Contributing to sustainable development with a sound strategy

Our commitments towards a net-zero economy

By integrating environmental parameters in our strategy and decision-making, we:

• Support our clients’ decarbonisation efforts.
• Align our portfolio emissions to the objectives specified in the Paris Agreement on climate change.
• Mitigate key drivers of biodiversity loss.
• Support the transition to a circular economy.
• Aim to achieve net-zero emissions in our own operation.
  

Our targets: from pledges to environmental action

To meet our commitments to support our clients and align our portfolio emissions, we plan to:

• Allocate €4.4 billion in total to sustainable financing by 2026.
• Achieve at least €2.6 billion in renewable energy systems by 2026.
• Allocate at least €300 million to sustainable loans to small businesses.
• Launch new sustainability-based retail products, such as mortgages, personal loans and credit cards.
• Extend zero financing to new investments in thermal coal mining, upstream oil exploration or coal-fired energy production.

To meet our commitments to protect biodiversity and support the transition to a circular economy, we plan to:

• Extend zero new financing to targeted activities harming species diversity, habitats and waterbodies.
• Reduce annual paper consumption by 50% by the end of 2025, compared to 2019.

To fulfil our commitments to achieve net-zero emissions, we plan to:

• Reduce our Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions by 20% by the end of 2025.
  
• Upgrade to LED lightning across our entire network by 2028.
• Continue to procure 100% renewable electricity for all our buildings and branches.
• Replace 70% of our corporate fleet with electric and/or plug-in vehicles by 2025.

Our commitments on healthy economies and societal progress

Through internal and external initiatives that foster healthy social paradigms and objectives, we:

• Enhance people’s financial health through inclusive access to financing.
• Provide an inclusive and safe work environment.
• Support equal access to healthcare, education, culture and heritage.
  

Our targets: from pledges to social action

To fulfil our commitments, we plan to:

• Hire 20% more young people by 2025.
• Maintain our high percentage of women in managerial positions (>40%).
• Support financial inclusion through educational programmes addressed to teachers, students, women and people over 55.
• Increase access for people with mobility limitations to 85% of our branches by 2025.
• Provide a safe and inclusive work environment.
• Support equal access to culture for people with disabilities, the elderly, and children in remote areas.
• Limit financing to activities that harm our health and well-being, such as gambling, tobacco products and alcohol. 
• Fully digitalise our banking services and increase our digital sales by 30% by 2025.

Our commitments on best practices for corporate governance

By introducing policies and regulations that align our corporate governance with our shareholders’ expectations, we:

• Ensure a diversified and independent Board of Directors.
• Integrate sustainability in our governance practices and strategy.
• Promote transparency and safeguard business ethics.
  

Our targets: from pledges to governance action

To fulfil our commitments, we plan to:

• Maintain the majority of independent members in our Board of Directors and its Committees.
• Make sure that a minimum of 40% of Non-Executive Board members are female by 2025.
• Continuously engage with our investors and other stakeholders to align our priorities with their expectations.
• Increase material information disclosure to all stakeholders.
• Incorporate ESG criteria in our remuneration and risk management frameworks.
• Safeguard internal risk controls that protect our clients’ data.