THE FIRST LOCAL FINANCIAL INSTITUTION TO ACHIEVE THIS INTERNATIONAL STANDARD

Bank of Valletta is pleased to announce that it has been awarded the ISO 37001 certification, an international standard on Anti-Bribery Management Systems, designed to help organisations prevent, detect, and respond to bribery.

This certificate recognises the Bank’s clear policy and stance against bribery, its leadership commitment to actively support and promote anti-bribery efforts and its Compliance function overseeing the Bank’s Anti-Bribery Management Systems. The Bank was also recognised for its risk assessment, its reporting and investigation mechanisms and the due diligence it applies to projects, business associates and transactions. The regular training given to Bank employees and stakeholders, together with controls to monitor and prevent bribery-related activities was also given due consideration.

Commenting on this achievement, Kenneth Farrugia, BOV Chief Executive Officer, remarked that “attaining the ISO 37001 certification marks yet another significant milestone for the Bank, as it becomes the first local financial institution to achieve this prestigious international recognition. This reflects the Bank’s commitment to integrity and ethical business practices, further enhancing trust among the Bank’s stakeholders.”

Echoing the CEO’s remarks, Anatoli Grech, BOV Group Chief Compliance Officer, highlighted that “this certification reinforces the Bank’s culture that promotes and harnesses transparency and ethical behaviour. The ISO 37001 certification strengthens the Bank’s corporate reputation, both locally and internationally, and reaffirms the Bank’s strong position in the market.”

Bureau Veritas, an international leader in the Certification and Inspection industry, was appointed as the independent Certification body to verify that BOV operates in full conformity with the ISO 37001 standard.

Peter Cain, Country Manager of Bureau Veritas Malta, stated: “We commend BOV’s entire team for their professionalism and dedication in achieving this important certification, which reflects their commitment to excellence and ethical business standards. Bureau Veritas is thankful for BOV’s trust in our service, and we look forward to a long and successful partnership.”

This rigorous certification process underscores BOV’s unwavering commitment to ethical business practices, transparency, and organisational integrity, providing stakeholders with strong assurance of the company’s proactive stance on corruption prevention and stringent compliance protocols.