Blog BNP Paribas | The bank for a changing world » Health

A Race for Mental Health Awareness

Joyce Leung — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 08:20:20 +0000

More than HK $3.7 million (close to € 365,000) was donated to this year’s “Walk Up Jardine House” in Hong Kong in March.

The event was organized by the Jardine Ambassadors, which has raised more than HK$38 million (over € 3.7 million) for over 360 charitable projects benefiting more than 360,000 people since it was founded in 1982.

Participants run or walk up 49 floors to the building’s penthouse in an effort to raise money for mental health initiatives.

All proceeds from the event go to MINDSET, the Jardine Matheson Group’s philanthropic initiative in Hong Kong and mainland China created in 2002. The organization long-term goal is to change people’s attitudes towards mental health issues by increasing awareness and understanding. It also provides direct assistance for individuals, families and organizations in need of help.

The bank’s team in the relay section included Wenjun Cai, Brahim Boudi, Jackal Lam, Jason Lau and Steven Hui. Emmanuel Fade from Wealth Management took part in the solo competition. All of our team members were generously supported by colleagues in CIB and Wealth Management.

“We Care”: Health and Lifestyle Lessons for Women

Raffaella Violentano — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 15:35:58 +0000

“We care – We think of you” is an information and education project being implemented by Cardif in Italy, in collaboration with the National Observatory on Women’s Health. The idea is to promote a better understanding of issues related to women’s health, in terms of prevention and lifestyle.

This awareness-raising effort targets not only female employees, but also the wives and daughters of the company’s male employees. For Cardif, a company in which women now represent nearly half of its 370-person workforce, this initiative stems from its genuine wish to provide support.

Thus far, four conferences have been held at Cardif’s headquarters, with specialists speaking on topics as diverse and relevant as cancer, diet and lifestyle, cardiovascular disease and menopause.

“We care” is part of a larger project that is being implemented by Cardif in Italy, encompassing a number of initiatives focusing on the well-being of its employees. It includes a preventative health programme that is available to all employees free of charge.

The BNP Paribas Foundation supports the fight against malaria

Chloé Renouf — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 09:41:05 +0000

As part of a programme to prevent malaria, mosquito nets are distributed to deprived populations in 5 sub-Saharan African countries.

In direct collaboration with its BICI (International Bank for Trade and Industry) subsidiaries in sub-Saharan Africa (Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea, Mali and Senegal), BNP Paribas and its Foundation are supporting the fight against malaria, by financing a programme to distribute mosquito nets impregnated with insecticide with a long-term effect aimed at particularly deprived populations. This two-year commitment (2012 and 2013) represents a financing of €200,000 which have been earmarked to the distribution of more than 25,000 impregnated mosquito nets.

Malaria is the main cause of mortality in most sub-Saharan African countries. Furthermore, it is responsible for more than a million deaths per year (more than 80% in sub-Saharan Africa alone), and affects particularly children under the age of five and pregnant women.

The BICI in Burkina Faso and Côte d’Ivoire (BICIAB and BICICI) have chosen to equip the CHU (teaching hospitals) in the capitals: Ouagadougou and Abidjan.

The BICI in Guinea, Mali and Senegal (BICIGUI, BICIM and BICIS) directly equip the deprived neighbourhoods of Conakry, Bamako and Dakar. In these three countries, this programme supports an awareness campaign to educate and train affected populations. It is carried out in direct cooperation with local organisations that run national programmes fighting malaria and which are affiliated to the Department of Health.

All BNP Paribas staff working for the BICI subsidiaries are involved in this operation in some way; some employees are involved in both the distribution process and the awareness campaigns.

Following the launch of the first phase at the end of 2012, a survey on the project will be carried out. A report will be drawn up to provide information on the presence of mosquito nets at centres for vulnerable groups (children, pregnant women, the elderly), their physical state, the need (or not) to re-impregnate nets, and the number of children under five who have had a fever.

This corporate philanthropy programme is part of BNP Paribas’ CSR policy and follows on from the distribution in 2010 of impregnated mosquito nets to all Group staff in sub-Saharan Africa.

A season of giving at the National Cancer Centre Singapore

Yunis Lee — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 17:01:14 +0000

In the spirit of giving during the Christmas season, 46 staff volunteers from BNP Paribas Singapore sang Christmas carols to waiting patients of the National Cancer Centre Singapore—a Corporate Philanthropic partner of BNP Paribas Singapore—on the 11th and 13th of December 2012.

Our “Santa’s helpers” delighted patients and medical staff with their merry caroling, from “Jingle Bells” to “Feliz Navidad”, which were received with clapping and cheering. Staff volunteers also went from floor to floor handing out Christmas goodies to patients at the various clinics. Some patients even came up to our staff volunteers to shake their hands and to personally thank them.

Leading up to this local community outreach initiative, staff volunteers took time out of their busy schedules to lend their support—attending weekly practice sessions to rehearse songs, packing Christmas goodies during their lunch breaks, and sourcing Christmas outfits.

The National Cancer Centre Singapore treats nearly 70 per cent of the public sector cancer cases in Singapore.

Christmas cheer at the Necker Hospital

Rosaria Galfo — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 13:54:15 +0000

This Christmas season, employees from B*capital and Cortal Consors got involved in several initiatives for sick children at the Necker Hospital in Paris. Namely, they came to decorate two Christmas trees with small bags of toys they had prepared beforehand. The Christmas trees were then given to the hospital.

In addition to the trees, a significant sum of money was raised and donated to the institution. The money will be used to improve the quality of life of hospitalized kids: they are planning, for example, to enlarge their library of books and comics, and to implement cultural workshops and activities for to children and teenagers.

The Necker Hospital in Paris has a special hospital for sick children known as the Hôpital des Enfants Malades, historically the first pediatric hospital in the Western world.

Cancerto: a benefit concert in support of the Quebec Cancer Foundation

Severin Guiton — Wed, 14 Nov 2012 16:07:10 +0000

On October 24th, BNP Paribas (Canada) supported the Quebec Cancer Foundation through its presence at Cancerto, a benefit concert.

The event was hosted by Bruno Pelletier, triple winner of the Felix prize for Male performer of the year and spokesperson of the Foundation. It was marked by a performance given by Stéphane Téteault, a 19-year old violinist named 2011-2012 best New artist by Radio Canada in the classical music category. He played pieces by Bach, Tchaikovsky and Camille St-Saens.

The Quebec Cancer Foundation offers housing, information and support solutions to people suffering from cancer as well as their nearest relatives. With its 5 regional centers across the province, it provides personalised services helping make living with cancer simpler and more pleasant on a day-to-day basis.

They also have a hotline, “Ligne info-cancer”, open all week long, to listen, respond to questions, and provide support to callers.

BlogTV: Children’s rights and education in Maasaï Land

Lily Dionne — Mon, 12 Nov 2012 17:17:02 +0000

Replay

Meet Annie Corsini, founder of the Maasaï Aid Association, a NGO that covers the areas of education, health and children’s rights in Maasaï Land, Kenya. More specifically, we focus on how this organization helps build awareness about female health among women and girls… an initiative that has had positive effects, while respecting the deeply-rooted traditions of the community.

Maasaï Aid Association is supported by the BNP Paribas Foundation Switzerland’s “Coup de pouce” programme.

Pasteurdon 2012: the Pasteur Institute’s annual fundraising marathon

Lily Dionne — Tue, 02 Oct 2012 15:20:41 +0000

On 12-14 October, the “Pasteurdon” will be in full swing. This large-scale annual fundraiser for the Pasteur Institute, the French non-profit private foundation at the forefront of the battle against infectious diseases, encourages donations to help it continue producing valuable research.

One of the leading research centres in the world, housing 100 research units and close to 2,700 people, the Institut Pasteur is also a global network of 24 foreign institutes, a graduate study center, and an epidemiological screening unit. Since 1887 the Institute and its researchers have been playing an important part in fighting disease and in better understanding Alzheimer’s, stomach cancer, emerging diseases, genetics, and much more… To keep up the pace, it is counting on your help. Donate online today!

BlogTV: Supporting children diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder

Lily Dionne — Tue, 11 Sep 2012 13:26:10 +0000

Replay

The ANSHDA association, founded in Madrid in 1998, offers support to children who have attention deficit disorder (ADD, ADHD), as well as to their families. The founders realized that not just the children but those surrounding the children—in particular mothers—were strongly affected, and needed help in dealing with the challenge.

ANSHDA offers individual and group therapy for young people and families, works alongside schools, and even offers training to teachers to help them better understand the condition.

Much like Gloria, a mother of twins with ADD, many families knock on ANSHDA’s door. What they find is a sturdy system of support and a way of restoring a certain balance to everyday life.

BNP Paribas Spain supports ANSHDA.