16 Introduction Customers Social Governance Appendix Environment Sustainability Report 2021 Getting through COVID-19 Together TheBank hasbeendiligentlycollaborating with stakeholders across the board in the midst of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic to support customers, employees, and communities inmanaging the pandemic’s uncertainties and impacts. Customers TheBank continues to support customers with financial difficulties perpetuatedby the pandemic throughour debt relief programs and measures. At the beginning of April 2021, the Bank saw increasing customer requests for financial assistance during Thailand’s third wave of COVID-19 as a result of the government’s stringent measures ontravelandbusinessoperations to curb the spread of the pandemic. In response to customer’s demands and under the guidance of Bank of Thailand’s mandate, ttb rolled out phase three of the debt relief program, which has been extended until the end of December. Concurrently, ttb’s Guiding Principle of Post Relief Risk Schemes was also applied tobetter assess andunderstandcustomer’s needs as well as individually support impacted customers. By the end of 2021, approximately 12% of the total loan portfolio wasunderthereliefprogram,whichremained relatively stable since September 2021, whencomparedto40%duringthecountry’s full lockdown in June 2020. Although there were early signs of economic recovery, some sectors have been negatively affected more than others; namely, the real estate and hospitality sector. Hence, a financial rehabilitation measure called AssetWarehousingwas introduced in2021 with the objective to provide financial relief for impacted businesses so that they are able to remain open, maintain employment, and recover financially in the future. In a nutshell, Asset Warehousing allowed businesses to suspend their repayment on both principal and interest by using their assets as loan collaterals with a buy-back agreement. Businesses can then lease their assets from the Bank to continue their business operations and maintain employment. Through this program, the Bank was able to help more than 18 clients. Employees The health, safety, and well-being of our employees are the Bank’s top most priority. Several COVID-19 preventive measures have been implemented to safeguard our employees’ health and ensure safety at the workplace. Since the beginning of the pandemic, the Bank has taken proactive steps to provide access to COVID-19 vaccines for all employees, particularlyhigh-risk frontline employees, covering 80% of high-risk employees in Bangkok and 50% across the country. Simultaneously, the Bank has been strongly encouraging employees to receiveCOVID-19vaccinationthat isprovided by the government and private hospitals. As of 2021, 98% of total employees have been vaccinated and currently, booster shots are being acquired by the Bank for further employee vaccination. During the height of the pandemic where several hospitals were at its full capacity, ttb collaborated with partner hospitals to ensure that employees who were COVID-19 infected would have access to hospitalization, hospitel, telemedicine, and medical assistance as needed. Moreover, theBankperiodicallyconducted COVID-19 screening at all office buildings such as Wongsawang Building, Rama 7. 750,000 customers utilized the debt relief program 18 of clients applied for Asset Warehousing program
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