Corporate governance includes all of the Bank's Principles and Rules that govern the relations between Shareholders, Management and interested parties.
The Bank's Corporate Governance Framework is determined by the provisions of Greek and European legislation, the rules of the Capital Market Commission, the Corporate Governance Code and regulations as well as the Bank's Articles of Association.
Furthermore, from 2013, in conjunction with the above, the special regulatory framework defining the Relationship Framework Agreement between the Bank and the HFSF, as amended in December 2015, and the Bank's obligations towards the Monitoring Commissioner ( Monitoring Trustee), which have now been incorporated into the Bank's Restructuring Plan approved by the European Commission. In addition, due to the fact that the US Securities and Exchange Commission continues to supervise the Bank in the US, the Bank is required to comply with the provisions of the legal and regulatory framework related to the trading of securities in the US (Sarbanes Oxley Act and SEC), in addition nor is it intended to adopt international best corporate governance practices.
With the aim of achieving a high level of corporate governance and strengthening the existing risk management framework, the Bank has adopted the following corporate governance best practices and policies, which are harmonized with its activities and ensure the transparency and efficiency of its operations:
•Corporate Governance Code of the Bank
• Nomination Policy for Members of the Bank's Board of Directors
• Conflict of Interest Prevention Policy for Senior Executives
•Policy for Affiliated Creditors
• Code of Ethical Behavior and Ethics
•Code of Ethics for Management and Financial Services
•Whistleblowing Policy
• Bank and Group Anti-Bribery Policy
•Remuneration Policy of the Bank and the Group
• Corporate Social Responsibility Policy of the Bank Group
• Insurance Coverage for members of the Group's Boards of Directors
•Policy of Donations, Sponsorships, Charitable Contributions and Other Related Actions of the Bank and the Group
•Environmental Declaration-Environmental Management System
National Bank integrates best practices and regulatory developments into its internal framework, while it aims to continuously strengthen the internal framework and governance principles.
In this context, the Bank ensures the continuous improvement of the operation of the Board of Directors and its Committees as well as their continuous evaluation. The Bank's Board of Directors ensures the publication of information to all interested third parties, enhancing their confidence and providing them with information on how the corporate governance framework is implemented.
Recognizing the importance of continuously maintaining a strong Internal Control System, the National Bank has adopted control mechanisms, while the three Pillars of the Internal Control System, consisting of the Regulatory Compliance, Risk Management, Internal Control Units, monitor and carry out checks on an ongoing basis basis so as to ensure compliance with the applicable regulatory framework and internal procedures. In addition, every three years a regular external audit of the Internal Control System is carried out by independent external auditors.