The BNP Paribas Group in Luxembourg has published its 2019 Responsibility Report, in which the bank sets out the impact of its business through its own operations and the products and solutions offered to clients.
Corporate social and environmental responsibility (CSR) is considered more important than ever in the context of the current global health crisis. Since the start of the lockdown, BNP Paribas has introduced measures to support those working to combat the crisis as well as those hardest hit by it.
To support charitable organisations in need of reinforcements, BGL BNP Paribas has permitted employees who were exempt from physical work presence to participate in public interest initiatives with approved associations. The bank is also providing financial support to organisations assisting those most at risk during the crisis. As such, the bank will double every donation made by an employee to organisations in the Greater Region that are active in healthcare, assisting vulnerable populations or contributing to medical research.
Since the start of the crisis, BNP Paribas has provided 5,000 FFP2 masks and 30,000 surgical masks to Luxembourg's Ministry of Health. It is also hosting Lux Future Lab start-ups free of charge for the duration of the health crisis and has reviewed its internal processes to ensure all suppliers are paid on receipt of the invoice.
In addition, as part of the emergency support plan rolled out by the BNP Paribas Group in over 30 countries, a total donation of €100,000 has been split across three charities: the Hôpitaux Robert Schuman Foundation, Caritas Luxembourg and Stëmm vun der Strooss.
More recently, the bank launched its “Coronavirus Solidarity” initiative. Every time a client makes a payment using a BGL BNP Paribas credit card, the bank will contribute 10 cents to a fund set up to cover the housing costs of people facing financial hardship due to the coronavirus crisis and finding it hard to pay their bills or make everyday purchases.
Geoffroy Bazin, Chairman of BGL BNP Paribas’ Executive Committee and Country Head of the BNP Paribas Group in Luxembourg, stressed that “the COVID-19 health crisis has affected many aspects of our lives. We all need to act to restart economic activity while also taking the environmental emergency into account and investing in green technologies. While this crisis undoubtedly makes our social engagement all the more meaningful and legitimate, it also pushes us to go further to accelerate the transition to a more sustainable, fair economy. Social and environmental responsibility is not just an empty slogan: it’s an integral part of our business strategy and our Company Purpose".
