2012 Registration document and annual financial report - BNP Paribas

7ARESPONSIBLE BANK: INFORMATION ON BNP PARIBAS’ ECONOMIC,SOCIAL, CIVIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSIBILITYEconomic responsibility: financing the economy in an ethical manner7Thanks to the in-depth work performed by the Group’s teams topromote the social and environmental dimensions of the SRI funds, theiroutstanding amount grew up very significantly in 2012.EUR 20 billion in SRI assets managed by BNP Paribas investmentpartners at 31 December 2012In 2012, growth in SRI assets (+33.8%) largely exceeded growth in totalassets (1) (+0.5%).For example, the BNP Paribas Aqua fund, created in 2008 and investedin international companies involved in the water business, made aspectacular breakthrough with retail customers in 2012, bringing itsoutstanding amount to around EUR 100 million at 31/12/2012.BNP Paribas Wealth Management, the Group’s private bank, has reachedthe one billion euro mark in terms of assets managed for clients insocially responsible investment funds.Similarly, the retail bank continues to promote SRI via funds distributedin the branches:■ BNP Paribas Développement Humain invests in European companieswhose products and services help meet basic human needs (qualityfood in sufficient quantity at moderate cost, access to basic services,education) and address the challenges of the modern world (e.g.ageing population, new generation medicines);■ BNP Paribas Obli Ethéis invests in high-quality (“ investment grade” )bonds from issuers in the euro zone or markets of the euro zone. TheSRI approach adopted aims to favour best ESG practice by issuers, asassessed by the Group’s SRI Research Team. A maximum of 10% ofthe portfolio is devoted to investments in microfinance and the socialbusiness, which aim at granting loans to micro-entrepreneurs.In a similar approach, Global Equities & Commodity Derivatives set upfour new indices in 2012 to offer tailor-made solutions to their clients.Three of them are a response to the increasing interest in environmentalissues: one offers access to waste management, the second to businesseswhose products and services optimise energy consumption and the thirdto companies involved in the development of the renewable energy sectorin a context of rising energy costs, particularly from fossil fuels. The fourthindex offers access to 15 large European companies recognised as CSRpioneers by Vigeo and Forum Ethibel.Decision-making tools provided to customersIn order to inform its customers about its wide range of savings productsand to boost the social impact of these products, BNP Paribas developedseveral tools in 2012:■ Clients of either Cortal Consors France, an online brokerage or Wealthmanagement can refer to a new label called the “Révélateur ISR”(SRI revealer), created in 2012. This clarifies the nature of ESG fundsand enables clients to gauge the SRI intensity of a fund.■ At Cortal Consors Germany, clients wanting to combine profitabilitywith responsibility can refer to the “SRI FundsFinder”, an online toolenabling users to exclude specific sectors or criteria.■ From the environmental angle, clients of Cortal Consors France canrefer to the “green rating” which measures carbon emissions bycompanies in which the funds are invested. From the social angle,the “employment rating”, launched in 2011, measures the numberof jobs created or lost during the year by companies in which 475European equity funds are invested.■ BNP Paribas Securities Services now gives fund managers thepossibility of conducting extra-financial reporting on their SRI funds.Finally, raising the general public’s awareness of responsible investmentremains a key objective, and the Group addresses this each year with aflagship event, the SRI week.During this week, the practical SRI guide for retail customers is widelydistributed. First published in 2010 and updated each year, the guideanswers the general public’s main questions and thus helps improveperceptions of the SRI approach. In 2012, 3,000 copies were distributed inprivate banking centres in France and the guide has been made availableon the Bank’s website.PRODUCTS WITH A POSITIVE IMPACT ONSOCIETYIn a continuation of initiatives launched in 2011, BNP Paribas has deployedinnovative products and services especially designed for vulnerablecustomers or those with particular needs. The Group also pursued itsphilanthropic advisory activity aimed at directing its customers towardsinvestments of high added value.■ In 2011, Cetelem made the innovative move of offering personal loansto young people working on fixed-term contracts. Facilitating theirentry into working life and integrating their precarious situation, thisoffer makes credit accessible to contract workers who previouslyhad little or no access to it. It offers them solutions to start theirworking life and finance their projects, from buying a car, to carryingout building work, to furnishing a home. The term, interest rate andrepayment schedules for these loans are tailored to the customer’sbudget.In 2012, BNP Paribas Personal Finance provided EUR 44 million worthof loans to 7,003 customers working on fixed-term contracts.(1) Which include assets under management and assets advised to external clients.3882012 Registration document and annual financial report - BNP PARIBAS