HSBC 2015 Annual Report Download - page 280

Report of the Directors: Corporate Governance (continued)
Going concern and viability / Employees
HSBC HOLDINGS PLC
278
Information relevant to the assessment of viability can be
found in the following sections of the Annual Report and
Accounts 2015:
• HSBC’s principal activities, business and operating
models, strategic direction and top and emerging risks
are described in the ‘Strategic Report’;
• a financial summary, including a review of the
consolidated income statement and the consolidated
balance sheet, is provided in the ‘Financial Review’;
• HSBC’s objectives, policies and processes for managing
credit, liquidity and market risk are described under
‘Risk’; and
• the capital position of the Group, regulatory
developments, and the approach to management and
allocation of capital are set out in the ‘Capital’ section.
Assessment of risks
The Directors have carried out a robust assessment of the
principal risks facing the Group, together with mitigating
actions planned or taken. The activities of the Board and its
subcommittees and the significant issues considered by
them are described on page 262.
In assessing these risks, Directors considered a wide range of
information including:
• enterprise risk reports: risk appetite (see page 102), top
and emerging risks (see page 103) and risk map (see
page 103);
• reports and updates from management of risk-related
issues identified for in-depth consideration;
• reports and updates over the course of the Bank of
England stress testing exercise;
• reports and updates on the Group’s compliance-related
initiatives made in connection with the resolution of the
investigations by US and UK regulatory and law
enforcement authorities in December 2012 and also
more generally;
• reports and updates on the Group’s initiatives to deliver
against key conduct, values and culture initiatives; and
• reports to the Board on matters discussed at the RMM.
Employees
At 31 December 2015 we had a total workforce of 264,000
full-time and part-time employees compared with 266,000 at
the end of 2014 and 263,000 at the end of 2013.
Our main centres of employment were the UK with
approximately 47,000 employees, India 33,000, Hong Kong
30,000, mainland China 22,000, Brazil 21,000, Mexico
16,000, the US 14,000 and France 9,000.
Employees performing at their best and the environment we
create to make that possible are critical. We encourage
employees to speak up, and reflect our purpose and values in
the decisions we make and how we make them, as these
decisions shape the future of our customers and colleagues.
Employee relations
We consult with and, where appropriate, negotiate with
employee representative bodies. It is our policy to maintain
well-developed communications and consultation
programmes with all employee representative bodies and
there have been no material disruptions to our operations
from labour disputes during the past five years.
Diversity and inclusion
HSBC is committed to building a culture where all employees
are valued and respected and where their opinions count.
We remain committed to meritocracy, which requires a
diverse and inclusive culture where employees believe that
their views are heard, their concerns are attended to and
they work in an environment where bias, discrimination and
harassment on any matter, including gender, age, ethnicity,
religion, sexual orientation and disability, are not tolerated
and where advancement is based on objective criteria. An
inclusive culture helps us respond to our diverse customer
base, while developing and retaining a secure supply of
skilled, committed employees. Our culture will be
strengthened by employing the best people and optimising
their ideas, abilities and differences.
Oversight of our diversity and inclusion agenda and related
activities resides with the Global Diversity and Inclusion
sub-function.
Employee development
The development of our employees is essential to the future
strength of our business. We continue to develop and
implement practices that build employee capability, and
identify, develop and deploy talented employees to ensure
an appropriate supply of high calibre individuals with the
values, skills and experience for current and future senior
management positions.
In 2015, we focused on developing technical skills,
experiences and behaviours necessary to deliver against our
Global Standards commitments, along with several Group-
wide programmes on individual leadership, team
management and on-boarding employees into HSBC.
Employment of disabled persons
We believe in providing equal opportunities for all
employees. The employment of disabled persons is included
in this commitment and the recruitment, training, career
development and promotion of disabled persons is based on
the aptitudes and abilities of the individual. Should
employees become disabled during their employment with
us, efforts are made to continue their employment and, if
necessary, appropriate training and reasonable equipment
and facilities are provided.
Health and safety
HSBC is committed to providing a safe and healthy
environment for our employees, customers and visitors.
We aim always to meet the minimum health and safety
standards required by law wherever we operate and, where
reasonably practical, to exceed them.