’s most 

respected human management 

consulting firms, to place the bank 

at the Best in Class level. This 

classification exclusively gathers 

top-ranked companies analysed by 

Kenexa with the best employee 

engagement outcomes. 

Major highlights of the survey 

include the corporate sustainability 

assessment, which presented 

the highest favourability indexes 

in the last two years (84% in 

2011), as well as the perception 

of employees concerning HSBC’s 

values (82%). Critical dimensions 

reside in issues such 

as remuneration. 

Selection and remuneration 

HSBC counts on a selection and 

recruitment programme that prizes 

candidates’ individual competencies 

and performance. The objective 

is to ensure that people receive 

merit-driven promotion, allied 

to both HSBC’s principles and 

values and the global policy of 

equal opportunities for all. These 

standards include guidelines for 

internal recruitment of employees 

and external hiring of potential 

external candidates. 

The bank adopts the concept 

of total compensation, 

comprised of three major 

elements: basic remuneration, 

variable remuneration, and 

benefits. At HSBC, the 

strategy envelops a fixed 

amount, reflecting on the 

total wage in accordance 

with the professional’s 

function and responsibility, 

and a variable portion, related 

to the employee’s general 

performance in the company 

for a given period of time. 

In compliance with its policy, 

HSBC also offers employees 

benefits that go beyond legal 

mandates. Complementary 

pensions, healthcare 

and odontological plans, 

educational grants, personal 

credit at special taxes, and 

waved bank charges are some 

of the extra official benefits. 

“We work towards 

leading people to 

think sustainably in 

their everyday life, so 

that they know how 

to inspire more and 

more people towards 

practising sustainability 

inside and outside the 

work environment.” 

Juliana Marques, 

Communication Superintendent 

Damaris Wackerhage, Service Analyst, Human Resources Processes, 

and Keli Cristina Kuss (in the wheelchair), Services Technician - Operations. 

40 

41

Diversity 

Starting in 2006, HSBC Brazil 

counts on a Diversity Committee 

that accounts for the definition 

of inclusion goals for women, 

Afro-descendants, people 

with disabilities, and 45+ year 

old employees. The Balanced 

Scorecard measures the bank’s 

development in the field and 

provides orientation for necessary 

adjustments and actions towards 

achieving such objectives. 

HSBC has been the first large 

sized financial institution in Brazil 

to meet the demand of the federal 

law in 2010. Presently, people with 

disabilities represent 5.05% of 

the bank’s employees. And this 

was made possible thanks to the 

People with Disabilities Inclusion 

Programme, an initiative developed 

between 2006 and 2010, especially 

dedicated to the preparation of 

skilled manpower in the bank. 

In order to respond accordingly 

to the demands brought about 

by this audience, HSBC carried 

out several structural and physical 

adaptations, besides promoting 

awareness actions among 

managers and employees. The bank 

now promotes an online course on 

people with disabilities to all those 

who wish to deepen into 

the subject. In 2011, the company 

partnered an action carried out 

by the Brazilian Federation of 

Banks (FEBRABAN) focusing on a 

qualification programme for people 

with disabilities. Four intellectually 

impaired and 33 physically impaired 

people took part in the training 

process promoted by the 

federal institution. 

Apprentice Programme 

In 2011, the bank met the hiring 

quota for young apprentices, 

following an agreement signed 

up between FEBRABAN and 

the Brazilian Ministry of Labour. 

Prior to the agreement, the 

percentage of eligible positions 

directed to apprentices reached 

5% per Brazilian state; now, it was 

increased to 7% per business 

unit (branches and administrative 

centres), or a minimum amount 

of seven eligible employees in 

apprenticeship positions. In 2011, 

the bank reached the full quota per 

company. The goal for 2012 is to 

reach the full quota per branch. 

At HSBC, the qualification process 

for this type of workforce is carried 

out by the Apprentice Programme, 

focused on young people from 

low income families. For two 

years, participants take a training 

course comprised of 25% theorybased 

and 75% practice-based 

programme on the bank’s activities. 

The bank following the SA8000 

recommendations, only 16 

year-old young people take 

part in the programme. 

In the end of 2011, the bank also 

inserted 43 participants from 

HSBC Education project into 

the initiative. This programme 

is financially supported by 

Instituto HSBC Solidariedade and 

contributes towards the educational 

development of both children 

and adolescents living in 

shelters and foster homes. 

Mentoring Programme 

for Women 

HSBC Brazil developed a specific 

programme that aims to lever the 

access of women into leadership 

positions. Comprised of a one-year 

training process, the programme is 

directed to women in managerial 

and co-ordination positions. The 

initiative is aimed at granting them 

opportunities for personal and 

professional growth. In 2011, 65 

women were mentored (by both 

men and women) and 12 were 

levered to a mentorship position. 

Numbers 

of diversity 

From 2006 through 2011, the 

participation of people with 

disabilities in the bank increased from 

170 to 1,185 people. The presence 

of Afro-descendants, on its turn, was 

enhanced from 2,664 to 3,214. The 

participation of women in leadership 

positions – directors and managers - 

rose from 327 to 668. The amount of 

young apprentices practically tripled 

in the period, rising from 265 to 730. 

Launch of the 

Committee 

April/2006 

265 

Launch of the 

Committee 

April/2006 

2,664 


Apprentices 

Black people 

December/2011 

730 


3,214 

“Full team”. Photo of Ednei F. Lopes, Service Analyst. One of the 10 best images of the 

HSBC Regional Photografic Contest - Latin America, theme Diversity and Inclusion (Oct/11). 

Women in leadership positions 

Launch of the 

Committee 

April/2006 

327 

Y Generation 


668 

Approximately 60% of HSBC’s 

current hiring processes involve 

young people born after 1980 

– the so-called Y Generation. In 

order to more deeply comprehend 

the desires of such audience and 

make the bank’s career atractive 

to them, the Y Generation Affinity 

Group was created. The team, 

comprised of representatives 

People with disabilities 

Launch of the 

Committee 

April/2006 

170 

of several areas of the bank, has 

a monthly gathering. In addition 

to get young employees closer 

to each other, HSBC also aims to 

analyse the behaviour of future 

banking service consumers. 

Around 16 million people belong 

to the Y Generation in Brazil. 

This is HSBC’s sixth Affinity Group. 

The others are as follows: People 


1,185 

with Disabilities; Colour and 

Action (ethnic groups); Seniors 

(45+); LGBT (Lesbians, Gays, 

Bisexuals and Transgenders); 

and Gender (organised by 

women). Those teams deal with 

the task of causing diversity 

to be respected and valued by 

all those who are part of the 

institution. 

42 

43

Customers 

HSBC Brazil has a series of 

effective communication channels 

with its customers. Contacts are 

mainly carried out by My HSBC 

(phone and website). Besides these 

channels, customers are also able 

to directly share their opinions with 

bank branch employees by means 

of letters or faxes, My HSBC 

(mobile phone), and Customer 

Assistance Service (SAC). 

In 2011, over 3.6 million contacts 

were recorded through My 

HSBC channels. Another relevant 

communication tool is the 

Ombudsman Service. In 2011, 

the service reported 7,061 entries. 

On this channel, customers are 

assisted by specialised teams in 

charge of searching for a definite, 

short-term solution to customerbased 

demands. HSBC collects and 

keeps tabs on received contacts 

in a way to implement continuous 

improvements. Right after the 

report of a complaint, several areas 

get involved and take on specific 

responsibilities. Besides getting 

back to the customer, the team 

that accounts for the analysis 

of the complaint pinpoints the 

roots of the problem. Results are 

forwarded to sales, process and 

product managers in charge of 

developing actions towards either 

the elimination or the minimisation 

of identified problems. Such 

workflow must occur within 

a maximum timeframe of five 

working days. In the majority of 

contacts, however, customers’ 

needs are met on the first call, thus 

making it unnecessary to open an 

internal protocol. Additionally, HSBC 

nurtures an active relationship 

with Procon (Credit Protection 

Services) organisation. Besides the 

compliance with in-force norms and 

legislations, the bank also takes 

part in discussion groups in order 

to propose actions that ensure the 

satisfaction of its customers. HSBC 

Brazil has a direct channel aiming to 

assist the demands originated from 

the Procon Hotline. 

Satisfaction polls 

HSBC periodically carries out 

satisfaction polls. The purpose is 

to get acquainted with customers’ 

opinions regarding the services 

rendered by the bank. Satisfaction 

indexes and customers’ 

recommendations are also 

monitored and compared 

with competitors’ every quarter. 

Once a year, satisfaction levels 

concerning communication 

channels – relationship with the 

manager, cash machines, branches, 

and website, among others 

- are also measured by the bank. 

The outcomes in 2011 showed 

an improvement in the customer 

perception regarding the 

communication channels, as well 

as the assistance provided by the 

relationship manager. Besides, in 

accordance with the Net Promoter 

Score (NPS) – developed by Bain 

& Company to assess the services 

provided by financial insitutions 

- HSBC Premier showed the 

highest loyalty index among 

customers in the high net worth 

segment in Brazil. HSBC steadily 

searches for improvements. 

In 2011, the bank’s Call Centre 

displayed a significant improvement 

compared to the satisfaction level 

recorded in the previous year. The 

positive performance was achieved 

as a result of the 10 thousand hour 

training process carried out to call 

centre employees, as well as the 

upgrades of processes 

and systems. 

The Customers Council 

In June 2011, HSBC wrapped up 

the Customers Council Project. The 

initiative, launched in the beginning 

of 2010, consisted of three groups 

comprised of representatives of the 

Premier segment, mid and large sized 

corporations, and HSBC Corporate. 

Throughout one and a half year, 

councillors gathered every quarter with 

directors and superintendents in order 

to report on their impressions about the 

bank. Counting on a website and having 

exclusive access to a blog, participants 

exchanged information, proposed 

issues for discussion, and forwarded 

improvement suggestions. These 

channels are still active for the reception 

of customers’ entries. 

During this period, councillors 

colaborated with 151 improvement 

suggestions; 104 of them have already 

been implemented. Due to the 

complexity of contents, another group 

of 47 suggestions is under analysis. 

The company’s Internet Banking can 

be quoted as a fine upgrade example. 

The service was upgraded by the 

Usability Improvement Project, which 

developed the reconfiguration of the 

website’s layout and navigation; in 

addition, the project also broadened the 

time schedule for payment processes. 

Following the suggestions of the 

Customers Council, HSBC invested 

in the qualification of employees and 

delegated some operational activities 

formerly belonging to managers to the 

website; moreover, the bank hired 650 

extra relationship managers for the bank 

branches, thus reducing the amount of 

assisted customers per professional. In 

2011, a new Customers Council group, 

comprised of representatives from 

HSBC Corporate department in Curitiba 

(PR) was formed. In 2012, the mid and 

large sized companies’ group was also 

launched in Rio de Janeiro (RJ). 


Suppliers 

Sustainability & Suppliers Project, 

launched in 2011, aims to link 

suppliers with HSBC’s sustainability 

values and practices. To be familiar 

with the operational practices and 

the socio-environmental impacts of 

the operations of suppliers, make 

them aware of the cutting-edge 

sustainability practices, and adopt 

criteria grounded on such 

“The work we launched 

intends to certify 

suppliers committed 

to socio-environmental 

responsibility attitudes, 

in such a way they are 

more and more aligned 

with our business model.” 

Sidnei Pechibilski, 

Chief Procurement 

Officer Americas 

performance for the selection of new 

companies are the major objectives 

of the project. In the first phase of 

the project, 45 suppliers were handed 

a questionnaire comprised of 39 

questions aimed to check both the 

presence of policies and practices 

towards the reduction of socioenvironmental 

impacts and the work 

relationship status established with 

their employees. This information 

was charted and presented on-site to 

assessed companies; concurrently, 

critical problems and possible 

alternatives towards their solutions 

were also discussed in meetings held 

in Curitiba and São Paulo. On the 

second stage of the programme, over 

100 suppliers will also be engaged. 

In 2012, as part of the Sustainability & 

Suppliers programme, HSBC deployed 

the Supplier Certification project. 

Another valuable tool applied in the 

supplier management programme 

is the Vendor Risk Management, 

aimed to assess, monitor and 

control contract-related risks. HSBC 

currently counts on around 1,000 

steady suppliers. From these, 350 are 

responsible for 80% of the financial 

volume of the Procurement and 

Purchase area. 

Next steps 

The above-mentioned initiatives will 

help define the guidelines towards 

the acknowledgement of some of 

HSBC’s suppliers. Three action pillars 

ground those initiatives: sustainability 

practice analysis, assessment of the 

Vendor Risk Management Policy 

and relationship with the bank, and 

supplier performance. 

In 2012, all steady suppliers will be 

handed a digital leaflet on sustainable 

practices. The content will introduce 

the sustainability guidelines deemed 

to be essential requirements for 

HSBC’s suppliers’ operations. 

44 

45

Environment 

Minimising impacts 

One of HSBC’s commitments towards 

sustainability is to disseminate a respectful 

culture towards the environment among 

all stakeholders. 

HSBC Brazil seeks to reduce 

environmental impacts based 

upon three performance axles: 

sustainability-focused business 

operations, engagement of all 

stakeholders, and reduction of the 

environmental footprint. The latter 

axle addresses the management 

of direct impacts produced by 

operations and the permanent 

improvement of ecoefficiency 

patterns. HSBC Group worldwide 

operates in a four-year term 

perspective concerning water and 

energy consumption, emission 

of greenhouse effect gases, and 

selective waste discharge. The 

last cycle was terminated in 2011. 

Between 2012 and 2020, a new 

plan of action, comprised of ten 

initiatives, will be developed, 

as follows: 

1 

Engagement 

2 

Efficiency 

3 

Investments 

of HSBC 

Technology and Services 

area employees; 

and innovation 

towards a sustainable 

economy; 

in sustainable 

experimental innovation; 

4 

Reduction 

5 

Recycling 

Enhancement 

67 LEED 

8 

Datacentre 

9 

Reduction 

Reduction 

10 

of energy 

consumption per employee; 

of residues at 

all HSBC’s departments, 

including electronic waste; 

of 

production and energy 

consumption originated 

from renewable sources; 

Certification 

for certain buildings; 

efficiency; 

of the use 

of paper in retail and 

corporate operations; 

of greenhouse 

effect gases per employee 

stemming from travel 

schedules. 


The overall goal 

isto reduce annual 

employee carbon 

emissions by one 

tonne by 2020 from 3.5 

tonnes to 2.5 tonnes. 

Goals and 



Strengthen the engagement 

and participation of employees 

in environmental and 

ecoefficient actions 

fostered by the bank. 

- Engagement of 455 

employees in environmental 

education and ecoefficiency 

awareness campaigns. 

- Qualification of 52 

environmental leaders (Climate 

Champions) by means of 

HSBC Climate Partnership. 

Invest in innovative projects 

regarding the management 

of direct impacts. 

- Innauguration of Renascença 

branch: the building embodied 

sustainability and water reduction 

initiatives; wind power 

is locally generated; 

- Restoration of the Training 

Centre: sustainable aspects, 

such as water and energy 

consumption reduction, 100% 

biological treament of byproducts 

generated by the 

sewage system in the dorms, 

and a space dedicated to the 

interaction between employees 

and sustainability-related 

issues were addressed; 

- Thin Client Project: helped 

preventing 50% of report printing 

at the branches. The project now 

expects a yearly reduction of 

30 million printing processes, 

representing approximately 

R$ 1.8 million. 

Implement a Sustainability 

Plan that can support HSBC’s 

suppliers towards planning the 

environmental management of 

their companies. 

- The pilot project has been 

successfully carried out, 

counting on the participation 

of 45 suppliers. 

Broaden the number of 

branches assisted by the 

Selective Collection Programme. 

- A series of branches received 

selective waste bins and 

have been instructed on their 

adequate use. Currently, the 

Programme encompasses the 

main administrative centres and 

nearly 400 branches (45% of the 

bank’s network). 

Goals 

for 2012 

Upgrade the supplier-based 

Sustainability Plan and extend 

actions to other partnering companies. 

Deploy the Champions Programme 

Brazil, aimed to develop leadership 

in sustainability and focusing on 

enhancing employee engagement, 

operation ecoefficiency, and 

sustainable business opportunities. 

Conjointly act with partnering 

NGOs in the initiatives of HSBC 

Water Programme - sanitation and 

hydrical resource management 

action for the next five years. 

Develop a new ecoefficiency and 

operational efficiency action plan. 

46 

47

Footprint 

In 2011, HSBC worked hard towards 

reducing impacts resulted from its 

operations, in a way to reach its 

ecoefficiency goals. In the last two 

years, 9% of water consumption 

in the bank was cut. A 2% decrease 

in the amount of water consumed 

by each full-time employee was 

recorded between 2010 and 2011. 

Such result led the bank to meet 

the established goal of reducing 

0.7% in water consumption 

per full-time employee in 2011. 

These figures stem from awareness 

initiatives developed together with 

employees, as well as the new 

ecoefficiency standards adopted by 

the bank. In 2010, all branches that 

had their toilets renovated received 

low consumption metal and ceramic 

fixtures, such as closed coupled 

cisterns for sanitary toilet bowls 

and automatic flush valves, thus 

generating a direct impact in the 

results reported in 2011. 

HSBC has not reached the set 

goal of reducing in 1.6% the 

energy consumption level – the 

reduction reached 1% in 2011. Even 

so, conservation and efficiency 

initiatives helped the bank saving 

nearly 1.5 milllion kWh last year. 

The replacement of air-conditioning 

equipments and the substitution of 

lamps for more economic models 

in all branches are amidst the 

actions that contributed 

towards such reduction. 

Taking into account the 1.5% goal 

per full-time employee, the bank 

added in 1% the amount of CO 2 

emissions. In spite of the market 

disadvantage of the bank’s vehicle 

fleet, approximately 85% of 

automobiles kept the use of ethanol 

The adoption of alternatives 

to prevent the displacement of 

executives, and consequently the 

excessive consumption of fuel, 

is another measure approached 

by HSBC. All major operational 

units now display meeting rooms 

endowed with video and audio 

conference equipments, as well 

as WebEx devices, which offer the 

possibility of making real time online 

presentations. In 2011, these special 

rooms were used over 1,500 times, 

thus preventing the emission of 

39.1 tons of CO 2 . The bank has also 

adopted initiatives aimed to increase 

its energetic efficiency, allowing for 

a cut of 45 tons of CO 2 emissions 

in 2011. Added to the other 

strategies, HSBC reported 

a total reduction of 84.1 tons 

of CO 2 in 2011. The destination 

of waste materials to landfills has 

also increased. The goal for 2011 

was 3.2%; however, the adoption 

of a new measurement 

methodology that improved data 

collection processes caused the 

bank to record a 16% rise. In 

recorded an 8% cut in 

the production of residues 

per full-time employee. 

In 2007, HSBC devised a selective 

collection of residues in the bank’s 

administrative centres and branches. 

In 2011, the system was expanded 

and is now present in major 

administrative centres and nearly 

400 branches (45% of the network). 

Every employee is educated on the 

conscientious discharge of waste 

and handed information manuals 

showing contacts of recycling 

cooperatives in their surrounding 

area. By the end of 2011, 45% of 

branches and 65% of employees 

had already been inserted into the 

programme that guarantees 

the correct destination 

of recyclable materials. 

HSBC provides the collection 

of cooking oil for employees working 

in Curitiba and São Paulo. The 

material is forwarded to recycling 

plants and transformed into soap, 

detergent and other cleaning 

products. Additionally, as a way 

Selective collection of waste in branches and Administrative Centres. 

Goals - Results in 2011 * 

Goal 

Result 

-3.2% 

-1.6% 

-1.0% 

Energy (kWh) 

+16% 

-0.7% 

-2.0% 

-1.5% 

Water (m 3 ) 

+1.0% 

as a fuel, which automatically 

the past, some units counted 

of orienting employees, customers 

cut emissions down. Nonetheless, 

the increase in the annual average 

of employed professionals caused 

a 4% enhancement in the total 

amount of covered mileage. 

on estimation methodologies; 

now, processes are more 

efficiently controlled. Had the new 

measurement methodology been 

applied then, HSBC would have 

and visitors on the conscientious 

discharge of cells and batteries, 

collection posts for these materials 

have been placed at the entrance 

of administrative centres. 

Residues ** (ton) 

CO 2 (ton) 

* The improvement of reduction initiatives is measured per full-time employee. 

**Negative figures occurred as a result of the new waste measurement methodology introduced in 2011. 

48 

49

Other initiatives 

Project 

Responsible 

Definition 

Benefits 

ECO Hall: 

a space dedicated 

to Sustainability 

A space fully dedicated to 

the conscientious discharge 

was launched at the Xaxim 

Administrative Centre in 

Curitiba. The goal was to engage 

employees in the more frequent 

use of the on-site cooking 

oil collection available at the 

company, thus consolidating the 

sustainability culture in the bank. 

An initiative of a group of 20 

employees from different areas, 

supported by several leaders 

and suppliers, triggered the 

construction of HSBC’s Eco 

Hall in a three-month time. 

The building was fully made of 

recycled materials. The bamboobased 

structure and the Tetrapak 

packaging-based sheltering are 

fine examples. Additionally, 

decorative materials include 

tables made of reused electric 

wire wooden reels; benches and 

sofas were made of PET bottles 

covered with advertisement 

banners used in past corporate 

campaigns. One of HSBC’s 

suppliers freely granted his 

work on the lining process as a 

courtesy to the project. Around 

300 employees were engaged in 

the process of collecting the 

PET bottles and the raw 

material for the furniture. 

As a result, the space that had 

been primarily idealised to 

stimulate the correct destination 

of cooking oil became a 

reference for employee 

engagement actions towards 

sustainability. For 2012, a similar 

space is expected to be built at 

São Paulo Administrative Centre. 

Eco Hall at Xaxim Administrative Centre, in Curitiba (PR). 

“When Eco Hall was launched, 

I did not expect the engagement 

of so many people in the 

construction of the space. The 

conjoint work clearly evidenced 

that sustainability is much more 

than just words: it has become 

a practical behaviour among 

employees.” 

Thalita R. Alberti, 

Service Analyst – HR Processes 

– employee who participated 

in the project development 

“The excitement to see ECO Hall 

ready was incomparable! The 

idea came up from a conversation 

about Xaxim Administrative 

Centre’s kitchen oil collector, and 

then on, colleagues get involved 

more and more in the initiative, 

attracting external and internal 

partners and suppliers. When 

“Eco Hall is a sustainable 

space. Recyclable materials 

were used in the structure 

of the building, as well 

as in decorative objects 

and furnitures. The team 

embraced the cause 

and did its best for the 

fulfilment of this dream.” 

Jeniffer C. Santos, 

Service Analyst – Logistics 

ECO Hall was finally launched it 

was possible to measure staff 

engagement. Now, the space 

is used to various purposes 

and oil and recyclable materials 

collection has increased 

tremendously. The project has 

been a complete success!” 

Patricia Tavares, 

HTS Senior Manager 

In order to ensure ecoefficiency, 

HSBC installed ten new airconditioning 

equipments at Xaxim 

Administrative Centre (Datacentre) 

and Palácio Avenida in Curitiba (PR), 

as well as in São Paulo Administrative 

Centre (CASP). The expectation 

following the replacement of these 

equipments is to cut approximately 

1.8% of HSBC Brazil’s annual electric 

energy consumption. In Curitiba, 

the project was subsidised by the 

Companhia Paranaense de Energia 

(COPEL) - electric company of Paraná 

– which directed R$ 1.75 million to the 

initiative. In Brazil, energy companies 

invest 1% of resources in electric 

energy efficiency projects. HSBC 

responded to one of the company’s 

calls for proposals. Although the 

resources for the investment were 

released in advance by COPEL, 

the bank’s energy savings after the 

installation of the new equipments 

will pay for the costing. At Xaxim 

Administrative Centre, investments 

reach R$ 961,000. At Palácio 

Avenida, R$ 785,000 was invested. 

In São Paulo, the financial resource 

demanded for the improvements 

– R$ 1.2 million – will be 

sponsored by HSBC. 

Information 

Servers 

virtualisation 

process 

Datacentre 

improvement 

Green 

certification 

for IT projects 

Electronic 

waste 

Thin Client 

Password 

alignment 

Information 

Technology 

Information 

Technology 

Information 

Technology 

Information 

Technology 

Information 

Technology 

Information 

Technology 

Development of 

virtual servers aimed 

to postpone the 

acquisition of new 

equipments and reduce 

energy consumption 

in the Data Centres. 

Projects seek to reduce 

energy consumption 

in Datacentres by the 

physical allocation 

and distribution 

of machinery and 

equipments, thus 

directly affecting 

air-conditioning 

performance. 

Definition of analysis, 

assessment and green 

certification processes 

for IT projects, as a 

way of levering best 

sustainability practices. 

The project seeks 

to improve internal 

processes and logistics, 

aiming at the correct 

management and 

discharge of generated 

waste. The project 

is aligned with the 

National Policy for 

Solid Residues. 

The Thin Client 

programme has been 

implemented in all 

branches. It is available 

at the branches’ access 

website (named OHB) 

and replaces the 

automatic report printing 

process (via EOS). 

New credit card 

passwords are matched 

with the passwords of 

current accounts and 

debit cards. 

Energy reduction 

Energy reduction 

Awareness towards 

sustainable solutions 

Conscientious 

discharge 

Savings reach 

R$ 1.47 million. 

Two thousand 

trees are preserved 

every year. 

The action prevents 

the printing of over 

600,000 sheets of 

paper demanded 

for the mailing 

of password 

information. 

Selective collection of waste at Eco Hall. 

50 

51

. 

Green Team 

In recent years, HSBC has 

stimulated its leaders towards 

playing an active role in the 

company’s sustainability strategy; 

the bank has also motivated 

its teams towards embracing 

the issue. The result of such 

positioning can be observed in the 

creation of several work groups 

in different areas of the bank. The 

first initiative took place in 2010 

at HSBC Technology and Services 

(HTS) area. The idea was born after 

employee Aydes Junior – then 

the Planning, Finance and Control 

Executive Superintendent – 

participated in a leadership training 

programme within the scope of 

HSBC Climate Partnership towards 

fighting climate changes. 

As soon as he got back from 

the training process, Aydes 

drew a proposal that aimed 

to systematically insert the 

bank’s upper management 

into sustainability discussions. 

Green Team was then coming 

to life. Developed actions include 

“We work towards inserting 

sustainability into the strategy. 

Whenever the different teams 

notice that leaders invest time 

in this cause, they realise 

that this is a relevant issue” 

affirms Aydes Junior. 

Get to know some of the initiatives 

developed up to the end of 2011: 

The turning point of engagement 

One of the major goals of the 

Green Team is to encompass as 

many employees as possible in 

the group’s actions. Currently, 17% 

of HSBC Technology and Services 

area and one quarter of all HSBC’s 

Climate Champions (leaders in 

sustainability graduated from 

HSBC Climate Partnership) are 

involved in volunteer initiatives 

(3% higher than financial sector 

average). Besides, 38% of the 

projects supported by Instituto 

HSBC Solidariedade 

are sponsored by Green 

Team representatives. 

Green deposit 

The envelopes formerly used 

for deposit transactions at 

ATM machines have been 

replaced for envelopes made 

of recycled raw materials. 

This pilot experience was 

primarily adopted in nine 

branches – Renascença in São 

Luis (MA) and eight others 

in Curitiba (PR). The new 

envelope is comprised of 25% 

of wastepaper bought from 

scavengers’ cooperatives, and 

75% of wastepaper offcuts 

produced in the suppliers’ 

factories. The absence 

of extra costs resulting 

from the exchange of 

materials is one of the great 

advantages of the project. 

HSBC aims to raise awareness of its employees on the importance of eco-efficiency attitudes. 

the implementation of ecoefficient 

projects, the monitoring of the 

Sustainability Balanced Scorecard, 

and the support to the creation 

of sustainable businesses, 

among others. Up to 2011, 

the group led by Aydes was 

comprised of 15 other people, 

among them Engineering, IT 

and Procurement heads. In 

addition to monthly gatherings, 

the team establishes goals and 

proposes actions towards reducing 

the environmental impacts 

of HSBC’s operations. 

Energy consumption reduction 

The team has been implementing 

a series of actions. Up to the end 

of 2011, HSBC Brazil recorded 

an energy consumption reduction 

of 12 million kWh/year. This 

has been made possible mainly 

because of the review performed 

in the bank’s technological 

infrastructure, as well as other 

energy reduction projects, 

such as the replacement of 

conventional lamps for LED lamps. 

Savings represent over 10% of 

HSBC’s total consumption. 

Sustainable constructions 

The construction of the 

Training Centre (CETRE), as 

well as the Renascença branch 

in São Luis (MA), was fully 

supported by the Green Team. 

Lower environmental impact 

techniques and materials 

were employed in the building 

process. As the cost of the 

facility was very high, the 

work group stood up for 

the relevance and the need 

of green investments in the 

construction process. 

Cabling 

This reverse engineering project 

foresees the adequate collection 

and disposition of useless cables 

left on elevated floors at branches. 

The initiative is partnered by 

external companies, who proceed 

with the correct disposition of 

collected cables. 

“Donate life” 

Through this initiative, HTS 

encourages employees to 

register in bone marrow donation 

programmes. The initiative was 

launched in 2008 and since then 

1,535 employees have already 

taken part in the action. There 

is at least one reported case 

in which a life was saved by a 

specific bone marrow donation 

process. In 2011, the initiative 

was partnered by HEMEPAR (PR) 

and Hospital Samaritano (SP). 

Sustainability Category in HTS 

Highlight Programme 

Every quarter, this internal 

programme acknowledges 

projects aimed to improve 

processes. The programme 

presently counts on five 

categories: financing, 

customers, processes, 

people, and sustainability. 

In 2011, 87 projects were 

included in the sustainability 

category, and 14 of them 

were acknowledged. 

The percentage of 

acknowledged projects 

is enhanced at each 

new edition. 

52 

53

Sustainable 

constructions 

In 2011, the first two of HSBC’s 

sustainable facilities in Brazil, 

which will serve as models for 

the implementation of other 

sustainability-based undertakings, 

were launched. The new Training 

Centre (CETRE), located in São José 

dos Pinhais (PR), was re-inaugurated 

in August. Composed of 36 dorms, 

the two brand new facilities comply 

with the guidelines of the Green 

Building Council (GBC). This nongovernmental 

organisation was 

born under the premise of leading 

the industrial sector towards the 

adoption of sustainable practices in 

integrated conception, construction 

and operation building processes. 

GBC ratifies the LEED (Leadership 

in Energy & Environmental Design) 

certification in Brazil, sought by 

HSBC for this undertaking. 

The reduction of environmental 

impacts was made possible by 

the employment of technologies, 

such as thermal isolation, low 

consumption air-conditioning 

equipments, efficient lighting, 

certified wood in furnitures and 

flooring, rainwater catchment, and 

use of solar energy for heating 

purposes. Additionally, the sewage 

treatment system is a 100% 

biological process that begins 

with the organic filtering of human 

waste, when micro-organisms 

transform sewage pollutants into 

nutrients. At HSBC, gardens were 

designed in a way to ensure that the 

sewage system is efficiently treated; 

for this purpose, a wide variety of 

native species compose the area. 

HSBC has also embodied a series 

of caring initiatives throughout 

construction processes, such as 

erosion control and the corret 

destination of the waste originated 

from the demolition of old facilities. 

Moreover, all furniture formerly used 

in restored buildings is donated to 

institutions supported by Instituto 

HSBC Solidariedade. A total amount 

of over 500 items, among television 

sets, beds, matresses, blankets, 

and tables have been given out. 

Since the inception of the 

architectural project, Renascença 

Premier Centre, located in São Luís, 

Maranhão, was fully aimed 

to reduce environmental impacts. 

For instance, the suspended, 

wave-shaped roofing panels 

were special adaptations to the 

warm weather of the town, easily 

allowing for air circulation and hence 

keeping the temperature inside 

the building at comfortable levels, 

without the steady support of the 

air-conditioning system. Based on 

the same purpose, cavity walls and 

windows with sun screens, aimed 

to prevent the direct incidence of 

sun rays, were also inserted into 

the project. Additionally, the facility 

has been equipped with a rainwater 

catchment framework, as well as 

lighting automation, which more 

efficiently optimises the use of the 

sun light. A wind power generator 

– HSBC’s first in the world and 

unheard of in Brazilian banks – 

was also installed in the branch. 

The equipment contributes with 

approximately 10% of the energy 

spent in the facility. 

New paths forward 

As a pilot project, Renascença 

Branch will serve as a reference 

for the construction of new 

facilities. Throughout 2011, the 

outcomes achieved in São Luis 

were documented, analysed and 

transformed into an architectural and 

engineering manual. Prompted to 

be launched in 2012, the document 

foresees mandatory orientations on 

the use of materials, the ecoefficient 

practices for the construction 

of future branches, and facility 

restoration processes. 

HSBC Training Centre (CETRE), 

in São José dos Pinhais/PR 

The Training Centre was re-opened in 

August 2011. At external corridors, ceiling 

was made of bamboo and transparent tiles. 

CETRE: two new buildings were made following sustainable practices 

in an integrated process of conception, building and operating. 

54 55 

Sun screens to reduce solar incidence 

and the use of air-conditioners - Renascença 

Sustainable Branch, in São Luís (MA). 

Interior of Renascença Sustainable Branch, in São Luís (MA).

CETRE: an opportunity 

to embody sustainability 

HSBC’s new Training Centre was 

projected to be much more than 

a space for the implementation 

of employee qualification 

programmes: its core idea is to 

insert employees into a unique 

experience that causes them to 

embody sustainability. Between 

August – when the facility was 

innaugurated – and December 2011, 

3,500 people have already visited 

the site. Estimates show that the 

number of visitors will increase 

to 10,000 people in 2012. 

In the beginning of each training 

programme, trainers make 

a presentation on HSBC’s 

sustainability strategies, 

so that every one understands 

the bank’s positions regarding 

the social, environmental 

and economic impacts 

of its operations. 

Visitors also access 

the Sustainability Room, 

where they interactively 

get familiar with socioenvironmental 

projects 

supported by Instituto HSBC 

Solidariedade, volunteer 

opportunities offered by the 

bank, and the bank’s ongoing 

sustainable businesses. 

The room also provides 

the opportunity for visitors 

to generate green energy 

resources. By riding a bicycle, 

visitors generate enough energy 

to lighten up a panel, displaying 

one of the company’s financial 

products that will direct resources 

towards social projects. The 

initiative makes people aware 

of the several ways by which 

they can mitigate environmental 

impacts. Visitors can also tour 

the Training Centre and have 

access to detailed information on 

the step-by-step sustainabilitybased 

construction of the facility, 

from scratch. Besides, they can 

voluntarily participate 

in activities carried out in 

CETRE’s composting site. 

Under the guidance of a 

responsible NGO, employees 

learn how to separate waste, 

and how materials can be 

treated without damaging 

the environment. 

“CETRE plays quite a relevant role 

in the engagement and awareness 

of employees. It is a space for 

discussions that arises curiosity 

and doubts. We seek to respond 

to these questionings, so that 

our professionals get more and 

more acquainted with HSBC’s 

sustainability undertakings. We 

want to involve them in such a way 

that they replicate what they learn 

in their work environment.” 

Cláudia Picanço, HR Manager 

Sustainable sensorial hall - Training Centre. 

56 

57

HSBC Climate 

Partnership 

In December 2011, HSBC 

Climate Partnership project 

came to an end. For five 

years (2007-2011), the 

environmental project 

was carried out worldwide 

and focused on fighting 

climate change effects 

based on the mobilisation of 

companies, governments and 

employees. A total amount 

of US$ 100 million were 

invested in actions such as 

the preservation of fresh 

water sources, reduction 

of greenhouse effect 

gases in the world’s large 

metropolises, research 

on biodiversity in tropical 

forests, and employee 

engagement processes. 

The initiatives in Brazil 

amounted US$ 10 million. 

These actions were 

partnered by specialised 

international institutions in 

the fields of environmental 

preservation and scientific 

research, namely: The 

Climate Group, Earthwatch 

Institute, Smithsonian 

Tropical Research Institute, 

and WWF. Another highlight 

of the programme was the 

qualification of thousands of 

employees worldwide. The 

goal was to compose a task 

force that could transform 

the company’s culture 

and bring sustainability 

to a distinguished level in 

business in the mid term. 

This task force is comprised 

of more than 2.2 thousand 

employees from 85 countries 

who are able to positively 

Since 2008, HSBC contributes to Earth Hour, an WWF initiative that aims to inviting companies, 

government and citizens around the world to shut down lights for 60 minutes. In 2011, Climate 

Champions gathered HSBC Brazil employees, friends and family, in front of Palácio Avenida Building, 

HSBC headquarters, to turn off lights for an hour and promote reflection about global warming. 

influence the bank’s 100 million+ 

customers and society at 

large. In Brazil, 150 employees 

were selected and trained to 

play the role of disseminating 

sustainability both within 

HSBC and in the communities. 

This group developed 72 

projects focused on business, 

ecoefficiency, and engagement. 

In Latin America there are 471 

Climate Champions. The group 

is comprised of nearly 32% 

of Brazilian employees. 

The five climate centres 

– China, India, the UK, the US, 

and Brazil - established by HSBC 

served as a basis for relevant 

research on climate change and 

employee training programmes 

on environmental issues. 

The centre located in Brazil 

played a leading role in the 

Latin American programme. 

The Guaraqueçaba Climate 

Centre is situated in the 

coastal area of Paraná, at 

the Rio Cachoeira biological 

reserve. The so-called Climate 

Champions – employees who 

lead campaigns towards 

the reduction of direct 

impacts, develop sustainable 

products, and identify 

new sustainability-based 

business opportunities - were 

graduated on this site. The 

Climate Champions received 

specialised training at the 

climate centre for 14 days. 

32 nd team of employees during training session. 

“It’s a huge, huge project. 

I think it’s something 

where we can make 

a difference. And it 

goes right to the heart 

of HSBC’s values.” 

Douglas Flint, 

HSBC Group’s Chairman 

58 

59

Major achievements 

of the HSBC Climate 

Partnership in Brazil 

Creation of the first water resource 

management plan in the Amazon 

Access to fresh water is a critical 

issue in the state of Acre (north of 

Brazil). The state’s current population 

growth rate is 2.5 higher than 

the Brazilian average. The region 

underwent a severe drought in 2005 

and 2010, and these events tend to 

become more and more frequent 

as a result of climate change. 

Acre’s State Plan of Water Resources 

is the first hydrical plan developed 

for the a state in the Amazon region. 

WWF-Brazil played a significant 

role in this task by developing the 

content of the plan, mobilising and 

training population. One of the 

major turning points of the project 

was the participation of locals in the 

implementation of the actions. In 

order to contribute to the plan, some 

communities who live in the Amazon 

Rainforest travel for around 162 hours, 

generally by boat, to take part in the 

meetings and training programmes. 

Satellite-based data collection 

on illegal deforestation 

The National Institute for Space 

Research (INPE) is WWF-Brazil’s 

partner in the development of a 

methodology used to track down 

illegal deforestation in the Amazon 

Rainforest. Estimates show that 

carbon gas emissions generated 

by the destruction of the forest are 

accountable for 20% of greenhouse 

effect gases around the globe. 

Satellite imagery evidence the 

dimension of the deforestation. By 

comparing this imagery with official 

information collected on site, WWF- 

Brazil has been developing an index 

aimed to aid the local and federal 

governments to take preventive 

deforestation measures. 

Pantanal - Mato Grosso do Sul. 

Pollution control 

at Araruama Lake (RJ) 

Nearly 70% of non-treated 

sewage directed to the Araruama 

Lake in Rio de Janeiro is now 

cleaned by four new sewage 

treatment systems built in the 

state. The initiative is partnered 

by the intermunicipal consortium 

Lagos São João and WWF- 

Brazil, who helped renegotiate 

water management contracts 

and develop the treatment task. 

Local leaders are especially 

trained in order to carry on the 

activities of the project, which 

has already produced results such 

as the increase of tourists in the 

Araruama Lake, now considered 

as one of the most beautiful sites 

in the Região dos Lagos (Lakes 

Region) of Rio de Janeiro. 

Fighting erosion at Pantanal 

The Brazilian Pantanal has been 

severely damaged by erosion 

processes resulting from irregular 

settlements and agriculture. 

Aiming to reverse this situation, 

WWF-Brazil has been closely 

working with populations and 

local institutions towards tracking 

down erosion at Pantanal’s most 

important area: the Cabaçal. 

The six thousand seedlings 

planted by local community 

members help compact the 

soil and enhance its resistance 

against erosion processes. The 

initiative includes the participation 

of jobless women, who work 

in the manufacturing of nets 

to be used at river banks and 

consequently generate income 

for their families. WWF-Brazil also 

trains local populations toward 

the development of sustainable 

agriculture activities in the Cabaçal 

region. Following the success 

of the initiative, the City Hall has 

extended the programme to 

surrounding communities. 

Next steps 

Following the termination of HSBC 

Climate Partnership, HSBC will 

implement another initiative focused 

on the management process of water 

resources. The five-year project – 2012 

through 2016 – will receive investments 

amounting US$ 100 million and count 

on the support of NGOs, such as 

WaterAid, WWF and Earthwatch. 

Besides keeping the global planning for 

environmental engagement on track, 

the core idea here is to consolidate 

the engagement and participation of 

employees and communities. Here is 

a list of global objectives and goals: 

Objectives: 

Make water, sanitation and hygiene 

available to communities where we 

can have the greatest impact; 

Protect key river basins for 

communities and businesses; 

Highlight the value of water 

to employees and community 

by means of awareness and 

volunteering processes. 

Goals: 

1.1 million people will have access to 

fresh water and 1.9 access to better 

sanitation and hygiene conditions in 

southern Asia and western Africa; 

Five river basins, where one billion 

people live, will be protected 

against pollution; 

Engage 7,500 HSBC in one-day 

research programmes collecting 

data on freshwater biodiversity and 

quality, and engage a further 100,000 

employees in an interactive online 

network to learn about and take action 

on monitoring freshwater resources. 

60 61


Solidariedade 

Levering sustainability 

Instituto HSBC Solidariedade seeks 

to contribute towards the sustainable 

development of communities by means 

of efficient social investments and 

the engagement of stakeholders. 

Year after year, Instituto HSBC 

Solidariedade (IHS) reaffirms its 

position of being an important 

ally in social development 

and citizenship promotion 

initiatives put into action 

by the bank. Seeking to be 

harmonized with major social, 

environmental and economic 

national demands, IHS takes 

on the commitment of 

contributing to the consolidation 

Children of one of the NGOs supported by Instituto HSBC Solidariedade. 

of sustainability as an integral 

part of HSBC’s activities. IHS 

started managing HSBC’s 

private social investments in 

2006, in a way to effectively 

achieve this target. Funding 

socio-environmental projects, 

co-ordinating the HSBC Brazil’s 

Message 

Since 2006, Instituto HSBC 

Solidariedade (IHS) provides 

support to education, 

community income generation 

to be acknowledged as a UN 

associated in the world. 

As a UN accredited entity, IHS 

takes on the role of disseminating 

practices, strengthen our social 

network and disseminate the UN 

actions in Brazil. In past years, 

IHS took on the new challenge of 

be strengthened. Our core focus 

is, first, to provide Instituto HSBC 

Solidariedade representatives 

with periodical training 

initiatives, and implementing 

and environment-based 

actions and mobilising the public 

disseminating the sustainability 

programmes, and secondly, 

HSBC’s global programmes are 

projects. Our decision to 

opinion towards accomplishing 

concept. Now, since people are our 

to maintain the bank’s volunteer 

some of the responsibilities 

collaborate with partner 

the goals of the United Nations. 

major “expertise”, we face up the 

employees – and later project 

of the Institute. Moreover, 

entities expresses our choice 

We will be part of a worldwide 

mission of mobilising employees, 

sponsors – in close connection 

IHS seeks to strengthen the 

of being part of a daring project 

network of civil society 

customers, suppliers, and society 

with these entities. We willingly 

professionalisation process of 

together with communities 

organisations and will locally 

at large. The first ideas and actions 

want to share the knowledge 

players in the third sector by 

where sustainability is deemed 

contribute to the promotion 

that are now part of the routine of 

that consolidated our company 

carrying out periodical training 

to be an important value to 

of the UN global programmes. 

all the areas of the company were 

as a giant in the financial market 

programmes and establishing 

partnerships that contribute to 

be attained. In recognition 

of this conjoint work, IHS is 

This acknowledgement is a 

tremendous honour for all of 

conceived within the boundaries 

of IHS. The sustainability seed we 

with small institutions. 

sustainable development. 

Much more than funding 

projects, Instituto HSBC 

Solidariedade is fully committed 

now an affiliate to the United 

Nations Department of Public 

Information. We, therefore, 

became the first corporate NGO 

us. It means we will all take 

greater responsibilities from 

now on. We will also have 

more opportunities to share our 

planted now flourishes. And we 

aim to reach higher. Our mission 

is to create conditions so that 

NGOs we support can grow and 

Helio Duarte, 

President of the Instituto HSBC 

Solidariedade and Public Affairs 

Executive Director of HSBC Brazil 

to the development of 

these institutions. 

62 

63

Community 

development 

Aiming to be fully harmonised 

with the country’s social demands, 


provides financial support to 

the development of education, 

community income generation 

and environment-related projects 

designed by organisations. 

In 2011, 236 projects received 

R$ 19,854,172.73, and 197,087 

people were benefited. 

Focus 

Education 

Community 

Environment 

Total 

Project financing – 2011– R$ 

Projects 

193 

25 

18 

236 

Investment 

12,752,450.06 

2,221.322.92 

4,880,399.75 

19,854,172.73 

Favoured People 

130,091 

49,699 

17,297 

197,087 

* The actions of Institute are funded by HSBC donations, as well as by resources 

generated with the sales of the bank’s socio-environmental products. 

One of the major financial sources 

in order to make it capable of 

approach to partner entities, as a 

for these projects is Instituto HSBC 

managing its own actions. Since 

way of analysing achieved results 

Solidariedade Credit Card. Monthly 

2008, income generation projects, 

and proposing improvements. 

amounts donated by customers are 

for instance, count on technical 

Projects are monitored by means 

directly deducted in the customer’s 

advising provided by the Getúlio 

of bi-annual technical reports, 

credit card invoice. Other sources 

Vargas Foundation’ Technology 

information exchange by email 

of financing include donations from 

Incubator of Popular Cooperatives 

or by phone, detailed render 

HSBC Brazil’s affiliated companies, 

(ITCP/FGV), which offers technical 

of accounts on the application 

as well as the socio-environmental 

education towards the creation of 

of resources, and by means of 

products commercialised by the 

sustainable social undertakings. 

personal visits. Institute helps 

bank, which directs part of the 


social entities to develop work 

resource to such initiatives. 

closely follows up the impacts 

plans, including the definition of 

Social projects receive support for 

of any socio-environmental 

concrete goals and the follow-up 

up to two years. Much more than 

investment. The Projects 

of accomplishments. The selection 

being just a forwarder of resources, 

Development, Monitoring and 

of supported projects is split into 

Institute works towards the 

Assessment (DMA) is in charge 

different phases, according 

development of the community, 

of keeping a close and steady 

to the following flow: 

IHS’s major 

action fronts 

Education 

IHS aims to 

benefit children and 

adolescents at social risk 

by means of initiatives that 

focus on their educational 

attainment. Institute believes 

that the access to education 

is capable of improving 

income and life quality. 

Environment 

Bring people to an 

awareness level and to minimise 

environmental impacts are part 

of HSBC Brazil’s private social 

investment goals. Water is in 

the limelight as the most critical 

resource by which population at 

large feel the severe impacts of the 

climate issue, especially in flood 

and drought events. 

Community 

One of HSBC’s 

major guidelines is to promote 

the economic development of 

communities where the bank 

operates. For that purpose, 

the bank provides support to 

job and income generation 

initiatives, having social 

inclusion as a major goal. 

Children benefited by HSBC Education: the 

oldest initiative of the bank in the social area. 

64 

65

Phases of the project 

selection process 

Investments in training 

In 2011, 81 sponsors received a 

project indication processes, sponsors 

communication, assessment, and 

presence-based training process. 

have also been inserted into project 

planning for sustainability. The initial 

Official opening of the project selection process 

Volunteer employees came from all over 

the country in order to get familiar with 

selection processes since 2010. 

Currently, 10% of the resources 

training programme is carried out 

immediately after the formalisation 

Information, forms and rules are available at the 

HSBC Sustainability website 

– www.hsbc.com.br/sustentabilidade. 

the operation of a social organisation. 

They were given information on the third 

sector scenario and paid visits to partner 

generated by IHS credit card are 

directed to the implementation of 

training programmes of partner NGOs. 

of the partnership. Throughout the 

year, the programme is reinforced 

by presence-based courses carried 

Sponsors’ Assessment 

institutions. Besides taking part in the 

Addressed issues include management, 

out at least once a year. 

Formatting and forwarding the project 

The NGO fills out the project in the standard form and 

looks for the sponsorship of an HSBC employee. 

The employee verifies the practices of the 

NGO in order to check it plays a relevant role 

in the community. NGOs are only allowed to 

take part in the selection process after the 

sponsor’s endorsement to the project. 

Bibliotecando Project: 

re-reading the world: 

Assessment Technical Committee 

The committee is comprised of external professionals 

specialised in selection processes. The team voluntarily 

offers their technical input on the registered projects, 

following the criteria previously set by the IHS. 

Follow-up of supported projects 

The activity is performed by the conjoint action between 

the sponsor and the IHS’s monitoring team. They will 

offer all necessary support towards the successful 

accomplishment of the project’s goals. 

Project denied 

Meeting with sponsors, Heads 

and IHS representatives 

Each branches regional network 

and departments hold conferences 

to select projects based on Technical 

Committee evaluation and IHS 

representatives and sponsors 

commentaries about the initiatives. 

Project approved 

HSBC Sustainability Committee 

The committee is comprised of the HSBC’s 

president and Executive Directors. The group 

approves the projects indicated in the previous step. 

Formalising the Partnership with the IHS 

Selected NGOs forward all necessary 

documents in order to sign up the contract. 

Training programmes for partner NGOs 

NGO managers attend annual training 

programmes on issues such as management, 

communication, assessment, and sustainability. 

Antonio Carlos Raquel is a 

relationship manager in Uberaba 

(MG). He’s been working at HSBC 

for eight years now and at least 

for the last five years he has been 

developing distinct volunteer 

actions. In 2011, he decided to 

play the relevant role of becoming 

a sponsor to “Bibliotecando 

(librarying) Project: re-reading the 

world”. Counting on the support of 

Instituto HSBC Solidariedade, the 

group elaborated the first edition 

of the book called “Re-reading the 

world”. The publication brings a 

new reading of two classical literary 

works under the perspective of 100 

adolescents from two public schools 

located in Uberaba. The starting 

point of the work, supervised by 

ten educators, was the study of “A 

hora da estrela”, by Clarice Lispector, 

and “Lucíola”, by José de Alencar. 

Teenagers also took part in visits 

to libraries and literature (poetry, 

parody, comics) workshops, as well 

as several other reading-oriented 

activities.The project was born as a 

result of the large numbers of public 

school students displaying learning 

difficulties in text reading, writing 

and interpretation. The purpose of 

the project was to provide students 

with a responsible citizenship status, 

social-cultural development and 

educational performance. For that 

An activity developed by the project. 

purpose, students are encouraged 

to a thorough immersion into the 

world of books, as well as to interact 

with the stories as if they were the 

authors themselves. Agronelli Social 

Investment Institute (IADES) is a nonprofit 

non-governmental organisation 

founded in 2000. IADES was born 

under the premise of carrying out 

social responsibility actions and 

effectively participating in the creation 

and implementation of public 

policies in the city of Uberaba 

and the surrounding region. 

“I have personally participated 

in several phases of the project. 

The work was developed with so 

much love and sobriety, guiding 

adolescents towards the paths 

of education, so that they have 

a better future. The students 

worked hard all year long in 

the production of the book. 

Now that the book is launched, 

and it is time to reap the fruits, 

we realise how rewarding 

the volunteer work is.” 

Antonio Carlos Raquel 

66 

67

Helio Duarte presenting opening 

award event, in October 2011. 

Stimulus to the 

third sector 

Dr. Zilda Arns Neumann Trophy, 

created by an artist of Paraná state. 

For the second year in a row, 

HSBC promoted Instituto HSBC 

Solidariedade Award, aimed at 

acknowledging people involved in the 

development of relevant community 

tasks. The award pays honour to Dr. 

Zilda Arns Neumann, the founder 

of the Pastoral da Criança, and 

acknowledges third sector leaders 

in Education and Environment 

initiatives in the state of Paraná. The 

winners of 2011 were Vânia Regina 

do Rio Favarão, representing the 

Association of Parents and Friends of 

Mentally Impaired Children (APAE) 

in the environmental category, and 

Roseli Bassi Pregolini, representing 

the Living History Institute in the 

education category. Each one received 

R$ 50,000 to be employed in the 

projects they co-ordinate. Part of the 

resource must necessarily be invested 

in qualification processes of social 

leaders, so that absorbed learnings 

can be replicated in the community. 

HSBC Children Choir. 

Children of HSBC Education Programme. 

IHS own projects 

In addition to the support provided 

to social institutions, IHS coordinates 

its own projects. In 2010, 

the company’s earliest initiative - 

called HSBC Education - celebrated 

its tenth anniversary. Every year, 

530 children and adolescents 

who live in 11 shelters and foster 

homes in Curitiba (PR) and region 

are granted educational, medical 

and psychological assistance. The 

initiative highly contributes toward 

the educational and psychosocial 

development of hundreds of 

institutionally sheltered children and 

teenagers. 

Within the assisted group, 40 

children are part of HSBC’s 

permanent Children Choir. The 

group participates in social-cultural 

and educational events all year 

long. In Christmas time, 120 other 

children join the group in a joyful 

performance at the Curitiba’s 

Palácio Avenida – headquarters 

of HSBC Brazil. The programme 

involves not only children, but 

also the technical formation of 

educators and managers of foster 

homes, such as social assistants, 

psychologists, educators and social 

parents. The initiative is in harmony 

with Federal District’s Child and 

Youth Court. By means of judiciary 

provisions, the entity has been 

committed to the guarantee of the 

rights of children and adolescents 

in the Federal District for 40 years 

now. HSBC Brazil also takes part 

in regional and global initiatives. 

Zippy’s Friends is an emotionalfocused 

education programme 

designed to 6-8 year old children 

and partnered by the Association 

for the Emotional Health of 

Children (ASEC) and Partnership 

for Children. Future First is a 

support programme directed to 

children living on the streets or 

foster homes, partnered by the 

SOS Children’s Village. The More 

Than Money is a financial literacy 

programme aimed to Primary 

School students and partnered 

by Junior Achievement. Finally, 

the Climate Entrepreneur, also 

partnered by Junior Achievement, 

is a project designed to make 

students aware of their role in 

mitigating climate change impacts. 

68 69

Goals and 

achievements 


Goals 

for 2012 

Reach favourable relationship 

and project execution levels. 

- 92% of monitored initiatives 

reached a good or excellent 

level, according to surveys. 

Train social managers 

and sponsors of projects 

supported by IHS. 

- 271 managers and 81 

sponsors have been 

trained in 2011. 

Enhance the number of 

employees involved in 

continuous volunteer activities 

by means of valuing and 

acknowledging initiatives. 

- 15% of volunteer employees, 

thus representing a 1% 

increase in comparison 

with the previous year. 

Enhance the number 

of employees engaged 

in volunteer actions. 

Acknowledge and value 

employee effort initiatives 

dedicated to volunteer 

community actions. 

- Implementation of the 

Recognition Programme 

for leading volunteers. 

Have 80% of partner NGOs 

followed up by the DMA 

(Development, Monitoring 

and Assessment) team. 

Reach 80% of 

satisfactory evaluation. 

Continue with the training 

process of NGO’s managers 

(reaching 85% of selected 

projects) and sponsors of 

initiatives supported by IHS. 

Maintain the minimum 

index of 12% of employees 

engaged in socioenvironmental 

volunteer actions. 

Zippy’s Friends 

In addition to the projects carried out 

by NGOs operating in Brazil, Instituto 

HSBC Solidariedade provides 

support to some of the bank’s global 

initiatives. One of the most successful 

experiences is the Zippy’s Friends, 

developed in partnership with the 

Partnership for Children and aimed 

to promote emotional health for 

children aged 6-8 years old. 

The programme was launched in 

Brazil in 2004. At HSBC’s request, a 

pilot project was launched in 2005 

with 25 children from the Heliopolis 

community in São Paulo. Since then, 

the initiative kept on growing. In 

2011, 5,000 children from 73 schools 

in Curitiba, Rio de Janeiro and São 

Paulo were benefited by the actions 

of the programme. In 2012, 7,500 

students are expected to be assisted 

by the project. Headquartered 

in São Paulo, ASEC is one of the 

bank’s regional partners. The 

organisation is responsible for the 

development of Zyppy’s Friends 

programme nationwide. 

For a period of 24 classes, public 

school teachers present issues 

that are part of children’s everyday 

life: feelings, communication, 

relationships, losses, and changes. 

Students are encouraged to talk 

about their emotions and start 

developing strategies to deal 

with them. One of the milestones 

of the project is the 32-hour 

teacher qualification programme, 

distributed throughout the year. 

The programme is based upon 

stories protagonised by Zyppy – a 

stick insect – and some children 

who undergo tough situations, 

similar to those faced by children 

at this age. The story serves as 

a starting point for children to 

come up with suggestions to the 

characters, participate in games, 

plays and drama, in a way of 

practising learned concepts. 

In 2011, the programme was taken 

to Chile, Costa Rica, El Salvador, 

Peru, and Uruguay. Prior to that, it 

had already been implemented in 

Argentina, Panama, and Mexico, 

under HSBC Brazil’s co-ordination. 

“When small children learn how 

to cope with their own difficulties, 

they will be more capable of 

dealing with problems and crises 

in adolescence and adult life.” 

Dr. Brian Mishara, 

Specialist in emotional education 

“Children can be stimulated 

since early childhood towards 

developing emotional and 

social skills. Besides becoming 

more autonomous in solving 

their own difficulties, they also 

enhance their self-esteem 

and reduce the emergence 

of violent and destructive 

behaviours, thus contributing 

to their growth in all other 

areas of their lives.” 

Tania Paris, President of the 

Association for the Emotional 

Health of Children (ASEC) 

Teacher presenting poster with the rules of the classes: raising your hand if they want to talk; 

just one speaks at a time; listening to each others; not talking, if they do not want to. 

70 

71

HSBC Volunteer Programme 

HSBC Volunteer Programme is 

co-ordinated by Instituto HSBS 

Solidariedade and aims to promote 

the engagement and community 

participation of employees in 

educational, environmental and 

community development initiatives. 

The actions are managed by the 

conjoint work of 14 Volunteer Action 

Regional Committees covering 

17 areas in which the bank 

operates.Besides taking part 

in projects supported by IHS, 

volunteers are also engaged 

in personal initiatives. In 2011, 

HSBC Volunteer Programme 

mobilised 3,000 people, 

representing 15% of the 

employees in Brazil. 

Selma Durães, secretary - Global Banking, acting as volunteer at Gotas de Flor com Amor social organisation, in São Paulo (SP). 

5 

3 

8 

1. Rio Grande do Sul 

2. Sul de Minas 

3. Pará 

HSBC Volunteers Website 

One of the major communication 

tools of the programme, the 

HSBC Volunteer Portal, allows 

In October 2011, representatives of all Volunteer 

Action Regional Committees gathered in a 

workshop in São Paulo (SP) 

12 

6 

4. Santa Catarina 

5. Região Amazônica 

volunteers to share information 

and experiences. Users count 

on a personal webpage where 

7 

1 

13 

11 

4 

9 

14 

2 10 

Geographical distribution of Volunteer 

Action Regional Committees 

6. Bahia 

7. Mato Grosso do Sul 

8. Terras do Sol 

(RN, CE, PE, AL, PB) 

9. São Paulo 

10. Rio de Janeiro 

11. Paraná 

12. Mato Grosso 

13. Goiás 

14. Brasília 

their actions can be recorde 

and disseminated. The virtual 

environment also favours the 

disclosure of volunteer work 

opportunities and makes available 

a virtual library counting on support 

materials, books, publications 

and research for further 

reference. Special blogs owned 

by the Volunteer Action Regional 

Committees are also used to 

disclose and share initiatives 

and results of each region. 

72 73

Credits 

General coordination 

HSBC Brazil Corporate Sustainability 

Editorial and Publishing Office 

Report Sustentabilidade - www.reportcomunicacao.com.br 

Graphic project and layout 

Agência CASA 

Photos 

Silvio Aurichio 

Francisco de Deus 

HSBC and Instituto HSBC Solidariedade photo database 

HSBC Volunteer 

Programme - 

Recognition 

Odair Schusarz, Application Manager - HSBC Technology and 

Services, at Associação Lar CriançArteira, in Curitiba (PR). He 

participated in “Mobilize”, an action promoted in 2011 in which 

volunteers dedicate a day to held actions across Brazil. 

In 2011, IHS deployed the 

Recognition Programme – an 

initiative inserted into HSBC 

Volunteer Programme. The goal of 

the programme was to ackowledge 

prominent socio-environmental 

actions made by employees, as 

well as to celebrate volunteer 

achievements and encourage the 

participation of those employees 

who are not yet engaged in 

volunteer activities in community 

development-related actions. 

The programme was shared 

by HSBC Brazil’s volunteers 

(employees and trainees). Both 

the volunteer actions fostered 

by IHS and other spontaneous 

initiatives of employees 

were allowed to apply for the 

acknolwedgement process. 

All those who carried out 

an action and registered 

their participation in the 

programme’s online data system 

(sistemavoluntarios.com.br) 

scored points that allowed 

for the redemption of gifts. 

Additionally, the top 100 

scores were specially invited 

to attend HSBC Christmas 

Celebration in Curitiba. The 

top five scores were given a 

R$ 5,000 prize to be directed 

to a social institution chosen 

by the winner. Information 

on the campaign is available 

on HSBC Volunteer Portal 

(voluntarios.hsbc.com.br/). 

HSBC is totally accountable for this publication. 

For doubts, suggestions or comments, please contact: 

HSBC Brazil Corporate Sustainability 

E-mail: sustentabilidade.brasil@hsbc.com.br 

Telephone: +55 (41) 3270-8400 

Address: Av. Vicente Machado, 2100 

CEP 80440-020, Curitiba-PR 

74 

75

Para mais informações, acesse hsbc.com.br/relatoriodesustentabilidade 

SAC HSBC 0800 729 5977 | SAC e Ouvidoria HSBC Deficientes Auditivos 0800 701 5934 | 

Ouvidoria do HSBC 0800 701 3904 | hsbc.com.br/ouvidoria

HSBC Brazil Sustainability Report 2011

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