During the month of August, the BNP Paribas Fortis Foundation organised the distribution of used equipment to various not-for-profit associations.

A wide range of equipment and office supplies – tables, chairs, drawer units, letter trays, lamps, filing cabinets and wall charts, as well as projection screens and even refrigerators – were happily taken in by a number of associations.

The supplies were carefully collected with the participation of the bank’s EcoCoaches and with the indispensable support of its logistics departments. What are EcoCoaches, you might ask? They are bank employees who, in addition to their day-to-day customer service responsibilities, are responsible for educating their colleagues about ways to reduce the bank’s environmental impact through simple but effective measures: reducing paper usage, using water wisely, using coffee mugs instead of disposable cups, turning off the lights when leaving a room, etc.

Thus, during a recent office relocation that affected a thousand employees, the EcoCoaches ensured that only items that truly could not be reused were disposed of, with the aim of conserving all materials and equipment that merited a second life.

The not-for-profit sector responded enthusiastically to the appeal launched by the BNP Paribas Foundation. Schools, drop-in facilities, student associations, holiday camps for the underprivileged, as well as facilities for people with disabilities, for rehabilitation and for social integration all answered the call.

BNP Paribas Fortis remains fully committed to collecting equipment and supplies that can be reused – an appropriate reflex in the business world just as it is in our daily lives.