A responsible employer

With its long-term business policy, BCF offers secure jobs in a high-performance company. The Bank motivates its employees through careful management and development measures at all levels. It encourages entrepreneurship by delegating responsibility and involving its teams in decision-making as much as possible.

BCF encourages exchanges within the Bank through direct dialogue between the CEO and employees, primarily in the form of breakfasts during which ideas and expectations can be shared freely, as well as a suggestion box managed by young employees. Concrete projects have come out of this suggestion box. For example, two apprentices in their last year based their final project on the subject of corporate volunteering, organising a tree planting day, which will take place in 2026. The goal is clear: to create a pilot initiative with a positive environmental impact, mobilising employees while keeping the logistics simple. The two project managers worked in partnership with the Forêts-Sarine corporation, which shared its technical expertise and defined the scope of the plantation. This type of project is designed to have a sustainable environmental impact and promote internal cohesion within teams. The Bank supported these young motivated staff by financing the operation.

BCF offers attractive, family-friendly working conditions at all levels. It offers the possibility of phased retirement, annualised working hours, and unpaid leave to allow employees to pursue personal projects and activities.

When the working conditions allow it, employees can take long-term unpaid leave or increase their leave by reducing their salary.

In 2023, BCF increased the number of weeks of holiday for apprentices from 5 to 6.

The Bank provides 16 weeks of maternity leave (two weeks more than the legal minimum) and two weeks of paternity leave (legal minimum). In 2025, 11 employees took maternity leave, all of whom returned to work at the end of their leave. Employees have access to BCF-funded places at the University of Fribourg crèche. The possibility of working from home also helps to reconcile work and family life.

Periodic employee satisfaction surveys are conducted, particularly during the appraisal interview, which assesses satisfaction on three levels: personal, team and Bank. Employee well-being is taken into account in the ergonomic facilities, office concepts with height-adjustable desks and plants on the floors. The performance, skills and training needs of each employee are also assessed.

Following mobility measures taken over a number of years, the Fribourg Agglomeration has confirmed that BCF meets the requirements of a mobility plan. That means employees benefit from preferential conditions when purchasing Frimobil annual subscriptions with the aim of promoting the use of public transport and better quality of life for subscription holders due to a reduction in stress resulting from driving on busy roads.

In 2025, the Bank also chose to offer its employees a half-price subscription enabling them to travel at half-price or a reduced price on most public transport networks in Switzerland.

The half-price subscription offered to all employees is a new measure to promote collective mobility by providing a tangible incentive to use public transport, both for work and in their own time. These incentives aim to reinforce the comfort and well-being of employees. They also contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions from commuting.

BCF employees are members of the Banque Cantonale de Fribourg staff pension fund, which has a coverage ratio of 116%. BCF’s benefits are generous, with average contributions 2.5 times higher than those of its employees. The performance bonus is also subject to the pension fund.

In 2024, BCF launched an online platform that allows employees to determine their retirement conditions and run simulations at any time.

BCF’s salary policy is based on the principle of equal pay for equal work. BCF was awarded the SGS Fair-ON-Pay Advanced certificate in autumn 2024, confirming that the company complies with the principle of equal pay for women and men. The certificate is valid for four years. BCF’s job model is the cornerstone of the implementation of equal pay. All functions are evaluated on a uniform scale and using objective criteria.

BCF encourages mixed teams (gender and age) that are able to develop more creative, viable and higher quality solutions. It fights against prejudice and all forms of discrimination in the workplace and promotes diversity. In 2025, BCF did not identify any cases of discrimination.

In 2025, 51.5% of the Bank’s workforce were female. BCF has set itself the goal of increasing the proportion of women in positions of responsibility.

The Bank is firmly committed to equal opportunities and fair employment conditions, and advertises all its positions internally and externally. Whether part-time or full-time, employees benefit from the same working conditions granted by the employer.
BCF takes into account the needs of its employees by offering them tailor-made solutions: in particular, it encourages part-time work by systematically proposing a choice of working time options for the positions it advertises.

BCF encourages the reconciliation of work and family life. For example, it has reduced the number of core hours during which employees are required to be present, enabling them to better balance working hours with their private commitments.

BCF offers job-sharing opportunities to its advisors, enabling them to achieve a better work-life balance while remaining in a position of responsibility.

BCF provides employees with the opportunity to work from home one day a week to ensure good team cohesion and a good work-life balance. A policy describes and defines the procedures, conditions and organisation of working from home.

BCF takes preventive measures to promote health and is committed to minimising the risk of occupational illnesses. It protects the integrity of its employees.

Ergonomics at the workplace is a priority: height-adjustable desks have been provided that allow employees to work standing up, and ergonomic advice has been provided by a specialist company. To prevent mental health problems, BCF works with the Clinique du Travail, which provides personalised support for people at risk of overwork or who are victims of harassment, where necessary.

Employees who are absent for long periods due to illness are monitored individually. Close collaboration has been established with the Bank’s insurer and disability insurance is provided, with a process to assist sick employees in returning to work under the best possible conditions. A conference was organised in 2025 for the team leaders with the Clinique du Travail to help them identify signs of burnout at an early stage.

Employees benefit from excellent occupational and non-occupational insurance cover. Training and e-learning modules are offered to teach them the best ways to ensure health and safety at work. Each year, employees are required to refresh their knowledge through one or more e-learning modules.

Customer-facing employees receive regular training on how to deal with attacks of any kind.

Defibrillators are installed on the floors of the head office and branches to provide first aid in an emergency. Staff are trained in the use of these devices every two years, and each floor of the Bank’s head office has a designated responsible person.

BCF encourages its staff to take part in sporting activities. It offers registration for various races held in the Canton of Fribourg, for example the Kerzers Run. The Bank offers all sorts of other physical activities with something for everyone and often suited to “beginners” (including pétanque, ice hockey, golf, rowing, volleyball, yoga).

The Bank regularly organises recreational events during the year for employees and their families, such as a day at a winter sports facility in Fribourg. People can decide what they want to do (ski or snow walking), then everyone meets for lunch at midday. This allows people to share sporting experiences outdoors and encourages physical exercise.

There is also the option of more “cerebral” pursuits, such as card games for example, to which retirees from the Bank are invited. All these activities contribute to the good health and well-being of the participants and help cohesion within teams.

Training is the foundation of a dynamic company. That is why BCF attaches great importance to both the basic (next generation) and advanced training of its employees at all levels (HR development).

The next generation

The Bank also trains many apprentices and all-round trainees. In 2025, BCF employed 20 apprentices and 4 all-round trainees, amounting to 5% of the total workforce. Most of the apprentices and all-round trainees who completed their training in 2025 decided to continue their careers at BCF. This loyalty is a true source of satisfaction for BCF, which relies on the commitment and skills of young talent to build its future. In addition, BCF began offering a trainee programme in 2025 for young people completing a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree. During an 18-month placement, trainees gain experience in a particular sector of the Bank (Legal/compliance, Investment, CSR, etc.) to which they can apply their theoretical knowledge. The aim of this new programme, as with the apprenticeship and all-round placement, is to train the Bank’s next generation of professionals.

HR development

BCF’s human resource development policy is defined in the “HR development” concept. It has the following aims:

• Align development measures with the Bank’s sustainable and responsible growth strategy;
• Enhance attractiveness and talent retention;
• Develop the skills to respond to current and future challenges;
• Foster agility, collaboration and collective performance.

HR development is divided into four pillars to ensure goal achievement:

Career

This pillar is to ensure the requisite knowledge and skills are there for each function (operations, products, applications, communication & client relations, staff development, language, etc.) and their responsibilities, to anticipate the needs and developments specific to each job sector, to give development prospects and thus enable internal mobility.

Compliance, Legal, Risk, CSR & Security

This pillar must ensure respect and compliance with the laws, policies and regulations by offering adequate training courses and anticipating developments.

Leadership

The Leadership pillar is to give managers all the knowledge and skills they need to ensure conduct that spreads a culture of encouragement and calls for individual responsibility. It must allow managers to update their skills on a regular basis.

Accompaniment & Change Management

This pillar aims to support employees with their development, growth and transformation, be it organisational, digital or cultural. It also fosters the development of a real culture of change, which enables everyone to stay motivated and involved.

Employee development must be considered on two levels:

• Current activity, focused on the required and desired skills for the current function.
• Future activity, which is the development pathway required and envisaged to move on to a new role.

The following development measures are offered to employees:

• An ongoing training plan for each function (course), clearly showing the necessary skills and how to attain them. These courses cover all the skill sets (professional and technical knowledge, IT tools, compliance and legal, risk and security, communication and client relations, soft skills).
• Personal development plan
• Skills recognition (certification) programme
• Annual refresher
• Training plan and consolidation of skills for managers
• Diploma-based training
• Mentoring: sharing of experience by a senior employee to facilitate professional development
• Coaching: targeted accompaniment to work towards specific performance or personal development goals
• Assessment: in-depth evaluation (exercises, simulations, psychometric tests) to determine skills, conduct and potential

An internal policy covers the main points of this concept and provides more detailed information on conditions and prerequisites for each type of development measure.

Training programmes and programmes facilitating transition and entry to retirement

As skills development is a key element of BCF’s strategy, a decision was made in 2025 to separate this issue from the annual qualification process, which it had previously been part of. In the pilot phase for the Private customers division, all the structural unit managers were trained in the first semester and the staff development plan (PDP) included at least two interviews with each employee in the summer of 2025 to define which development measures to implement the following year. It will be rolled out throughout the Bank in 2026.

The BCF training programmes follow the employee’s professional cycle (recruitment, career, retirement).

Recruitment

All new employees go through a programme, which mainly features three introduction days, courses in law and compliance as well as a set of e-learning modules (products, procedures and knowledge pertaining to BCF, cybersecurity, legal and compliance).

Career

The next training programme is defined by function. The function-based programme defines the skills the employee needs to do their job and the means of obtaining that skill if the employee displays a need for development. Currently, two thirds of the Bank’s functions have designated training programmes. The aim is to define these programmes for all functions by the end of 2027.

Functions entailing responsibility for conduct also have their own dedicated training, which mainly involves a leadership certificate (from the Swiss Association for Leadership Training, SALT), annual workshops and ongoing refresher courses.

Each employee has their own specific training programme and must attain all the skills connected to their role within three years of assuming said role. Moreover, front-office roles entail working towards different certifications (skills recognition):

• Advisor without customer portfolio: internal certification (29 persons)
• Advisor with customer portfolio: SAQ certification (132 persons). The SAQ (Swiss Association for Quality) is a hallmark of quality, confirming that the holder has the necessary skills and is familiar with the rules of conduct required for their profession.
• Advisor Service Line: CallNet certification (2 persons).

In addition to the skill-based training, e-learning refresher courses are scheduled every year to uphold skills in key areas: compliance, legal, risk, CSR, security, products. In 2025, employees had to refresh their knowledge of: combating money laundering, counter security, KYT (Know your transaction), unintentional insider threats, credit cards, real estate expertise, the Data Protection Act.

Each BCF project requiring the development of employee skills is the subject of a training concept to refresh knowledge or acquire new skills. Information sessions are organised as a minimum requirement with more in-depth training where necessary.

BCF also actively supports anyone who wants to complete a course of higher/postgraduate education. This support applies to any employee working at least 50% and is determined by the requirements of their current function or with a view to development. About 50 persons follow such a course every year.

The following qualifications were obtained in 2025:

• 1 HES Bachelor
• 1 ES diploma
• 4 federal diplomas
• 1 CAS
• 20 specific certificates and diplomas

Apart from training courses (ongoing, further, postgrad), information sessions and certifications, BCF offers:

• Mentoring: sharing of experience by a senior employee to facilitate professional development
• Coaching: targeted accompaniment to work towards specific performance or personal development goals
• Assessment: in-depth evaluation (exercises, simulations, psychometric tests) to determine skills, conduct and potential

Retirement

Employees take two courses to prepare for retirement from the age of 55:

• At 55: retirement and its financial aspects (financial planning and inheritance law)
• At 60: retirement, what is the life plan? This is more personalised support to get employees thinking about retirement planning, while addressing key issues such as health, well-being and the support available.

Ongoing training, annual refresher courses and the renewal of certifications are requested up to retirement.

Training related to sustainability, divided equally between the field of building renovations and investments, was initiated in 2023 and is ongoing.

A partnership was established with the Fribourg State Energy Department, the School of Engineering and Architecture of Fribourg (HEIA-FR) and the Établissement cantonal d’assurance des bâtiments (ECAB). The aim is to familiarise advisors with energy renovation, so we can better support customers in their transition to more sustainable buildings. This training is initially provided on site. Since the beginning of 2024, the Bank has also offered its employees online training in energy renovations in the form of e-learning modules that cover the topics addressed in the onsite courses.

The Bank uses online training developed by an external company (Fintelligence) for responsible investing, as well as internal training materials focusing on its own responsible investment policy.

In 2025, a conference entitled “Intégrer la durabilité et les risques naturels dans la Stratégie Bancaire“ (integrating sustainability and natural risks in banking strategy) was organised at BCF. Two experts, Gaël Giraud and Rodolphe Bocquet, addressed questions that arise in the daily work of advisors at the Bank, and about major strategic orientations and how they are influenced by the Swiss regulatory context:

• how to respond to the needs of customers related to global warming and, more broadly, the environmental polycrisis?
• How does global warming overlap with the gradual destruction of biodiversity, water scarcity and the depletion of mining resources which cantonal and national industry needs?
• How to incorporate climate risk in the Bank’s strategy?