SEB recently held an online webinar for customers, employees and other stakeholders globally to inform about changes related to a new framework for demand guarantees which takes effect on 1 July, 2010. Besides being a time- and cost-effective way to conduct meetings, webinars also support SEB's environmental strategy.
The changes regarding demand guarantees will affect SEB’s trade finance business in all 16 countries where the bank offers this service. Naturally, SEB’s customers are also affected.
Therefore, informing both customers and employees at a range of departments throughout the bank about the new rules for demand guarantees - URDG 758 - was indeed a challenge. The approximately 200 affected employees are spread across 16 countries.
“In the past, when we have had similar changes in regulatory standards, we have, in our role as experts, travelled from Stockholm to all the sixteen countries to present it for customers and employees," says Lena Andersson, guarantee specialist at Trade Finance Customer Support within SEB’s Group Operations unit, who also participated in the workgroup for this framework at the International Chamber of Commerce.
The use of a webinar is an excellent example of how SEB’s Trade Finance unit can communicate simultaneously with employees and clients all over the world, and participants can also ask questions and get answers directly.
In addition to saving time, the interactive meetings also reduce costs and avoid carbon dioxide emissions associated with travel.
”It's good that we increase the use of our interactive forums in SEB, such as webinars, video conferencing and telephone conferencing. The technology is constantly developing and becomes increasingly easy to use," says Cecilia Widebäck West , head of Corporate Sustainability at SEB.
“We have a lot to gain by using these alternative meeting forms instead of having routine physical meetings.”