Impact companies supported through microfinance, impact bonds and impact investing
2025 Positive Impact & Inclusion Accelerator Activity Report
In 2025, the Group’s Positive Impact & Inclusion Business Accelerator (PIIBA) published its second annual activity report. This impact report aims to shed light on impact companies, organisations and social economy structures supported by the team’s innovative financing solutions and dedicated measurement tools.
One notable change since 2024 is that the team has broadened its scope beyond impact investing and impact bonds to now include financial and social inclusion – hence the addition of “Inclusion” to the Accelerator’s name – to provide tailored support through its microfinance, impact bond and impact investment activities. This also means that last year’s Microfinance report and PIBA impact report focused on impact investing and bonds are now consolidated into one unified 2025 activity report, complete with key figures, testimonials and new indicators through MESIS (“Measurement and Monitoring of Societal Impact” in French), the evaluation methodology that measures impact across 13 identified impact areas.
“The strength of collective action and trust have fostered strong synergies and inspiring successes: four new impact contracts were signed to launch experimental projects ranging from the integration of young people and those who receive public assistance, to the creation of a sector for the reuse of construction materials; two impact bond contracts were successfully completed; six investments were made to support various causes, ranging from helping elderly populations with aging in France or regenerative agriculture in Germany, to restoring marine protected areas in Indonesia. We also celebrated the 10th anniversary of Act for Impact, the Group’s programme dedicated to impact enterprises that was launched in France and has now developed in other European countries.”
Key figures related to microfinance, impact bonds and impact investing at the end of 2024
in financing and investments from microfinance, impact bond and impact investment activities
beneficiaries indirectly supported through 25 microfinance institutions
structures financed through direct and indirect investments in 39 countries
First development impact bond with NGO CARE successfully supports menstrual health and hygiene in Ethiopia
In 2025, the Group successfully concluded its first development impact bond (DIB), improving menstrual health and hygiene for women and girls in Ethiopia with measurable results over a three-year period. This experimental programme was started in 2022 by CARE France in partnership with two local NGOs and in close coordination with ministries, local government services, and school administrations.
In just three years, results included: an increase in awareness of menstrual health and hygiene across the community, improved school infrastructures to empower girls to confidently manage their periods, and a broader use of reusable menstrual pads that supported the emergence of a local market for these sanitary products, which have less of an environmental impact than disposable pads.
Key results from the first development impact bond
- 95 % of women and girls who took part in this programme now feel confident managing their menstrual health and hygiene (compared to 51% at the beginning of the programme)
- 400,000 men and women benefited from efforts to raise awareness around the importance of menstrual health and hygiene
- 30,000 menstrual kits distributed, including 120,000 reusable pads
The specificity of the development impact bond model is that as the initial investor, BNP Paribas takes on the financial risk of funding this experimental programme and is only reimbursed by the funder, Agence Française de Développement (AFD), if measurable impact objectives are met. Thanks to the promising results of this DIB, AFD and Ethiopian authorities plan to continue their partnership to potentially explore how to turn this programme into public policy.
Sustainable and inclusive microfinancing for entrepreneurs and small businesses in the Netherlands with NGO Qredits
This year, BNP Paribas deepened its commitment to the non-profit organisation Qredits with €10 million in Inclusive Sustainability-Linked Financing (ISLF+) for Dutch entrepreneurs and small businesses. With this sustainable and inclusive financing – the first of its kind in the Netherlands – BNP Paribas intends to support the just transition of Dutch entrepreneurs by incentivising the issuance of sustainability loans, such as investments in energy-efficient operations and circular solutions, as well as microfinancing.
The ISLF+ is an innovative financing solution developed by the Group in partnership with the JuST Institute in 2023 to support and accelerate the just and ecological transition by offering clients reduced interest rates based on their environmental impact and social performance. Since then, BNP Paribas has financed 9 ISLF+ contracts across several countries for a total amount of more than 100 million euros.
BNP Paribas and Publicis France announce the winners of the 4th edition of “My Com For Impact” in support of impact entrepreneurs and impact companies
This December 2025, BNP Paribas announced the winners of the fourth edition of its “My Com For Impact” competition. Created by BNP Paribas Commercial & Personal Banking in France and Publicis, the My Com For Impact programme helps impact entrepreneurs and impact companies increase their visibility through a tailored marketing and communications strategy.
The ten 2025 My Com For Impact winners are: 900.care, Funkie, HyLight, Ilek, Les Alchimistes, Le Fourgon, Older is Better (Underdog), Ouihelp, Solinum and Synapse Medicine. Synapse Medicine is the winner of the My Com For Impact “Grand laureat” prize and Solinum took home the jury’s “Coup de Coeur” prize.
Supporting the innovation of impact entrepreneurs and impact companies dedicated to the social and solidarity economy
Anne Pointet, Head of Company Engagement of BNP Paribas, recently published a tribune in the French media outlet L’Opinion focused on how innovation is key to driving the social and ecological transition. In this tribune, Anne Pointet underscores the Group’s commitment to supporting impact companies and innovative solutions that are making this transition possible through initiatives like the BNP Paribas Act For Impact programme and the WAI (We Are Innovation) by BNP Paribas.
While large companies and the public sector create and implement innovation on a large scale, startups and mid-caps are also a wealth of innovation. Over the past ten years, BNP Paribas has continued to adapt and develop banking and non-banking solutions to support these companies at all stages of their maturity.
