Good practicies

In 2020, the company’s employees became involved in the annual “Noble Gift” campaign, coordinated in the BNP Paribas Bank Polska S.A. Capital Group by the BNP Paribas Foundation.

The Company promoted responsible attitudes which positively impact the environment among employees and their relatives as part of the „BePrime” and „We are responsible” campaigns.

The company’s employees also took part in a number of grassroots initiatives:

• they supported children from a Pre-Adoption Center;
• they took part in the #BiegnijzZosia – let’s defeat SMA! Campaign which included a sports challenge and a fundraiser for a girl suffering from SMA;
• they took part in two charity runs in Warsaw and Wrocław, supporting noble causes;
• during the pandemic, they were involved in local initiatives;
• they supported the BNP Paribas Group fund for the inhabitants of Beirut and the “Rescue & Recover” Fund for the fight against COVID-19.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, BNP Paribas Lease Group Sp. z o.o. ensured safe work conditions for its employees, provided access to psychological care, and provided the appropriate equipment for remote work, e.g. by lending office chairs and additional monitors. Additionally, employees received the following wellbeing benefits:

• concierge services,
• fitness balls and sports cards,
• remote work,
• flexible working hours,
• medical care and a wide insurance offer,
• an international exchange program.

In 2020, the Company organised a Diversity Week with workshops devoted to assertiveness and services for Customers with special needs or in difficult situations. During the Week, employees took part in a webinar on relations with children, led by Emilia Kulpa-Nowak, a specialist in conscious relations, a certified NVC trainer, life coach, author of courses, articles and the book „How to build a relationship with a child. Path to agreement without violence”.

On March 8, 2020, as part of Women’s Day celebrations the Company organised office massages and a workshop entitled „Training and nutrition. Influence on the proper functioning of your body.”

The company became a strategic partner of the 2nd edition of the „IN HAND” mentoring program in cooperation with the “Business Boutique” Foundation. The initiative strives to empower women in business.

To counteract its negative impact on the environment, the Company conducts quarterly inspections aimed at reducing the use of paper and limiting CO₂ emissions caused by the car fleet and business trips. The company is also implementing a policy to reduce paper and plastic waste.

In 2020, the Company encouraged employees to sort waste and promoted eco-attitudes. It eliminated plastic accessories, including plastic cups and plastic bottles in vending machines. Advertising and office materials ordered by the Company are made from ecological, recycled materials which are produced according to the principles of sustainability. The company has also launched the „Paperless” project with the aim of digitising processes and creating e-archives, thus reducing paper consumption. The company has also introduced video identification, and is encouraging Customers to resign from paper invoices as part of the „Customer Portal” initiative. Another initiative of the Company – the „Vehicle Policy” – promoted low emission cars. In the Company’s tender procedures, a contractor’s CSR policy constitutes at least 5 percent of the evaluation.

In 2020, the Company introduced eco-friendly initiatives in the area of business. The „Green Energy” project for financing ecological installations (including water treatment stations, sewage treatment plants, electric vehicle charging stations, photovoltaics, heat pumps, wind energy) was launched. The company also implemented the „Photovoltaics” project, whose aim is to promote and finance solar energy installations.

In 2020, one of the Company’s priorities was to support medical workers struggling with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The company launched the „Give lunch to a medic” program. It is a grassroots initiative which provides support for the medical personnel of the Wolski Hospital. It was also a way of supporting two local restaurants, for whom the project meant ensuring the continuity of business. Nearly 150 employees decided to donate their BenefitLuch lunch cards to medics. As a result, medical workers received over 7,500 meals from two local restaurants, the value of which was c. PLN 150,000.

True to tradition, the Company took part in the “Noble Gift” campaign, coordinated in the BNP Paribas Bank Polska S.A. Capital Group by the BNP Paribas Foundation. Over 300 volunteers from the Company prepared nine packages for families in need. The value of the parcels amounted to PLN 30 thousand, and each parcel received PLN 1,000 of support from the company.

As part of the „Back to School” program, the Company’s volunteers collected several dozen books and several hundred stationary items for the student-patients of the Children’s Memorial Health Institute and for the charges of the “Centruś” Association at a local primary school.

The Company’s employees also carried out a winter collection of food, blankets, dog toys and funds for animals in the care of the “Judyta” Foundation for Puppies. The employees also launched a dog-walking initiative to help the Celestynów shelter for homeless animals. The first, autumn edition of the campaign was attended by over a dozen volunteers who spent a day at the shelter and went on walks with the dogs.

Owing to cooperation with the BNP Paribas Foundation, the employees of BNP Paribas Securities Services implemented five volunteer projects:

• “Work Mum” – online workshops and webinars for mothers returning to the labour market;
• “Tea Service” – food packages for the homeless distributed at the Central Railway Station in Warsaw;
• Food parcels for refugee families under the care of the “Ocalenie” Foundation;
• Support for the World MS Day in cooperation with the Polish Multiple Sclerosis Society;
• „Open Bicycle Workshop” – the establishment of a bicycle repair workshop at the Youth Sociotherapy Center in Łomianki.

In 2020, the Company also supported a Christmas concert of the Warsaw School of Economics. The concert is a cyclical charity event carried out with the help of the Company’s employees and potential job candidates. It is an opportunity to present the Company to future employees – the students. In 2020, the concert was accompanied by the auction of an online mentoring meeting with Andy Crighton, CEO of BNP Paribas Securities Services. Additionally, a Company expert in social media communications conducted two webinars for students.

BNP Paribas Securities Services employs over 800 employees, most of whom are women. The operating language of the Company is English, but services are provided for Clients from many European countries, therefore the company has teams of French, Spanish, Italian and German speakers. Many employees use two foreign languages in their daily work. The Company thus offers an international work environment – many employees come from the Ukraine, Belarus, India, France and Russia. A key value for the company is respect for diversity. In 2020, BNP Paribas Securities Services organised an online „Diversity Week”. It was a series of meetings and courses aimed at enriching the potential of employees and promoting a culture based on diversity.

Due to innovation, the employment of new technologies and the highest quality services, BNP Paribas Securities Services is developing dynamically. Employees benefit from, i.a. opportunities for constant development, an innovative approach, great workplace atmosphere, a modern office in the very center of Warsaw, attractive non-financial benefits and sports benefits.

The headquarters of BNP Paribas Securities Services – Wronia 31 – has received the BREEAM Outstanding ecological certificate for the Post Construction stage. In addition to the systematic implementation of eco-improvements and promoting eco-attitudes, the Company is committed to biodiversity in the local urban ecosystem. Its employees, in cooperation with the “Pszczelarium” company, take care of two beehives on the technical terrace of the Company’s skyscraper, which have been a home to 40 thousand bees since 2019.

As regards environmental impact, the Company cooperates with the House – Family – Human association. As part of the cooperation, employees collect plastic caps and donate several dozen kilograms of them every year to the association. The funds obtained from their sale are allocated to the purchase of wheelchairs and prostheses for people in need.

The company’s employees also took part in cleaning the Kabacki Forest. Several dozen employee-volunteers with their families participated in an environmental campaign organised by the “Po Prostu Kultura” Foundation. It resulted in the removal of several dozen bags of garbage from the forest.

The Company’s CSR efforts in 2020 included initiatives to strengthen social sensitivity. Employee-volunteers were involved in the preparation of packages for those in need as part of the “Noble Gift” campaign, coordinated at the BNP Paribas Bank Polska S.A. Capital Group by the BNP Paribas Foundation. Additionally, the Company provided funds for the purchase of a Health Card for the recipient of the package.

To raise awareness about autism, the Company became involved in a campaign organised by the “SYNAPSIS” Foundation for the 4th time. On the International Autism Day, Company buildings are illuminated in blue. It is a gesture of solidarity and an effort to draw attention to the situation of people with autism in Poland.

The company also supported an orphanage in Wrocław. Seven tablets were donated to the facility.

The company encourages employees and Customers the get involved in CSR initiatives, including the “Blood Donation Day”, bicycle rallies and electro-waste collection.

The Company has introduced the #Wellbe program, which aims to increase well-being and promote a healthy lifestyle among employees. In 2020, as part of the initiative, employees could benefit from the services of a massage therapist and dietitian as well as participate in sports activities and courses devoted to the work-life balance. Workshops on healthy nutrition and physical activity were also held. During the pandemic, employees received weekly newsletters with information about online cultural, sports or culinary events.

BNP Paribas Real Estate is comprised of 6 business lines which provide services related to the entire “lifecycle” of real estate: construction investments, transactions, consulting, valuation, property management and investment management. The Company’s services cover all types of real estate, including office space, retail space, residential, warehouse and industrial space. Environment responsibility is an important part of the Company’s policy. The company promotes and practices real estate management in accordance with the principles of sustainable construction, taking into account all aspects of respect for the natural environment. Owing to the Company’s property management methodology, buildings in the company’s portfolio maintain BREEAM and LEED certificates with the highest ratings.

The company promotes the implementation of modern ecological solutions in real estate as well as electric and public transport for real estate owners.

In 2020, employees of BNP Paribas Faktoring Sp. z o.o. took part in the “Noble Gift” campaign, coordinated in the BNP Paribas Bank Polska S.A. Capital Group by the BNP Paribas Foundation.

The company’s employees had the opportunity to participate in the Development Academy training program, while Company managers took part in the Manager’s Academy program. The company’s procedures related to external training and co-financing education have also been updated. The Company now supports the development of employees by participating in the financing of post-graduate studies and certified vocational training.

In 2020, the Company continued to improve its organisational culture based on six key values:

• honest and open communication,
• decisions based on reliable data,
• development of professional competences,
• personal responsibility (and a sense of responsibility for all operations),
• respect for others and individual credibility (including respect for commitments),
• contribution to the success of others.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, BNP Paribas Faktoring Sp. z o.o. provided employees with jobs in safe conditions, access to professional psychological care and equipped working people from home with the appropriate equipment, i.e. the possibility of renting an office chair and additional monitors.

Additionally, it offered employees the following benefits supporting wellbeing:

• sports cards,
• work from home,
• flexible working hours,
• medical care and a wide insurance offer,

On March 8, 2020, the Company organized the Women’s Day, during which office massages of the cervical and shoulder girdle were held, supplemented with consultations with physiotherapists on prophylaxis and correct body position during work.

As part of pro-health prophylaxis, the Company organized flu vaccinations at the company’s headquarters, which were used by 25 employees and several close family members. Everything took place in a time discipline, with full sanitary regime, as required by the Ministry of Health.

As part of minimizing the impact of the organization’s activities on the natural environment, the Company conducted activities aimed at eliminating plastic. The company gave up on water in plastic bottles and moved on on the office water filtering system. As part of the FAKTOR HELPS group’s charitable activities, employees were encouraged to collect plastic caps. It was the result of participation in the charity collection „Odkręcamy dla Myszy” – a collection of money for the treatment and rehabilitation of an athlete after

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Management Board developed new guidelines for the Company, which ensured business continuity. Thus, the quality of services from the Customers’ perspective remained unchanged. The Company has also adopted solutions to protect Customers and to validate a wide array of insurance claims. Consequently, events related to COVID-19 were included in the scope of insurance coverage.

For the convenience of Customers, the Company adopted new forms of communication:

• e-mail and text messages were used to inform Clients about the benefits of continuing insurance coverage when loan instalments are suspended due to credit holidays,
• a comic book – sent to Agents in instalments – showed the benefits of insurance coverage during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In 2020, BNP Paribas Cardif was also involved in charitable initiatives. Once again, it supported the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity by taking part in a charity auction. The company also sponsored the Gala for Young Heroes organised by the “Dziecięca Fantazja” Foundation. The Galas take place 4 times a year and are unique events which give joy and hope to over 800 seriously and terminally ill children.

Furthermore, the company organised a competition on the Endomondo platform. Employees participated in a sports challange and each kilometre covered meant PLN 1 donated to charity.

Once again, BNP Paribas Cardif supported the Pink October campaign by providing financial aid to the “Alivia” Oncology Foundation and by organising a webinar on cancer prevention for employees.

Additionally, the company funded packages in the Christmas Food Collection campaign organised by the “SOS Food Bank” in Warsaw. The recipients of the parcels are people living in extreme poverty, the elderly, the sick, people with disabilities, the homeless, single parents, as well as people in quarantine and victims of the pandemic.

The company became a partner of the „I’m a Leader” program organised by the “Vital Voices Foundation” which supports the development of young girls.

Out of concern for the health, safety and comfort of employees, the Company adapted the organisation of work to the reality of the pandemic. Initially, the team was divided to work at two separate locations. Later on, work was performed remotely. Employees whose tasks require physical presence in the office have been assigned precise duty-hours in order to limit their presence at the office to a necessary minimum. In addition, the Company covered the costs of taxi rides to the office and suspended parking fees.

Working hours at the company are flexible, so that it is easier to combine professional duties with childcare. Additionally, employees received the „Principles of sustainable work at home”, a guide supporting wellbeing in the difficult circumstances of the pandemic.

Furthermore, the Company’s employees were able to equip their home office by borrowing work equipment. A contract with ALAB laboratories allowed employees to get serological COVID-19 tests at a lower price.

Aware of environmental challenges, the Company used the “Bank of Green Changes” educational materials, prepared by BNP Paribas Bank Polska S.A., to conduct a campaign which promoted eco-attitudes among employees and their relatives.

Employees of Arval Service Lease Polska Sp. z o.o. regularly support people in need. During the „Sweet Monday” campaign, volunteer-employees bake cakes and bring them to the office. Funds from the sale of baked goods are donated to a charity selected by employees.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Company supported medical workers.13 cars were allocated to serve medical facilities in the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship. They were used to transport staff, patients, and medical supplies. The company’s employees also decided to support the medics by offering them free meals. Lunch codes from the Multikafeteria Benefit Systems program (normally used by employees at work) were donated to provide warm meals for medical personnel.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Company devised new guidelines for employees to ensure the continuity of the organisation’s operations and the maximum safety and comfort of its employees. A package of solutions for remote work was prepared, which enabled employees to borrow office and computer equipment. The Company also adjusted its training policy to the needs arising from the pandemic and implemented a number of training initiatives so that employees could adapt more quickly to remote work. The training opportunities included courses devoted to change management, managing a dispersed team and stress management. Additionally, the Company provided employees with psychological assistance.

The company also promoted a wellness culture and offered benefits, including:

• the opportunity to participate in the „Two hours for the family” campaign,
• fruit delivery,
• free sports activities,
• the MyBenefit platform which contains, i.a. MultiSport cards, cinema tickets, theatre tickets, food coupons.

The company also devised a talent development program, „Spread your wings”, and conducted a Summer Internship Program for students.

Arval Service Lease Polska Sp. z o.o. is a leading provider of mobility-related services. In Poland, it is a leader in the field of long-term car rental and in car fleet management (CFM). Many years of experience and technologically advanced solutions, have allowed the Company to offer mobility support services in virtually all areas: from financing, through fleet selection consulting, technical services, to an attractive insurance product. To meet the changing expectations of Customers and protect the natural environment, the company is constantly expanding its offer to include innovative solutions that go beyond traditional corporate mobility management schemes. The Arval Car Sharing service allows many drivers to use the same car, while ensuring simplified renting and returning procedures. Arval Bike Lease is a unique service which allows companies to expand their vehicle fleet with traditional and electric bikes.

The Company’s Electromobility Strategy aims to increase public knowledge about ecological drives through market education. Initiatives within the Strategy include:

• low-emission car rental offer;
• website dedicated to electromobility: https://www.arval.pl/o-arval/elektromobilnosc; the website is a source of information and practical advice on the use of EVs and charging infrastructure;
• the “Electromobile Mythbusters” campaign – expert commentary in the media and social media campaigns;
• support for Clients who wish to build a low-emissions fleet and those who wish to introduce an EV policy;
• numerous reports and analyses on the EV market, including Fleet Barometer 2020;
• driving lessons devoted to safe and ecological driving conducted by Arval Driving Academy;
• Safe Driving Ambassador competition, aimed at reducing the number of claims and educating drivers in the field of road safety.

In response to environmental challenges, the Company introduced a long-term policy – Arval Beyond – for the years 2022 – 2025. Its aim is to reduce the negative impact on the natural environment. In Poland, the policy includes the purchase of 25 thousand electric vehicles and thus the reduction of CO₂ emissions by 30%, and accident rates by 10%.

The Company uses the SMaRT (“Sustainable Mobility and Responsibility Targets”) methodology for fleet management. It is a tool which facilitates the energy transformation of fleets. The methodology helps to identify and introduce the best-suited mobility patterns for a company fleet. The patterns involve the employment of sustainable energy and reduce the negative impact on the environment.

In order to counteract climate change, the Company continued its efforts to minimise plastic waste in 2020. Plastic water bottles were replaced with glass ones, while plastic dishes, cutlery, cups and coffee stirrers were eliminated. The Company segregates waste and collects old batteries. It also strives to minimise paper consumption and reduce water consumption. Aerators and motion detectors have therefore been installed in water taps.