Euromoney Awards for Excellence 2020
For over 25 years, Euromoney, the leading publication on international finance, has presented “Euromoney Awards” to banks for excellence in various categories. This year, BNP Paribas received two global awards:
- World's Best Bank for Corporates
- World's Best Bank for Financial inclusion
“In this unprecedented context, we have worked tirelessly to remain as close as possible to our clients to continue to support their development or alleviate their difficulties. We are therefore particularly proud of these two awards, which acknowledge our commitment both to corporates and to the inclusion of the most vulnerable.”
Jean-Laurent Bonnafé, Director and CEO of BNP Paribas
Why is BNP Paribas the World’s Best Bank for Corporates?
BNP Paribas, a trusted banking partner for corporates
In a world where everything is accelerating and being profoundly changed by the energy transition, technological innovations and more recently the Covid-19 crisis, BNP Paribas continues to adapt and offer innovative solutions that have a positive impact on the economy and on its clients.
The strength of BNP Paribas’ integrated and diversified model
Our integrated and diversified model puts the Bank’s strategic and financial strength and its agility at the service of our clients around the world. During the health crisis, it enabled the Group to mobilize €250 billion in the service of European economies, while supporting our clients in their transformation and ecological transition.
As a European leader and a leading international banking player, BNP Paribas is recognized for the expertise of its teams and its transversal approach to its business lines, which are grouped into Corporate and Institutional Banking, Domestic Markets and International Financial Services, in order to offer the best possible service to our clients. For example, in the EMEA region, BNP Paribas’ banking teams coordinated more than €46 billion of DCM (Debt Capital Market) transactions over the past year. Similarly, the bank mobilized its Equity Capital Markets teams to coordinate numerous transactions during the Covid-19 crisis, acting as a “bridge” between our corporate clients and our institutional investors. More broadly, BNP Paribas acted as a key player in the implementation of support measures for companies of all sizes during this unprecedented period.
Sustainable development, at the heart of BNP Paribas’ strategic orientations
In addition, the Group continued to intensify its efforts in several areas to integrate sustainable development into its products and operating processes, introduce significant measures and help its clients to accelerate this transition. BNP Paribas has thus introduced proactive sector policies, taken financial steps to promote sustainable financing, and supported its clients in integrating sustainable development into their activities through innovative financing solutions. Sustainability Linked Loans, or positive impact loans, are part of this support and BNP Paribas was ranked first for coordinating ESG-related loans in the EMEA region in 2019 on a volume basis.
Why is BNP Paribas the World’s Best Bank for Financial Inclusion?
A long-standing strategic engagement for BNP Paribas
This is the first time that BNP Paribas has been rewarded for its strategy and achievements in the field of financial inclusion. Financial inclusion aims to ensure access to financial and banking services for all, including vulnerable populations.
The fight against social inequalities has been at the heart of the Group’s CSR strategy since it was defined in 2012. However, BNP Paribas’ commitment to inclusive finance predates 2012, notably with the launch of Projet Banlieues in France in 2005 by the BNP Paribas Foundation, as well as the first financing of a microcredit institution more than 30 years ago. Since then, the Group’s support for microfinance has benefited more than 2 million people through the financing of 84 microfinance institutions (MFIs) in 33 countries.
This scheme, like many other initiatives, reinforces the Group’s strategic commitment to having a positive impact on society, through partnerships and the introduction of financial innovations with a social purpose—the first French Social Impact Contract was issued with BNP Paribas in favour of ADIE, a French organization promoting access to financing.
In 30 years of microfinance:
cumulated loans
microfinance institutions
and...
countries
people benefiting, including 1.8 million women
An Group-wide, transversal approach to Financial Inclusion
Vulnerable and excluded populations are supported by our business lines that leverage their skills and know-how to do so. Many BNP Paribas entities offer products and services specifically designed for vulnerable clients. Examples include BNP Paribas Personal Finance, which is working to combat its clients’ over-indebtedness, and Nickel, the Group’s start-up, which offers prepaid bank accounts and a credit card with no access conditions. In France, the Bank also offers dedicated loans and guarantees to students to help them finance their studies and housing, while in Senegal, women running small farms can benefit from financing. In the area of insurance, BNP Paribas Cardif offers accessible products for the elderly and disabled.