Respect: Banco BPM’s Impegno Manifesto

Respect. Three syllables, eight letters, Word of the Year 2024 according to Treccani. The definition given by the encyclopedia in its online version is “a feeling and attitude of consideration, esteem and deference—devoted and often affectionate—toward a person,” but also “a feeling that leads one to recognize the rights, decorum, dignity and very personality of someone, and therefore to refrain from any manifestation that might offend them.” From deference to mutual recognition: this is the journey Banco BPM has taken with the #Respect program.

Children are always told to show respect to their friends, to parents, teachers, and adults: “don’t be disrespectful!” When we become adults, instead, no one says it anymore; yet respect understood as “the feeling that leads one to recognize the rights, decorum, dignity and personality” of a person should never be lacking. Not even in the workplace.

Banco BPM has embraced the term “respect” and turned it into something concrete: a real project capable of going beyond words and ensuring that respect underpins every relationship.

The Group started with a question: what does respect mean for Banco BPM? The result is the #Respect program, whose goal is to establish a shared, common definition of respect. A program that takes responsibility for promoting inclusive behaviors toward its people and its stakeholders.

Between the end of 2021 and 2022, 1,868 Group managers (97% of the total) came together in 220 working groups during 44 workshops, to collectively reflect on the value of respect as expressed across five relational areas:

1. Man/Woman;
2. Manager/People;
3. Among Peers;
4. Network/Head Office;
5. Bank/Customer.

From the reflections that emerged during the workshops, Banco BPM’s definition of Respect was born: recognizing the other person for who they are and their ability to assert and fulfill themselves as individuals, expressed through the Commitment Manifesto.

Listening, empathy, reciprocity, empowerment, cooperation: these are the five key words chosen by Banco BPM for its Commitment Manifesto, each associated with a distinctive color that reflects its value.

Listening is blue, a color that represents calm, balance, sensitivity, and the desire to connect with others—all emotions that support attentive and mindful listening.

Empathy is purple, because it combines the impulsiveness of red with the stability of blue. Being empathetic means recognizing and understanding the needs and emotional states of others, being able to put oneself in their shoes, and genuinely caring about their concerns.

Reciprocity is green, as it conveys willingness, consistency, and harmony, and recalls the natural ability each of us has to recognize ourselves in the actions and gestures of people we feel close to.

Empowerment is yellow, a color that evokes warmth and radiates joy and energy. It is associated with open, free, optimistic, and hopeful personalities, and recalls positive values such as talent, growth, success, and the ways to achieve them—encouraging others without prejudice.

Cooperation is red: vital energy, action, and intensity, just like people’s willingness to come together and collaborate, combining experiences and skills to achieve a shared goal.

For each value, Banco BPM identified seven simple, concrete behaviors.

Listening. I devote time and attention to understanding opinions and ideas with objectivity. Your point of view enriches mine.

1. I devote time to listening to you attentively and am open to dialogue.
2. I plan opportunities to meet, creating the conditions to get to know each other better.
3. I encourage your participation, welcome your contributions, and share them for the benefit of all.
4. I ask open-ended questions to stimulate your ideas and opinions.
5. I use clear and inclusive language.
6. I also communicate through my body: eye contact, posture, and tone of voice convey attention, openness, and listening.
7. I summarize and check that I have correctly understood your ideas and the opinions you have expressed.

Empathy. I recognize and understand your needs and your emotional states. I put myself in your shoes.

1. I devote the time you expect to feel recognized and understood.
2. I adapt my communication and relationship style to you.
3. I deepen my understanding of you and welcome your emotions.
4. I put myself in your shoes to embrace your expectations and priorities, without prejudice.
5. I am open and willing to help, paying attention to your sensitivity and your needs.
6. I take your requests and questions to heart.
7. I commit to facilitating solutions and providing you with timely responses.

Reciprocity. I am and act in the same way I would want you to be and act with me. We are equals in our diversity.

1. I am polite and kind with you.
2. I create a climate of well-being in which you can feel at ease.
3. I build a relationship of trust with you and communicate transparently.
4. I adopt a relational and professional style suited to you.
5. I express my point of view and welcome yours.
6. I commit to recognizing your reasons and the value of the way you act.
7. I value your time and use company tools appropriately.

Empowerment. I foster an environment in which you can express yourself and feel recognized. Every contribution of yours is valuable, just like mine.

1. I devote time and attention to getting to know you.
2. I recognize your skills and your value, without bias.
3. I encourage exchange and dialogue as opportunities for mutual growth.
4. I give trust, define your goals together with you, and empower you.
5. I thank you for your work and contributions and celebrate shared successes.
6. I promote your professional growth, essential for achieving our common goals.
7. I support your professional development and facilitate your participation in internal internships, job rotations, and training.

Cooperation. I combine my skills and experience with yours to achieve a shared goal.

1. I commit to ensuring that you can work in a fair and equitable system.
2. I create a respectful environment that promotes organizational well-being and supports your work.
3. I share information, skills, experiences, and goals to find common solutions.
4. I carry out my work while considering its impact on yours.
5. I involve you in activities while respecting your schedule and workload.
6. I welcome your requests, aware that they hold the same importance and value as all others.
7. I respond to you promptly and accurately, even if my answer may differ from what you expect.

In 2022, the Commitment Manifesto was promoted and shared through 18 workshops, attended by 2,450 managers and team leaders, and 13 editions of #RadioRespect, involving 13,150 people. In 2023, the training initiative #Respect Space Gaming, a digital learning platform for the entire workforce, engaged 12,900 participants.

Banco BPM launched an innovative cultural project, Respect Tour, a series of events across the country scheduled between October 2024 and November 2025, to reaffirm the Group’s commitment and promote the value of respect, alongside its sustainability, inclusion, and accessibility strategy.

Inclusivity in the workplace is not only a matter of ethics and social responsibility but also a key success factor. A company that promotes Respect values diversity, fights discrimination and harassment, and listens to its employees, fostering organizational well-being.