February 24 divided the life of every Ukrainian into before and after. FUIB immediately changed its strategy to a daily discussion of risks and quick decision-making to support people and systems. Most employees found themselves in the war zone on the first day. Due to forced migration to safe regions, not everyone could work. Nevertheless, the team supported each other: those who were in relative safety worked and helped their colleagues move to the West of Ukraine. The bank paid everyone's wages.

And today, the priorities of FUIB bank are to preserve the business, customers, and team, as well as to help Ukrainian defenders.

Team support

Since the beginning of the war, the bank has invested  more than 147 million UAH in support of employees. Some colleagues work in dangerous regions and receive a salary increase. The bank provides financial assistance in case of loss or damage to housing, injury of employees, and death of their family members as a result of hostilities, in case of departure of families from the occupied territories. Mobilized colleagues continue to receive salaries in full.

140 employees from branches in the temporarily occupied territories were employed in other divisions of the bank; from active war zones. During the war, more than 100 employees were retrained and work in other divisions of the bank.

Employees are promptly informed on work and vital issues through all channels of internal communications (telegram channel "Pumb in touch," corporate portal, weekly newsletter "Pulse of the bank," and the Yammer corporate social network). With the help of video messages from top bank managers, colleagues feel management's support and receive answers to their questions.

The bank has created a Fund for Assistance to Mobilized Employees of FUIB – fundraising by employees for necessary things for our defenders. Together we provided assistance to 131 mobilized employees, men and sons of our employees, for 1,6 million hryvnias. In addition, the bank purchased Israeli body armor for colleagues for 1.3 million hryvnias.

The initiative group of the bank has created a Coordination Center for the resettlement of workers in Western Ukraine and the provision of necessary assistance. The Center team supported everyone by phone, via telegrams in the chatbot, and through the volunteer community. Volunteer employees from different regions together processed more than 1,450 requests. Assistance was provided to Ukrainian families in difficult situations, the military, and hospitals.

Our collectors, security experts, and branch employees are real heroes. They have developed new logistics routes to deliver cash and valuables. They have repeatedly helped in the evacuation of people from the war zone because they know the safe ways. Our armored vehicles, along with employees, went on duty in the territorial defense. Cashiers under the bombings in Kharkiv, Mykolaiv, Mariupol, and other cities collected cassettes with money. In addition, colleagues replenished ATMs and provided cash collection services to customers.

Currently, branch employees walk 2-3 hours to get to work in cities and towns where transport does not work, because customers are waiting for them. Collectors spend on a business trip 2-3 days, since routes that previously took about 6 hours now take several days. Security and IT experts repel cyberattacks and keep the stability of all banking systems, protecting data and money. We have incredible people!

Business retention

With the outbreak of the war, it became physically challenging for us to do business. In addition, there was a constant threat to the lives of employees and customers. There were daily shellings and cyberattacks. Business in the first month of the war practically stopped working, and the economy stopped. Well-established logistics were destroyed. Ukrainians were fleeing the war. Decrease in business activity and falling demand for banking services negatively affected profitability.

Part of the banking infrastructure was destroyed – was in a war zone or under occupation. We were forced to close branches. There were problems in transporting cash to hot spots and replenishing ATMs.

Nevertheless, FUIB never lost operational continuity during one year of the war. Payments are processed, as usual, 24/7.

Since the beginning of the war, 30 branches and 139 ATMs have been lost or damaged. But as soon as the region becomes safe for customers and bank employees, FUIB immediately resumes the work of its branches. So, almost immediately after the de-occupation, the bank opened the doors of branches in Chernihiv and Irpin.

We have set up additional branches - our unbreakable points, where you can get the entire list of services, as well as recharge your phones, connect to WiFi and warm up. Currently, 209 branches of the bank are operating, of which 88 are regular branches. In general, 184 branches of FUIB are connected to uninterrupted power sources and stable communication channels.

Despite all the challenges, the FUIB team passes the most difficult period with dignity.

Our people have moved to safe regions. We maintained our services at a high level. We showed resistance to enemy cyberattacks.

We are well-capitalized and have sufficient liquidity. FUIB's own capital exceeds 11 billion UAH on 1 February 2023. The bank's assets amount is 112.2 billion UAH. FUIB's liquidity and capital adequacy are significantly higher than the National Bank's standards: the liquidity coverage ratio in foreign currency is 4.5 times higher than the norms, in all currencies by 3.1 times, and the stable financing ratio exceeds the norms by 1.7 times. The capital adequacy ratio of FUIB as of 01.02.2023 is 18.5%, with a standard value of at least 10%.

Customer and government support

At the beginning of a full-scale war, FUIB has introduced loan repayment holidays to support its customers and reduced commissions for using its services. This had a negative impact on the bank's interest and commission income. We tried to switch to remote channels for work, service, and communication as much as possible. Our remote channels work continuously.

Despite the war, the conditions for using FUIB debit cards, in particular, "vseKARTA," remained unchanged: free opening and maintenance of the card and transfers to cards of any Ukrainian banks in hryvnia via FUIB Online and paying for utilities and topping up mobile operator numbers in the application – no commission.

Bank customers do not need to endanger themselves, stand in lines or look for the nearest branch of the bank – FUIB took care of it and automatically extended the validity of all FUIB cards until the end of March, 2023.

FUIB continues to fulfill all its obligations. Including as a bank-agent of the Individual Deposit Guarantee Fund. Thus, in 12 months of 2022, FUIB paid out 715 million Ukrainians - depositors of other bankrupt banks. As a result of a balanced policy, clients trust the bank. Thus, 83% of the bank's individual clients extended their deposits within of 2022.

The bank continues to lend to businesses. Since the beginning of the war, FUIB has financed agricultural producers in the amount of  5.6 billion UAH. Loan support from the bank helped Ukrainian agricultural enterprises to carry out fieldwork on schedule. Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, the total volume of FUIB loans issued in the entire corporate direction within the framework of the state business support program "Affordable loans 5-7-9" has exceeded 8 billion UAH. We can safely call ourselves an active commercial bank in terms of funding during martial law, which continued to lend to businesses at preferential interest.

We have also created a new tariff package for internally displaced businesses – "VSE BUDE UKRAINA", the terms of which take into account all the urgent needs of the relocated business and contribute to the speedy resumption of small and medium-sized businesses in a safe area.

We have introduced a product called "SMART OP!LATA", which makes it possible to make payments by scanning a QR code even during a power outage. It's quick and convenient - with just a mobile phone.
FUIB prioritizes the safety of people, funds, values and data. At the beginning of the invasion, several powerful DDOS attacks were directed at the bank, which we withstood without stopping services. FUIB paid special attention to fraudulent schemes related to social engineering, fundraising for defenders, and renting housing to displaced persons. During the year of the war, we saved 150 million UAH on the accounts of 7,500 clients of FUIB thanks to the constant improvement of anti-fraud monitoring. In addition, the bank checked all its suppliers and refused to cooperate with counterparties associated with russia or belarus.

Despite losses, FUIB still pays all taxes on time. From 24 February bank transferred 1.5 billion UAH to the state budget. In April and March, the bank paid 299 million UAH in advance to support the Ukrainian economy so that the state could resolve urgent issues.

The bank is trusted by more than 101 thousand corporate and 1.7 million individual customers. Since the beginning of 2022, another 370,000 Ukrainians and more than 18,000 business customers have become FUIB customers.

Assistance to Ukrainian defenders

FUIB supports Ukrainian defenders. FUIB has already allocated over 81 million UAH to support the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Troops, the State Emergency Service, the National Police, the National Guard, the Main Intelligence Directorate, and the Security Service of Ukraine. The transferred funds went to the purchase of bulletproof vests and helmets, radio stations and thermal imagers, tactical backpacks, clothes and shoes, copters and cars, medicines, and fuel. We have processed over 110 applications from various military units and special forces. 40% of our armored vehicles protect the country and provide humanitarian assistance. In addition, 126 FUIB employees protect the independence of Ukraine.

45 of our collection armored vehicles, handed over to the Armed Forces of Ukraine, evacuated severely wounded soldiers from the front line, delivered ammunition to the front line, participated in the interception of saboteurs and delivered food to the residents of the cities in the hottest spots. Armored personnel saved more than a dozen lives.

The bank promptly responds to the needs of defenders: if at first helmets and body armor were needed, later thermal imagers and quadrocopters, now warm military clothing and footwear, stoves for heating and cooking, warmers for arms and legs. Today, our Armed Forces also urgently need high-precision weapons. Therefore, FUIB joined national fundraisers for kamikaze drones and armored vehicles, which the Serhiy Prytula Foundation held, and donated 2 million UAH.

Among the partners of FUIB in supporting the Armed Forces of Ukraine are well-known charitable foundations, such as the KSE Foundation and Sergey Prytula, as well as small volunteer organizations, and together we are doing one big important thing.

The constant need of Ukrainian soldiers is hemostatic agents of tactical medicine and blood components in hot spots. So, FUIB initiated a social project, "We are of the same blood," to support Ukrainian small businesses and art, promote donor initiatives and help the wounded. This is a large-scale partnership project of the bank, the logistics company "Nova Poshta," 6 Ukrainian manufacturers and 4 illustrators, 2 public organizations.  Half of the cost of each order of patriotic merch created by Ukrainian manufacturers is transferred by FUIB to DonorUA and “Blood Agents” charitable foundations.

The collected funds are used to meet the needs of donor blood, deliver blood components to hot spots and purchase tactical medicine for Ukrainian soldiers.

Ukrainians can support the project not only by ordering patriotic clothes, accessories, and changeable chevron stickers but by donating blood at donor centers. In gratitude, each donor receives a 25% discount on merch using the DonorUA system. Learn more about how to donate blood and get a discount  at the link.

For seven months, the initiative "We are of the same blood" has collected 2.8 million UAH. The funds were spent on the purchase of 350 hemostatic tourniquets, 253 occlusive stickers, 275 hemostatic bandages, 20 intraosseous NIO accesses, 210 compression bandages, 2 low-temperature ULV-200b freezers for blood plasma storage in Kherson and 34 deliveries of blood components to hot spots, and each such delivery saved thousands of lives. Over 600 Ukrainians have become donors, and this is the hope for recovery for more than 1800 people. 5,600 Ukrainians took part in the project, more than 10 million people learned about the bank's project. Ukrainian business and art were supported for 6 million UAH. Project pages on social networks  www.facebook.com/lifesavingmerch and https://www.instagram.com/lifesavingmerch. The website https://lifesavingmerch.com.ua/. 

In October, the FUIB team met with its business clients at the Evening of Fortitude, where they reported on their financial condition, achievements, new products and services, plans, and goals for the future. During the event, a Charity Auction was held, where 12 rare lots were presented – symbols of the struggle and invincibility of Ukraine. 1 1.4 million UAH of the collected funds were distributed between the "We will win" foundation and public organizations "Blood Agents" and DonorUA.

The "We will win" foundation used the funds received to equip pickups with mobile stations for electronic warfare against the air forces (missiles, drones). Donor.UA made 8 blood deliveries to hot spots. In addition, "Blood Agents" bought 215 sets of tactical medicine for the defenders: hemostatic bandages and Israeli bandages.

In November, FUIB held a traditional Donor Day as part of the social project "We are of one blood". 50 employees donated 22 liters of blood for the wounded. 150 defenders got a chance for life. The medical team of the Amosov Institute and the public organization "Blood Agents", a partner of the bank in the social project "We are of one blood", came to the bank for an on-site donation. Two members of the Board donated blood with the team. Blood is very necessary in war. Massive bleeding is the most common and frequent cause of death in war zones. To stop the bleeding and give a blood transfusion is to save a life.
Our customers are constantly helping to bring FUIB closer to victory. Since the beginning of the war, FUIB has organized the possibility of a quick transfer of any amount without a commission in support of our army through all bank channels. Ukrainians transferred more than 362 million UAH through FUIB for the needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and for humanitarian support.

FUIB, together with its clients, friends and partners, raised 6 million for surgical equipment for the front-line operating room. Emergency medical care will be provided in one of the hospitals closest to the combat zone of the front section of the "South" operational command.

As a primary dealer, our bank launched a service for the sale of military government bonds, the issuance of which was initiated by the Ministry of Finance of Ukraine to support the budget of Ukraine through investment. As a result, the total investment of 1176 bank customers, individuals, and legal entities in military bonds amounted to more than 623 million UAH, 25.1 million USD, and 4 million EUR.

FUIB is a partner of the NBU charity campaign "Brave Hryvnia". From August 1 to October 31, the collection of coins in denominations of 10, 50 kopecks, and 1, 2, 5, and 10 hryvnias continued throughout Ukraine for their mobilization to the front. You could also bring non-payment coins of 1, 2, 5, and 25 kopecks to FUIB branches. A small amount of coins can be placed in a charity box, and a large amount of coins can be transferred without commission through the bank's cash desk. For three months of the "Brave Hryvnia" campaign, Ukrainians together collected almost 5 million UAH. In addition, almost million 1 UAH were transferred in coins through the FUIB branch and transferred to the particular account of the NBU to support the Armed Forces of Ukraine. For more information about the charitable initiative, follow the link: https://promo.bank.gov.ua/brave-hryvnia/.

Employee training and development

FUIB spent the training of first aid of teams in the branch network. Within a month, 22 training groups (357 branch employees) completed the training program in 10 cities of Ukraine: Zaporizhzhia, Dnipro, Kyiv, Mykolaiv, Odesa, Kharkiv, Kryvyi Rih, Kremenchuk, Lviv, Rivne. As part of the course, professional instructors from the "North" control and rescue service taught our colleagues the theory and helped them practice their skills under the NATO protocol – M.A.R.C.H.

Support program "FUIB, we will survive!" includes a telegram channel of the same name Wewillsurvive_fuib and webinars and pieces of training from external experts. The telegram channel publishes valuable information and advice from psychologists, as well as analytical information (news and forecasts from Ukrainian and foreign experts, economists, political scientists, etc.). Currently, 1251 colleagues have already joined the channel. To date, 25 webinars have been held with a total of 3929 participants; they talked about topical issues of psychological support and held webinars where they acquired skills regarding remote and crisis management, emotional literacy, etc.

The initiated program "Let’s speak Ukrainian" to support our colleagues who consciously decided to switch to communication in Ukrainian. In the telegram channel of the same name Speak ukrainian useful information, Ukrainian lessons, tips and interesting things are published. The channel currently has over 862 subscribers and is highly rated by colleges.

A cycle of online meetings “Live Conversation” is being held – individuals who have experience in switching to communication in Ukrainian share tips and recommendations, interesting, funny (and not so) cases along the way and inspire by their example.

In addition to our colleagues, external speakers attended live conversations: Yunona Lototska, Irma Vitovska, Sasha Lirnyk, Vache Davtyan, Orysia Demska and others and shared their experience. The "Let’s speak Ukrainian" program won the "HR Brand 2022" Award in the "Professional Jury Recognition" nomination.

Since October, the work of the Psychological Support Service for bank employees from the Wellbeing company has been resumed. 53 colleagues have already turned to service specialists for advice. Also, our colleagues have the opportunity to join the meetings of psychological growth groups "Strong together" on a daily basis, where together with other participants they can discuss their problems, get answers from a specialist, show and express themselves through helping others.

In December, FUIB joined the initiative of the First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska "Self-Help Plus" - a group stress management course for adults who have suffered from extremely adverse circumstances, developed by the WHO. The self-regulation skills that employees will learn in this course will help them use self-help approaches to manage stress.

The knowledge exchange program “Friend to friend for a friend” continued its life, which used to be called Knowledge Sharing. FUIB employees were involved as speakers, sharing helpful information and skills in working with programs and applications. To date, 19 webinars have been held with a total of 5290 participants, such hot topics as life with LEAN in war conditions; artificial intelligence and data science; security of corporate devices in the face of modern threats; cyber hygiene and cyber warfare, etc.

A series of webinars, "Leadership during the war," has been introduced for leaders. 26 webinars were held with such speakers as Valery Pekar, Eric Naiman, Marina Taran, Natalia Baikalova, Natalia Kadya, and Lyuba Kuznetsova. We talked about the war for independence, the economy of Ukraine after the war, reactions, and actions in a crisis border situation, empathic leadership in times of crisis, emotional exhaustion, and burnout.

In November and December, FUIB, together with DGM, Israel, also implements the Leaders Development Sessions program, in the framework of which bank managers can listen to experts from various business segments from Israel and learn how Israel overcame similar difficulties during the war.

The School of Management continued its work – 11 pieces of training for the first and second modules were held: basic management skills and mature leadership and teamwork.

More than 50 colleagues actively improve their English speaking skills at FUIB Speaking Club online meetings at different levels.