RBS 2011 Annual Report Download - page 30

28 RBS Group 2011
Business Services
Business Services provides services that
allow the rest of RBS to concentrate on
serving our customers.
Our work with UK Retail in delivering the
flagship NatWest branch in Westfield Mall,
Stratford – the gateway to London’s 2012
Olympic Park – was an emblem of what we
do best.
It’s the first branch with our new modular,
sustainable design and includes helpful
technology such as a ‘Select A Service’
system that directs customers to get the right
solution first time, reducing waiting times and
increasing satisfaction.
•Our property team helped to develop the
new counter design.
•Our technology team introduced Select A
Service, free WiFi and digital media services.
•Our legal teams made sure the branch was
accessible to all customers.
What’s more, we delivered the new branch from
a blank shell in 11 weeks and under budget.
The feedback from customers and employees
alike has been positive. The Westfield branch
showcases a new approach to branch banking
and it complements other things we are doing to
work together, helping UK Retail to meet their
Customer Charter promises.
Building sustainable value
We helped the Group to reduce its costs.
•We exited more than 20 buildings that
were no longer cost effective, saving
over £20 million.
•Our new telephony system has already
reduced costs by more than £86 million.
•LEAN initiatives have delivered savings of
£55 million.
From property to technology and mobile
banking to smarter ways of working in
operations, Business Services looks to
innovate continuously, finding solutions that
improve the service our customers receive and
helping the Group control its costs.
Central Functions
Finance
Finance is responsible for the external
reporting of the Group's performance and
financial position, including regulatory and
central bank reporting. We have greatly
improved the quality and transparency of
RBS's external reporting.
The Treasury function drove the safety and
soundness agenda with improvements in the
Group's liquidity, funding and capital.
Our Strategy and Corporate Finance function
focuses on Group strategy, capital allocation
and disposals.
Risk Management
Risk Management owns and develops the risk
management frameworks and tools which the
Group uses. It oversees the identification and
management of risks. In 2011, the Group
adopted its risk appetite framework and we
began to embed Economic Capital and Stress
Testing into our Annual Business Planning cycle.
Human resources
HR is responsible for creating performance
through people and sets the strategic agenda
for recruitment, development and remuneration.
In 2011, we heard from 81% of our workforce
through our global annual opinion survey,
successfully hired hundreds of new graduates
and delivered over 150 restructure projects
globally across 39 jurisdictions.
Legal, Secretariat and
Group Regulatory Affairs
Our Legal, Secretariat and Group Regulatory
Affairs functions help to set the framework
within which the Group can deliver sustainable
returns. They operate commercially but retain
their independence and professional
judgement so they can drive a culture of legal
and regulatory compliance and good
governance to protect the Group’s franchise.
Communications
Communications manages our relationships
with external stakeholders and makes sure we
keep our employees informed about
developments in the business. RBS wants to
be open to stakeholders and, during the year,
Communications helped elected officials,
commentators and others gain a better
understanding of our business and our plans.
Ron Teerlink
Chief Administrative
Officer
Bruce Van Saun
Group Finance
Director
Elaine Arden
Group Human
Resources Director
Nathan Bostock
Head of Restructuring
and Risk
Divisional review
Business Services and Central Functions