Employees Make a Difference

Many of the bank’s employees are involved in charitable and volunteer work, and BNP Paribas supports this commitment in different ways. Recognising the real difference that individuals can make is part of BNP Paribas’ Corporate Social Responsibility policy, and where it can, the bank extends a helping hand.

In 2003, the BNP Paribas Foundation created a programme in France called “Coup de Pouce” (Helping Hand) which provides support for social-solidarity projects in which employees are personally involved. The Cetelem Foundation has since launched a similar programme for staff at Personal Finance. The initiatives cover a diverse range of causes: social outreach, health, assisting those with disabilities or helping people find stable housing and employment. What the initiatives all reflect is a commitment to helping others. For example, an association called “Enfants de tous pays (Children of all countries)” promotes children’s rights. Thanks to support from the BNP Paribas Foundation, the association built a home in Pondichery in India for 30 young girls who had been living in the streets after an earthquake in December 2004. In addition to a home, the girls receive an education and vocational training. Another association, “Solidarités Nouvelles pour le Logement” in the town of Maison-Alfort near Paris, works to find decent housing for people in difficulty and who are largely excluded from mainstream society. Over 215 projects have benefited, in France, Asia, Africa, Eastern Europe and Latin America.

…and around the world

The Helping Hand programme is characterised by commitment, solidarity with others and respect for human rights – all values which can unite BNP Paribas Group employees, irrespective of where they live and work.

Thus the “Apoyamos Tus Ideas” (We support your ideas) in Spain and the “Mano Amica” (A friendly hand) by the BNL Foundation in Italy were launched. In Switzerland, the bank has been helping employees who work to improve the lives of the sick and disadvantaged for over 10 years, and the BNP Paribas (Swiss) Foundation, established in 2002, has given further impetus to these efforts by supporting a dozen associations in which employees are involved.

BNP Paribas in Luxembourg set up a Helping Hand programme in 2007 and in Morocco the BMCI Foundation, created earlier this year, and is undertaking similar initiatives.