Good practices companies from the BNP Paribas Capital Group in Poland

BNP Paribas Securities Services conducts a number of activities to strengthen the social responsibility of the organization. In 2019, it developed and implemented a comprehensive educational program for children from grades 1-3 of primary schools ‚It counts’. Its goal is, among others, to develop creativity and entrepreneurship in children and to awaken cognitive curiosity and motivation to learn mathematics. As part of IOC Integration Weekends, the Company organized 5 trips for 400 employees, who created educational paths under the „It counts” program in 5 primary schools. During the trips, employees adapted the schools and other educational institution’s space, among others creating themed murals and places for ground games and educational games.

During the two Bake & Sale sessions, dozens of employees sold baked goods. The collected funds were allocated to charity. The Company’s employees also made greeting cards – the income from their sale is allocated to cover the costs of CSR activities. Volunteers also prepared nearly 30 backpacks for the new school year for children from a day care home as part of the annual „Back to school” project.

Before Christmas, the Company’s employees took part in the „Letters to Santa” project, handing over a dozen children from the Warsaw Oratory of Guardian Angels Christmas packages with their dream presents and organizing a meeting with Santa Claus at the company’s headquarters.

Over 600 volunteers took part in the „Noble Gift” campaign, preparing 10 packages for the needy. The gifts were worth over PLN 40,000, of which the company supported each package with PLN 1,000.

The company was also involved in the CSR Days organized by BNP Paribas Bank Polska S.A. As part of CSR & Conduct Week, within 5 days, 300 employees took part in 16 meetings and workshops on CSR & Conduct issues in 3 locations.

Thanks to the support of the BNP Paribas Foundation, the company’s employees implemented 3 volunteer projects. Volunteers were also involved in the collection of animal feed, accessories and financial resources for pupils of the Judyta Foundation for Puppies.

The company was also involved in financial support for the SGH Christmas concert – a cyclical charity event with the participation of company’s employees and potential job candidates.

As part of the responsibility at the workplace, the Company organized Diversity Week, i.e. a series of 5 events during the BNP Paribas Group Diversity Week.

In the area of impact on the natural environment, in 2019 the Company actively participated in the BNP Paribas Group „Zero plastic 2020” action. Thus, it completely gave up the purchase and serving of water in plastic packaging, eliminated disposable plastic dishes and cutlery from the kitchen equipment, and negotiated with the suppliers of vending machines to forgo all snacks and drinks that are packaged in single-use plastic.

The company has also started cooperation with the Home – Family – Human association in the field of recycling plastic caps. Twice a year, the Company donates several dozen kilograms of caps to obtain from their sale funds which are allocated for the purchase of wheelchairs and prostheses for the needy.

On the technical terrace of the Wronia 31 skyscraper, the Company installed 2 hives with 40,000 bees. By „adopting” insects, it has contributed to enriching the local ecosystem and protecting the endangered species. During the professional workshop with a beekeeper, the employees learned about the importance of bees for the ecosystem.

Employees of the Company also engaged in volunteering in the Polish-German Gardens, where, at the invitation of the German Embassy in Poland, they planted plants and cleaned up the green area.

In the social area, the Company carried out activities promoting social sensitivity:

• By highlighting managed buildings in red, it promoted the Rolling2Zwrotnik Rak’n’Roll Foundation bicycle exhibition.
• By highlighting managed buildings in blue as a part of building autism awareness on International Autism Day.

The company organized help for the Window of Life foundation, which was the charity sale of hand-made angels to employees to support an orphanage in Uganda.

The company also undertook to organize the Turawa Park charity bicycle rally on behalf of its client. The number of kilometers driven by the participants was converted into money intended for the fulfilment of the dreams of those under the “I Have a Dream” Foundation.

The Company’s employees also took part in the Beach Volleyball Charity Tournament and were involved in the “Noble Gift” campaign.

As part of the responsibility at the workplace, the Company implemented the #Wellbe program, which aimed to improve the comfort of employees and promote a healthy lifestyle. Under the program, employees could use the services of a masseur, dietitian and take part in sports activities. Workshops on healthy eating and physical activity were also organized.

As part of minimizing the impact on the natural environment, the Company got involved in the „Drop the unnecessary kilowatts” campaign. As part of the campaign, electrowaste was collected in selected office and warehouse buildings managed by the Company. As part of the „Don’t be plastic” campaign, the organization promoted minimizing plastic consumption.

In 2019, the Company was involved in numerous charity campaigns:

• Employees of the Company took part in the „Noble Gift” action, preparing gifts for needy families.
• As part of the „Pomoc pogorzelcom” campaign, first-aid articles were collected for the residents of the burned family children’s home in Żyrardów.
• The company organized material and financial support for the Intervention Preadoption Center in Otwock as part of the „Faktor helps” campaign. The Management Board of the Company joined the employees’ activities declaring doubling the collected amount and transferring it in the form of financial support to the Center. Employees of Bank BNP Paribas and Leasing Companies working at the Company’s headquarters at Suwak in Warsaw also joined the campaign. In total, PLN 18,400 was transferred.

In the area of workplace responsibility, the Company implemented a training program addressed to the Management Board, managers and employees. The program initiated the process of implementing a new organizational culture based on trust, honest and open communication, motivation to improve processes and personal development of employees.

In addition, the company introduced:

• benefit policy for the Company’s employees. New, favourable conditions for group health and life insurance were introduced, and employees were also covered by extended private medical care.
• the opportunity to participate in the ‚Two hours for the family’ campaign for full-time employees.

To counteract the negative impact on the natural environment, the offices were equipped with glasses and decanters, thanks to which the Company completely gave up the purchase of water in plastic bottles. All office employees have unlimited access to filtered drinking water. Throughout the year, seasonal fruit is delivered to the office twice a week, thanks to which the Company significantly reduced the consumption and purchase of highly sweetened and packed in plastic chocolate bars from nearby distributors among employees. As part of health and fighting with obesity and diabetes activities, in December 2019, the Company provided employees with a Fitqbe wellbeing platform, which allows employees to participate in sports competitions (group and individual) and motivate each other. The platform is also, thanks to the educational articles posted there, a source of promotion of a healthy lifestyle.

The BNP Paribas Cardif company, wanting to act for social responsibility in 2019:

• once again supported the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity by participating in a charity auction.
• supported the expedition organized by the Rak’nRoll Foundation, which is the crowning achievement of the Rak’n’Rolling Foundation’s sports and therapeutic program. Its purpose is to promote physical activity and travel as a motivation to go through cancer and return to a normal life after illness. It is also an inspiration for people undergoing oncological treatment. The funds we donate turn into fulfilled dreams and extraordinary power that will give others strength to fight the disease.
• took the patronage of the Zaczytani.org campaign, funding the Immersed in Reading Library, which allows children’s hospital patients constant access to literature.

BNP Paribas Cardif in Poland also directs its help to the youngest and supports the Team for the Educational Care Facilities No. 2 in Warsaw, where bikes for children were handed over. Proteges from the institutions also took part in St. Nicholas’ Day organized by the company. BNP Paribas Cardif in Poland took part in the Santa Claus Action and fulfilled the children’s dreams by sending them gifts, which they asked for in their letters to Santa.

As part of the responsibility at the workplace, the Company organized an Endomondo sports competition for employees, which promoted a healthy lifestyle combined with helping those in need. Each kilometer travelled by employees in selected sport disciplines was intended for a charity indicated by the participants of the competition.

As part of the Pink October campaign, employees received medical files in which they can collect information on their health in one place. In addition, thanks to cooperation with Warsaw Genomics, employees had the opportunity to do a genetic test based on the latest achievements of world science. Thanks to the use of modern genetic analysis tools, errors responsible for the emergence of diseases are sought in the human genome and assessment of predisposition to developing hereditary cancers is provided.

In 2019, the company also joined the group of signatories to the Diversity Charter in Poland.

Responding to the environmental challenges, the BNP Paribas Cardif in Poland, gave up the use of water in plastic bottles, replacing it with water in decanters from kitchen dispensers.

Employees of Arval Service Lease Polska Sp. z o.o. regularly engage in activities to support those in need. As part of the Sweet Mondays campaign, volunteer workers baked cakes and salty snacks. Donations for the purchase of baked goods were donated for selected purposes: support at the Paluch Animal Schelter and the campaign „Don’t be a skunk, buy a Pamper” – a collection for the Intervention Preadoption Center in Otwock. Tenants of the building at ul. Wołoska 24 in Warsaw also took part in the campaign. In autumn, the company organized the action „Airing wardrobes” and collected casual and business clothes for women staying at the Single Mother’s House in Białołęka.

The company’s employees also took part in the following actions:

• „Noble Gift”, creating a package for a needy family.
• Children’s Day for children from Prague at the Polonia stadium, collecting sweets and gifts for children from families with difficult financial circumstances.
• In charity runs – the running group functioning in the Company also declared, among others 3 races in charity events.

Employees actively used the FITQBE application. For the first exceeded threshold of 1,000 sports activities of employees, the company transfers PLN 10,000 to a social goal of their choice.

As part of the responsibility at the workplace, the company’s employees participated in ergonomics training. An audit of workplaces was carried out, including adjusting chairs and monitors to the employee’s real needs. Additionally, volunteers could undergo medical check-ups and vaccinations.

In order to combat climate change, the company has introduced a number of eco-improvements. From 2019:

• water is bought only in glass bottles;
• plastic dishes, cutlery, cups and coffee stirrers have been eliminated;
• used batteries are collected;
• segregation of garbage is in force (containers for segregation of garbage have been inserted, individual garbage cans have been removed from the desks);
• when the windows are open, the air conditioning is automatically turned off.

The company also conducts activities to minimize paper consumption and reduce water consumption – for this purpose aerators in taps and photocells with motion sensors were installed.