Volunteering and Social Commitment

They cooperate with social organisations and launch their own initiatives. Each employee is entitled to 2 additional days-off per year for volunteering activity. The project participants can choose between individual volunteer initiatives and team projects, they can carry out their own initiatives or take part in social initiatives coordinated by the BNP Paribas Foundation together with other NGOs. Each employee is entitled to two additional days of paid leave per year for voluntary activities. Our efforts are part of an international initiative of the BNP Paribas Group #1MillionHours2Help. In Poland, this initiative is coordinated by the BNP Paribas Foundation.

2021 marks the year when BNP Paribas Foundation was one of the first organisations in Poland to be awarded the certificate High Quality Employee Volunteer Program, which was granted by the Academy for the Development of Philanthropy after a thorough financial audit. The ceremony took place at the 9th Conference for Pro Bono Leaders.

Find out more about our volunteering projects here.

The annual Competition for Social Projects has become a fixture of our volunteer scheme. The BNP Paribas Foundation encourages employees from all over Poland to submit initiatives which respond to the immediate needs of their local communities. The winning entries are granted up to PLN 4,000. The projects are carried out in collaboration with local social organisations and the employees involved receive additional subject-matter support of the BNP Paribas Foundation.

BAKCYL is a sectoral educational programme managed by the Warsaw Banking Institute. The Bank has participated in the BAKCYL program since 2013. The aim is to provide the young generation with practical knowledge in the field of finance. Bank employees volunteer to conduct lessons and share their financial knowledge and experience.

In 2021 our employees carried out classes in primary schools, grades 6-8: Your money and Save money to invest money; grades 5-8: Security in the cyberspace. In high school the classes focused on Financial market – trust in business, My finances: think like an entrepreneur and Smart investments. The classes were conducted mainly online. The meetings were intended to lay foundations on finances and prepare pupils and students for adult life and active civic participation. The program is coordinated by the BNP Paribas Foundation.

In 2020, we started the implementation of our new interdisciplinary project, Mission: Education. Its aim is to improve public knowledge with regard to finance, ecology, security, entrepreneurship and psychology. Beneficiaries of the program gain new skills, discover their own potential, and broaden their horizons. In 2021 we continued activities within the project.

Our initiatives within the project Mission Education were recognized and distinguished by the juries of two competitions: Złote Spinacze and Kreatura. The online workshops with cooperation with Kosmos dla Dziewczynek Foundation received two awards in Złote Spinacze: a Bronze Medal for Sustainability and CSR Communications and another Bronze Medal for Finance. The jury of Kreatura distinguished the website for Mission: Independence in the category Digital: Mobile Apps & Games. As part of this initiative, we have created a website with the same title, to promote financial literacy. The website includes the Parental Zone – a tab for parents with indispensable information, tips and ideas for fun creative games with children.

Employees of BNP Paribas Bank Polska S.A. are also involved in social initiatives by being physically active. The Good Kilometres campaign is organized annually by the BNP Paribas Foundation. For one month, employees try to cover as many kilometres as they can while cycling, running or practicing other long-distance sports. They track their activities on the Bank’s social and gamification platform. Each kilometre is converted into funds transferred to an NGO selected by vote.

Our individual philanthropy program I support all year long is based on a payroll mechanism and has been active since September 2017. All bank employees can participate in the program and it is them who decide which organisation to support. Employees can decide to make monthly deductions from their salary and donate them to a selected cause. In 2021 the employees chose to support SYNAPSIS Foundation and Active Against Depression Association. Not only were these organisations supported financially, we also asked them to co-prepare webinars for our employees for the Autism Awareness Month and Depression Awareness Week. In 2022 we will be supporting “Dajemy Dzieciom Siłę” (Giving children strength) Foundation and Mudita Association.