Conducting our business responsibly

Why this is Material to Us
As technology evolves and digital transformation accelerates, the financial services industry faces an increasing risk of cyber-attacks and data breaches. These threats can disrupt banking operations, compromise productivity and result in financial losses that impact both our customers and the organisation. Strengthening cybersecurity and data protection is vital to mitigating these risks, safeguarding information and maintaining trust and confidence among our customers, employees and key stakeholders. With new and stringent data protection laws continually emerging across Asia, ensuring compliance not only reduces the risk of regulatory sanctions but also strengthens customer confidence. By prioritising these measures, we protect against financial and reputational harm while ensuring the stability and integrity of our services in a rapidly changing digital landscape.

Our Management Approach
We have established a comprehensive strategy for the effective management of cyber risks and data breaches, focusing on safeguarding against threats and preventing potential fraud. Our approach integrates robust risk governance, skilled professionals, well-defined processes and advanced technology solutions to protect our customers’ information and assets from cyber threats and data breaches. Recognising the ever evolving landscape of cyber threats, we take a proactive approach by continually investing in innovative technologies to strengthen our defences. By adopting a whole-of-organisation approach to managing cyber risks and data breaches, we remain committed to building robust cyber resilience and data protection controls.

Find out more about:
Our Cybersecurity Programme 
Our Responsible Financing Framework and Policies 

Why this is Material to Us
At OCBC, we recognise that our continued success as a trusted financial services group depends on building enduring customer relationships founded on respect as well as fair and professional engagement. Since 1932, we have built a reputation for integrity, reliability, and financial strength through our unwavering commitment to the highest ethical standards. We understand that lapses in fair dealing could impact customers, result in regulatory breaches, and lead to reputational damage; we actively mitigate these risks through strong governance and monitoring. Driven by our Brand Promise to remain reliable, smart and knowledgeable, and future-focused, we strive to act in our customers’ best interests by delivering personalised financial solutions and support that meet their unique needs.

Our Management Approach
Fair dealing is a core part of our Values and guides how we serve our customers. We are committed to:

• delivering clear, relevant and timely information so customers can make informed decisions;
• recommending products that are aligned with customers’ financial objectives and risk profiles;
• enhancing the knowledge and competencies of our sales employees to ensure they provide appropriate advice and recommendations; and
• addressing customer feedback and complaints independently, effectively and promptly, supported by an independent internal complaint review body with well-defined procedures.

We regularly refine our practices, policies and processes to align with the MAS’ Fair Dealing Guidelines. A strong culture of fair dealing begins with the leadership, where our Board and senior management set the tone and ensure that fair dealing outcomes are consistently achieved.

The Ethics and Conduct Board Committee (Board ECC), together with the Culture & Conduct Management Committee (CCMC), oversee the implementation of fair dealing metrics and ensure compliance with regulatory policies, guidelines and expectations. We reinforce these standards across the organisation through annual training on fair dealing principles, equipping employees with the knowledge to uphold consumer financial protection.

Why this is Material to Us
Financial crimes have the potential to disrupt banking services and cause financial losses to our customers, organisation and the broader economy. If mismanaged, these threats can lead to significant legal and reputational repercussions, severely compromising the integrity of the financial system and eroding the confidence of our stakeholders. To address this, we remain vigilant and resilient against financial crime threats, continuously strengthening our measures to safeguard the interests of our stakeholders and uphold the trust and confidence placed in us.

Our Management Approach
We recognise our responsibility to protect the integrity of the financial system and have established extensive measures for preventing financial crime throughout the Group. Our comprehensive approach integrates robust risk management, streamlined processes and advanced technology to prevent and tackle financial crimes, supported by the skills of our dedicated team of professionals. Moreover, we continuously enhance our Fraud Management System, enabling us to respond swiftly to incidents and effectively counter threats in real time.

To maintain vigilance, we are committed to continually improving our framework, policies, processes and controls for preventing money laundering, terrorist financing, sanctions and proliferation financing. These ongoing enhancements are designed to address emerging financial crime threats while ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements and industry best practices. Additionally, we provide mandatory training to improve employees’ awareness and skills across the Group, and we collaborate closely with law enforcement, financial institutions, aand the broader community to jointly combat financial crimes. To mitigate financial crime risks holistically, we routinely update our customer database for consistency, completeness and proper record-keeping.

Find out more about:
How to bank safely and securely

Why this is Material to Us
We recognise that effective leadership is crucial in shaping our governance and culture, fostering transparency, accountability and responsible business practices. Furthermore, considering our role in safeguarding our customers' and society's wealth, we are fully cognisant of the need to uphold robust controls and oversight over our business operations. Our governance framework enables us to promote ethical behaviour and decision-making, strengthening stakeholder trust and a culture of integrity and responsibility within the group.

Our Management Approach
Our Board provides strategic leadership and oversight, ensuring that the Bank is managed in the best interests of our shareholders, customers and other stakeholders. With a majority representation of Independent Directors, the Board collectively possesses the skills, expertise and experience required to discharge its responsibilities effectively, keeping in view the Group's strategic objectives. All Directors undergo annual evaluations of their independence, ability to fulfill their responsibilities and qualifications to remain in office.

Our Board Diversity Policy, supports balanced Board composition across skills, knowledge, experience including core-market familiarity, age, gender, nationalities and length of service, in addition to merit and independence. To broaden representation, the Nominating Committee may engage external search consultants to identify suitable director candidates. OCBC has achieved the Council for Board Diversity (CBD)’s 2025 target of 25% for women board representation and continues to support CBD’s target of 30% by 2030. For the latest information on Directors' professional qualifications, background and age, refer to the Board of Directors chapter in the Annual Report.

The Ethics and Conduct Committee supports the Board in overseeing the Group’s conduct framework and ensuring that our governance policies are consistently applied across the organisation. Strong internal controls depend on management at all levels modelling the expected behaviours and reinforcing them through their directives and day-to-day actions. Every employee also plays an active role in sustaining this culture of integrity. Furthermore, our Values are incorporated into performance evaluations, making adherence to our Values a key part of employees’ annual appraisals.

Aligned with our Values, OCBC maintains a zero-tolerance stance towards bribery and corruption. Any form of corrupt payment or gratification involving employees or third parties is strictly prohibited, whether directly or indirectly. We comply fully with all applicable anti-bribery and corruption laws and regulations. This commitment is operationalised through the OCBC Group Policy on Anti-Bribery and Corruption, supported by ongoing training, monitoring and internal controls. During the reporting year, there were zero confirmed incidents of corruption across the Group.

OCBC conducts a bank-wide bribery and corruption risk assessment every two years to identify potential vulnerabilities and evaluate the effectiveness of our controls. The most recent assessment, completed in 2024, covered 100% of our operations and did not identify any significant corruption-related risks.

As the use of data, analytics and AI expands across the Bank, OCBC has established model governance frameworks to ensure responsible development, deployment and monitoring of AI and analytical models. This includes regular model validation and compliance with regulatory requirements to mitigate risks associated with model errors or unintended consequences. Data and model governance standards are embedded across the data and AI lifecycle, supported by ongoing training and oversight. To address evolving AI-related risks, we have established a cross-functional senior management committee to provide strategic oversight of responsible AI use. This ensures alignment with our Values and fulfils our obligations to customers, regulators and other stakeholders.

Anti-Bribery and Corruption

• Our commitment to anti-bribery and corruption is fundamental in maintaining the trust and confidence of our customers, employees and shareholders. We continue to uphold the highest ethical standards in all our business dealings and relationships to ensure a fair and transparent environment.
• We adopt a zero-tolerance stance against bribery and corruption, where any form of corrupt payment or gratification involving employees and third parties associated with OCBC is prohibited, whether it takes place directly or indirectly. We have established a robust anti-bribery and corruption compliance programme with stringent control measures to mitigate bribery and corruption risks.

Sustainable Procurement

• OCBC’s Supplier Code of Conduct sets out our expectations across key areas:
• Business integrity and ethics
• Human rights
• Health and safety
• Environmental protection
• At OCBC, we take ESG criteria into consideration in our procurement evaluation. For instance, our environmental requirements incorporate the use of recycled material, green certification and energy efficiency of equipment, among other criteria.
• Our evaluation process involves a panel of evaluators to ensure fairness and openness.
• The OCBC Code of Conduct is to be adhered to where suppliers and evaluators are to declare any conflict of interest.
• We also conduct ‘Know-Your-Vendor’ screening against our staff database, sanctions lists and online searches to detect any potential violation of OCBC’s policies.

Whistleblowing Programme

• OCBC is committed to the highest level of integrity and ethical standards. Our Whistleblowing Policy aims to provide a safe and anonymous platform for parties to raise fraud and misconduct concerns.
• The policy also governs the reporting and investigation of whistleblowing reports.
• Staff are continually reminded of the policy through the mandatory annual anti-fraud training that include the policy as a key topic, and information that is available internally.

Hotline:

• 800-110-1967

Responsible Tax Management

• OCBC is committed to complying with applicable tax laws, regulations and requirements, ensuring the payment of a fair and appropriate share of taxes in every jurisdiction in which we operate.
• Our responsibilities encompass taxes arising from our business operations as well as those collected and remitted on behalf of the government. We apply our Tax Risk Management Framework which is designed to help us monitor, manage and mitigate our tax risks in a structured manner. 
• We recognise tax as vital for societal development and take a responsible approach to ensure long-term sustainability.

Find out more about:
Our Anti-bribery and Corruption Policy
Our Whistleblowing Programme
Responsible Tax Management