BNP Paribas has again been awarded World’s Best Bank for Sustainable Finance by the international finance magazine Euromoney. The bank also received the award for World’s best Bank for ESG data & Technology and World’s Best Bank for Corporates. These awards are a recognition of the longstanding commitments by BNP Paribas Group to develop sustainable finance solutions that are supported by rigorous measurement standards.  

Longstanding commitment to the Dutch market

BNP Paribas’ growth commitment in the Dutch market is recognized with the Euromoney award for Best Investment Bank in the Netherlands. It displays BNP Paribas’ ability to spur investments in sustainable solutions, while at the same time supporting commercial success in the Netherlands and beyond.

Paris, Frankfurt, London, 5 January 2022 – BNP Paribas and Deutsche Bank announce that the transfer of clients, technology and key staff from Deutsche Bank’s Global Prime Finance & Electronic Equities businesses to BNP Paribas has been successfully completed by the end of 2021, in line with the targeted timeline.

The successful global integration was driven by strong collaboration between the teams of both firms as well as full support from the management at BNP Paribas and Deutsche Bank. Over the course of the past two years, BNP Paribas has transferred approximately 900 staff globally from Deutsche Bank.

Olivier Osty, Head of Global Markets and member of the Executive Committee, BNP Paribas said: “We are delighted to have completed this global migration on schedule. By leveraging the strengths of the integrated platform, BNP Paribas is well-positioned to become the leading European Prime Services player on the global stage, establishing the new standard in prime services and electronic equities for institutional investors and corporate clients across the world”

Rebecca Short, Chief Transformation Officer and member of the Management Board, Deutsche Bank said: “We are pleased to have completed this complex transition on schedule. It is the result of strong and sustained collaboration between both teams who worked seamlessly to provide continuity to clients as well as a significant number of employees. With this, Deutsche Bank has achieved a key milestone in its ongoing transformation that is seeing it re-focus its business to become sustainably profitable”

Amsterdam, 26 October – BNP Paribas Nederland, Arcadis, and G&S Vastgoed today announced their plan to move into joint new headquarters at the Zuidas in Amsterdam mid-2024. The office building will be built on the last remaining Mahler plot on the corner of the Parnassusweg and the Claude Debussylaan. The shared ambition is to achieve a new standard for healthy and future-proof office buildings. The building has been acquired by a.s.r. real estate, which will add it to the portfolio of the ASR Dutch Mobility Office Fund.

On the first day of Provada 2021, the involved parties jointly announced to be the initiators of the project as well as the future tenants of the building. Arcadis is responsible for the sustainable design and engineering, BNP Paribas Real Estate and G&S Vastgoed developed the RE\DEFINE-philosophy applied to this project, to realise sustainable, healthy, and productive offices. G&S Vastgoed is also responsible for the project development. The three parties have been collaborating successfully on the ‘vertical forest’ Wonderwoods in Utrecht’s city centre.

The ASR Dutch Mobility Office Fund is involved as an investor in both project Wonderwoods and in this newly announced initiative on the Zuidas. The office fund of a.s.r. real estate is the only Dutch fund to focuse entirely on office buildings located in public transport hubs in the Netherlands.

The design of the headquarters is being developed by Florian Idenburg, a Dutch architect who has been running SO-IL architects in New York since 2008 with Jing Liu. Among other things, Idenburg designed the recently opened Amant Art Campus in Brooklyn, New York. He is known for his innovative use of materials, such as a handmade ‘chainmail’ veil that he designed for the Kukje Gallery in South Korea.

Sustainability is an important principle in developing this office building. With their own headquarters, Arcadis, G&S Vastgoed, and BNP Paribas Nederland now have a unique opportunity to set the bar high and use the building as a breeding ground for new sustainable concepts. Sustainability goes beyond the environmental impact of construction and development – it is also about enhancing the long-term liveability of the built environment. To this end, G&S Vastgoed, in collaboration with Arcadis and Transsolar, developed innovative construction techniques with the ambition of realising the most sustainable building on the Zuidas.

BNP Paribas Nederland has signed a letter of intent to establish its new headquarter in the Zuidas, where the various entities of the bank in the Netherlands can come together at one location. The central location on Parnassusweg, the nearby new Zuidas NS railway station, and the already developed Mahler car park, together offer various possibilities for a flexible mobility mix for employees.

At the ground level, The Cube is being developed where visitors of the Zuidas and Amsterdam citizens will be able to discover sustainable and digital innovations from Dutch origin.

Geert Lippens, CEO BNP Paribas The Netherlands: “The new headquarter in Amsterdam reflects our growth ambitions in The Netherlands. By bringing our various entities closer together in one headquarter, we will accelerate the One Bank strategy and clients will benefit fully from our interdisciplinary approach and broad international expertise. I am proud to be developing a headquarter that sets a new sustainability standard. With the expertise of BNP Paribas Real Estate, Arcadis, and G&S Vastgoed, we intend to inspire others to develop future-proof concepts for the next generation. Supporting our clients in their pursuit of sustainable and responsible growth is what we stand for, and the new headquarter underscore this ambition.”

Jason Blackmore, Managing Director G&S Real Estate: “The partnership with Arcadis and BNP Paribas Real Estate has proved to be a success formula that has made us not only happy to take on this project, but even to move in together. Nowadays, building as sustainably as possible is a requirement, but we are convinced that current times call for going a step further. We are therefore very proud that, together with our partners, we are realising this sustainable project on the last Mahler plot at the Zuidas.       

Carolien Gehrels, Global Director Energy Transition Arcadis: “In recent years we have worked intensively on future-proof buildings that respond to the consequences of climate change. We use the most sustainable materials and digital applications, with the requirements and demands of the users and the residents as the most important starting point. We are proud to be able to demonstrate this in our ‘own’ headquarter. The building symbolises Arcadis’ ambition to be climate neutral in all respects by 2035.”  

Pieter Vandeginste, Fund Director ASR Dutch Mobility Office Fund: “We are extremely proud to acquire the development of the last Mahler plot on the Zuidas. This great sustainable office building fits perfectly into the line-up of our current pipeline which includes Wonderwoods , EDGE Eindhoven, and Tree House in Rotterdam. The location near the station, high sustainability ambitions, and leading organisations such as BNP Paribas, Arcadis and G&S Vastgoed as tenants complete the picture for us.”

BNP Paribas has received three awards from leading financial publication Euromoney. They acknowledge our leadership role in the global effort to create a truly sustainable economy. We continue to be strongly engaged in developing products, services, metrics and methodologies that have been enabling sustainable change for many years.

Longstanding commitments to sustainability

Euromoney has recognized Group BNP Paribas with awards for its longstanding commitments to developing finance solutions that are sustainable and supported by rigorous measurement standards.

The awards are for:

“World’s Best Bank for Sustainable Finance”

“World’s Best Bank for ESG Data and Technology”

“World’s Best Bank for Public Sector”

The awards acknowledge BNP Paribas’ ability to help its clients make their transition strategies a reality whilst at the same time supporting their commercial success, in The Netherlands and beyond.

• Dutch Youth Foundation Sport & Culture (Jeugdfonds Sport & Cultuur) extends its partnership for three years with the Dream Up programme of the BNP Paribas Foundation, which supports projects with a cultural and social purpose
• BNP Paribas foundation’s Dream Up programme offers children and teenagers around the world the opportunity to practice a wide range of artistic disciplines
• For the next three years, the Dream Up programme in the Netherlands will be supporting the El Jackson Education project, which helps children to develop life skills through soccer, theatre, dance and music in a playful manner
• Two-time world champion ‘groundmoves’ (freestyle soccer) and ambassador of the Youth Foundation Nasser el Jackson is giving the lessons in collaboration with Corpo Máquina

Following a successful collaboration, the partnership between Youth Foundation Sport & Culture and the Dream Up programme of the BNP Paribas Foundation has been extended for three years. In the coming years, Dream Up will make a budget available in the Netherlands for the El Jackson Education-project of Youth Foundation ambassador and two-time world champion ‘groundmoves’ (freestyle soccer) Nasser el Jackson. In this project, children receive weekly lessons from Nasser.

One in eleven children in the Netherlands cannot afford to participate in activities that are part of their peers’ daily lives, such as soccer, dance or music lessons, due to a lack of money at home. Youth Foundation Sport & Culture supports these families in paying for lessons and supplies. Sport and culture are of great importance to the physical, mental, and social development of a child as they offer inspiration, new friends and a broader outlook from which children can benefit their whole life. An investment in the youth, is an investment in the future.

With Dream Up’s contribution to Youth Foundation Sport & Culture, more children can participate in the El Jackson Education project. In this project, children get weekly group lessons where life skills, theatre, dance and music are combined with a (soccer)ball, and this way learn about themselves. Nasser el Jackson, ambassador of Youth Foundation Sport & Culture, is giving the lessons. Other than concentration, dedication and playfulness, trust and brotherhood are the basic elements in Nasser’s training.

Nasser el Jackson: “In theatre, perfection is not a goal. It allows you to show your vulnerable side. A softer side, where it’s not about performance but about sharing and expressing.” In this project, Nasser is collaborating with choreographer Guilherme Miotto and Corpo Máquina, an inclusive cultural movement with a focus on dance.

“It is important that children and young people have access to sporting and creative activities, simply because they contribute to their development. By doing something fun with peers, children learn where their interests lie and gain insight into who they are and what they find important. They also become more connected and attached to the community in which they play their sports, dance or make music,” says Monique Maks, Director Youth Foundation Sport & Culture.

The BNP Paribas Foundation supports projects in the fields of culture, environment, and social commitment. The Foundation’s Dream Up programme was launched in 2015 with the aim of providing education through the practice of art to underprivileged children. The programme offers them the opportunity to pursue an artistic discipline. This year, the partnership between the Youth Foundation Sport & Culture and the BNP Paribas Foundation is renewed for the second time for a period of three years.

Geert Lippens, CEO BNP Paribas Netherlands, says: “We strongly believe it is important that all children and teenagers should have the opportunity to play sports and participate in various cultural activities. We are proud that BNP Paribas, as a partner of Youth Foundation Sport & Culture, can contribute to the social and cultural development of a new generation.”

^{by Marco Vrolijk, Online Content & PR Specialist at Arval BNP Paribas Group}

Arval, a global leader in full-service vehicle leasing and sustainable mobility solutions, has launched its 1Ev=1Tree project. One tree will be planted for each electrified vehicle leased by Arval in the same country where the vehicle is delivered. The objective is to encourage sustainability in the mobility sector. By the end of 2025, Arval’s ambition is to have funded more than 500,000 trees.

Growing concerns about climate change have put sustainability at the heart of CSR strategies all around the world. The climate emergency continues to be of great importance each year, and Arval, as a market leader, is in the right position to drive positive change towards sustainable mobility and actively participate in tackling climate changes. Arval’s main 2025 CSR ambitions are embedded in its strategic plan Arval Beyond: 500,000 electrified vehicles in its fleet (representing 25% of its global fleet), 30% reduction in CO2 emissions vs. 2020, and remaining a carbon-neutral company.

That is why Arval will be initiating an international tree-planting project in all of its countries. The project will consist in planting one tree for each electrified vehicle leased (electric and hybrid). The location of the tree planted will be the same as that of the country where the electrified vehicle is delivered to engage local employees and customers. The project is an excellent opportunity to take action to protect the forests, to commit to the preservation of biodiversity and combat deforestation, while promoting the adoption of electrified vehicles.

The project will be launched in the eight Arval countries with the biggest volume of electrified vehicles delivered in 2021. These countries include Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain and the United Kingdom. By the end of 2021, it is expected that more than 70,000 trees will be planted. Following its implementation in the G8 countries, the project will then be expanded to the rest of the Arval countries by 2022.

By the end of 2025, Arval will have funded more than 500,000 trees.

By launching this project, Arval will be able to support reforestation projects and do good for the surrounding environment. Notably, Arval will be able to measure the environmental and social benefits of each reforestation project. The total benefits measured are:
 

• 75,000 tons of CO2 stored
• 1,500,000 of animal shelters created
• 2,000,000 months of oxygen generated
• 500,000 hours of work created

“With the “1 Electrified Vehicle = 1 Tree” project, we have embedded corporate social responsibility at the very core of our business, counting on each employee and customer to embark on a sustainable journey towards adopting electrified vehicles”, says Alain Van Groenendael, Arval Chairman & CEO.

More on the project

Arval is helping to restore forests with Reforest’Action, which is in charge of overseeing and planting the trees in the Arval countries that are part of this project.

Reforest’Action, the forest specialist, is a B Corp-certified company dedicated to preserving, restoring and creating forests in France and around the world, in response to the climate emergency and loss of biodiversity. To do this, Reforest’Action selects forestry projects and supports them financially, guaranteeing their quality to develop their environmental, social and economic multifunctionality in the long term. Reforest’Action’s mission is made possible thanks to crowdfunding by individuals and businesses. Since its creation in 2010, Reforest’Action has planted and protected more than 10 million trees in 25 countries, raised awareness of the importance of forests among 20 million people, and created a positive impact on the living conditions of more than 150,000 people around the world. For more information, please see: Reforest’Action | I plant my forest (reforestaction.com)

* Electric or hybrid

Contact

For more information, please contact:

Frans van der Vegt, Manager Marketing, Communication and Innovation
frans.vandervegt@arval.nl

^{By Arjos Bot, Head of Consulting & Arval Mobility Observatory at Arval BNP Paribas Group & Marco Vrolijk, Online Content Specialist at Arval BNP Paribas Group}

Arval Mobility Observatory, onderdeel van Arval BNP Paribas Group, heeft een groot onderzoek uitgevoerd naar trends in mobiliteitsgebruik en verduurzaming bij Nederlandse organisaties. Uit interviews onder 250 Nederlandse organisaties blijkt het volgende:

• De focus binnen organisaties verschuift van (auto)leaseregelingen voor een selecte groep medewerkers naar een pakket aan mobiliteitsoplossingen voor alle medewerkers
• Kleine en grote organisaties voorzien een groei op gebied van autoleasing in de komende drie jaar, met een groeiend aandeel elektrische auto’s.
• De adoptie van (duurzame) mobiliteitsdiensten zoals een mobiliteitsbudget, deeloplossingen, short-term rental en gebruik van mobiliteitsplatforms groeit sterk.
• De Covid-19 pandemie zorgt voor een groeiende behoefte aan full operational lease én een versnelling van trends richting een breder en duurzamer mobiliteitsbeleid.

Uit het onderzoek is naar voren gekomen dat de komende jaren meer behoefte is aan duurzame en flexibele mobiliteitsoplossingen voor medewerkers. De Covid-19 pandemie zorgt voor een groeiende behoefte aan zowel operationele (auto)leaseregelingen als duurzamere mobiliteitsoplossingen. Het rapport laat zien dat in 2021 het aanbieden van mobiliteitsoplossingen voor alle medewerkers binnen een organisatie een trend is. Ook zal het aantal leasevoertuigen de komende drie jaar flink toenemen, met een sterke vraag naar duurzaam en elektrisch rijden.

Mobiliteitsregeling voor alle medewerkers en een groei aan leasevoertuigen

Waar voorheen een deel van de medewerkers een mobiliteitsregeling ontving, zoals een leasebudget, is de focus verschoven naar het bieden van mobiliteitsoplossingen voor álle medewerkers binnen de organisatie. Los van de omstandigheden rondom Covid-19 worden mobiliteitsregelingen kritischer bekeken. Drie op de vier Nederlandse organisaties heeft of verwacht een strategie gericht op CO2-reductie. Tegen de verwachtingen van vóór de Covid-19 pandemie in zal het aantal leaseauto’s bovendien de komende drie jaar flink toenemen.

Nederland voorop in omschakeling naar alternatieve technologieën

Het onderzoek laat tevens de leidende rol van Nederland zien in de omschakeling naar alternatieve technologieën zoals elektrische voertuigen. Deze omschakeling blijkt gemotiveerd door het feit dat veel Mobility en Fleet Managers zoeken naar een balans tussen budgetdoelstellingen en het voldoen aan milieu- en MVO-doelstellingen. Ook het voldoen aan wensen van werknemers en rekening houden met (toekomstige) milieuzones werden veel genoemd. Het gebruik van alternatieve technologieën (zoals HEV, PHEV en BEV) kan voor diverse opgaven een oplossing zijn.

De overstap naar elektrische voertuigen levert enerzijds namelijk brandstofbesparingen op en is steeds laagdrempeliger door de groeiende infrastructuur. Anderzijds levert de adoptie van elektrische voertuigen de gewenste verlaging van de CO2-footprint op, waarmee aan eisen voor imago en wettelijke normen kan worden voldaan. Acht op de tien organisaties gebruikt al elektrische technologie en over het algemeen verwachten zij uit te komen op zo’n 40% tot 50% elektrische voertuigen in de komende jaren.

Het volledige rapport is op deze pagina in te zien.

Contact

For more information, please contact:

Frans van der Vegt, Manager Marketing, Communication and Innovation
frans.vandervegt@arval.nl

The Board of Directors of BNP Paribas met on 29 April 2021. The meeting was chaired by Jean Lemierre, and the Board examined the Group’s results for the first quarter 2021. The result highlights have been summarized in the table below:

Commenting on these results, Chief Executive Officer Jean-Laurent Bonnafé, stated at the end of the meeting:

“BNP Paribas continues to mobilise all its resources and expertise to support individual, corporate and institutional clients and to contribute to the success of a solid and sustainable recovery.

While strengthening its environmental and social commitments and continuing its digital and industrial transformation, the Group relies on its diversified and integrated business model, robust financial structure, and the powerful execution capacity of its platforms to deliver solid results.

I would like to thank all BNP Paribas teams around the world who, after long months of a health crisis, are constantly working with their clients to help them adapt, put in place the right solutions and accompany the recovery of their activities.”