Environment

Eco-responsible management, a range of innovative products and services

The need to protect the environment and to combat climate change is a powerful engine driving innovation, growth and the creation of new jobs.The Groupe BPCE strives to reduce its environmental footprint and helps its customers to do so. From the acquisition of a solar-powered water heater to the financing of a wind farm, its solutions are tailored to all the projects of all its different types of clientele.

Reducing our environmental footprint

Thanks to carbon audits, the construction of High Environmental Quality buildings, the definition of company travel plans, paper and waste management systems, the entities in the Groupe BPCE are mobilizing their personnel to reduce emissions, consume less and more efficiently. The aim is to share and roll out the best practices throughout the entire Group.

Supporting our customers

• Individual customers with Sustainable Development passbook accounts, the interest-free Eco Loan and loans at preferential rates for the acquisition of low-polluting vehicles, and the introduction of solutions for more eco-friendly housing.
• SMEs with social and environmental self-diagnosis tools such as Cordé, developed with the Vigeo social rating agency, or financing and support tools such as PROVair enabling them to enhance the environmental responsibility of their activity and to support eco-innovation initiatives.
• Hospitals, schools, universities, social housing organizations with preferential-rate loans provided by the European Investment Bank (EIB) for energy efficient investment.
• Major corporations with solutions enabling them to manage their CO2 quotas efficiently and to invest in project generating carbon credits.
• Investors wanting to invest in water, new energies or in exemplary companies with dedicated investment funds.

Supporting and financing solutions for the future

In their drive to support eco-efficient housing, environmentally responsible businesses and low-emission means of transport with the help of dedicated tools, the Banque Populaire banks have financed more than 15,000 environmental and solidarity-based projects over the past ten years with their line of products PREVair. They have also helped prepare the sustainable markets and society of the future through the creation of the Effinergie label used to identify low energy buildings set to become a standard for new housing in 2012. Protecting the Mediterranean forest with the Caisse d’Epargne thanks to the Livret A Kipouss passbook account or financing the construction of public buildings compliant with the High Environmental Quality standards (for a total of more than €220m in 2009) or, yet again, pursuing major renewable energy project with Natixis: the Group's companies prove their commitment to the environment every day.

For further details :
> The commitment of Banque Populaire
> The commitment of Caisse d’Epargne