ICBC has recently held the launch conference of Integrity Culture in Beijing, at which it introduced a more systematic concept of integrity culture centered on “openness, transparency, separation of public and personal interests, discipline, integrity and diligence”. This was the first specific cultural concept released by ICBC on the basis of the core values of its corporate culture. It is aimed to create a clean bank by intensifying the building of integrity culture, and provide cultural support to honest customer service and sustainable growth.

ICBC has adhered to the guideline of “strict party discipline” and “strict bank governance” since its establishment. In recent years, ICBC has earnestly implemented the decisions and deployments made by the CPC Central Committee and the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) on governance and anti-corruption work, and has explicitly set the goal of building an honest bank to grow into a world-class modern financial enterprise. Based on an integrity culture survey across the Bank, comprehensive summary, extensive solicitation of opinions and rounds of discussions, ICBC has eventually established the integrity culture concept centered on “openness, transparency, separation of public and personal interests, discipline, integrity and diligence”.

According to an ICBC official, the integrity culture concept is a code that all ICBC people should observe, and reflects the Bank’s aspiration and commitment to an honest bank. Specifically, this concept consists of four aspects. First, the Bank shall insist on openness and transparency, strongly promote the openness of party, bank and department (office) affairs, subject itself to the supervision of the party, the mass and public opinion, and exercise power in a transparent way. Second, the Bank shall draw a clear line between public and personal interests, take laws, rules and bank regulations as the standard to properly handle the public-personal relation, make public-personal separation the bottom line of the cautious exercise of power, and make sure that no power shall be exercised beyond authority and for personal gains. The Bank shall also protect customers’ rights and interests according to law, faithfully protect the interests of enterprises, advocate integrity in business and among all employees, and carefully defend the image of a clean bank. Third, the Bank shall uphold discipline for all, continuously elevate its professional ethics and moral standard, and effectively discern and manage conflicts of interests and strictly control its words and deeds when in face with gray and blurred zones and temptations of all kinds. It shall also dare to remind and forestall emerging problems in others and timely disclose and stop violations of rules and disciplines. Fourth, the Bank shall place equal importance on integrity and diligence, take integrity as the personal principle and the nourishment for virtue, and view and use power prudently. It shall enhance the frugality and cost awareness, take diligence as the driver of business growth and integrity, and make diligence, dedication, practicality and contribution common values across the Bank.

The official also said that after the integrity culture concept was released, ICBC will strengthen the publicity and education of the concept and improve relevant systems, so as to strongly promote integrity with this culture. It will strive to internalize the integrity culture concept among the employees, and turn it into an inherent drive to combat corruption and create an honest bank.