Taking into Account the Environmental and Social Impact of our Financing Activities

We recognize that some business sectors raise specific environmental or social concerns. We are therefore part of a process of continuous improvement of financing conditions.

We are actively debating these conditions with the following objectives:

• to be consistent with the sustainable development strategy of the BNP Paribas Group and how we demonstrate our responsibility;
• to maintain the necessary financial stability of the Group, the essential prerequisite for our strength and growth.

The Specifics

To date, six sectors have undergone thorough analysis regarding the social or environmental issues they raise, the goals that we want to achieve, and the changes needed to achieve them.

Defence: issues concerning companies that produce controversial weapons and the supplying of weapons to conflict zones

Read the BNP Paribas “Defence” policy

Palm oil: the intensive cultivation of palm oil is actively contributing to deforestation, loss of biodiversity and the exacerbation of climate change. Operating conditions and respect for local populations are particularly sensitive social criteria in this area.

Read the BNP Paribas “Palm oil” policy

Nuclear Power: a sector particularly sensitive in terms of both social and environmental impact.

Read the BNP Paribas Sector policy on “Nuclear Power”

Essential food commodities: commodities that are crucial to a secure food supply for the world’s most exposed populations. 

Read the BNP Paribas Group’s policy statement on « essential food commodities”

Production of wood pulp, like palm oil, is an activity that has a major impact on deforestation, loss of biodiversity, climate change and the destabilization of local communities.

Read the BNP Paribas Group’s policy on “wood pulp”

Energy production from coal, has a major impact on greenhouse gas emissions and climate change.

Read the BNP Paribas Group’s policy on “coal-fired power generation”

Within the scope of its Sustainable Development policy, BNP Paribas has chosen not to engage in any financing, investments or transactions with the greatest risk of impacting the health and safety of populations, protected species or the environment in general. With this aim, BNP Paribas has drafted a list of goods which are excluded from all the Group’s transactions.

Read the Group public disclosure on "Goods and activities on exclusion list"

Furthermore, we have signed, and are applying, the Equator Principles. These principles require a detailed analysis of each project with financing of more than USD $10 million, to ensure that it meets the environmental and social standards of the World Bank.