About Laurence Pessez

I’m convinced by the increasing role that financial institutions can play to tackle environmental and social challenges. Since 2010, I’m striving to achieve this ambition thanks to my position as Global Head of Corporate and Social Responsibility of BNP Paribas.

Since then, the Group has taken many voluntary and structuring commitments to contribute to a fairer and sustainable economy transition. Starting with the integration of extra-financial criteria in the financing and investment decision processes of key sectors such as energy, agriculture, and defense. The remuneration of the top managers and of more than 7,000 key employees are also based on these criteria.

More recently, in 2021, we took the decision to manage our financing, investment and insurance activities to reach a carbon neutral economy in 2050. All banking services and functions are taking an active part on a day-to-day basis to reach this target. In addition to that, the 200,000 BNP Paribas employees can also benefit from sustainable finance trainings.

Sustainability has a strategic role – Sustainable finance, ESG & CSR – no matter how we name it, we always refer to the same topic – it has been materialized in the Group’s 2022-2025 plan: Growth, Technology and Sustainability. This period is a completion and the beginning of a new exciting phase, the one of maturity that of course goes together with its corollary of regulations, controls and standardized processes. A stage of increasing collaborations between stakeholders and the expansion of a new range of possibilities.

More than ever, the exchanges and share of points of view with our clients and peers and all our stakeholders are key, as the topic is becoming increasingly complex, whether it is about climate, biodiversity or human rights, a fortiori in the current geopolitical context.

To this end, my role as Vice-President of the European think tank IDDRI, Banking board member of the United Nations’ Principles for Responsible Banking and of the board of the Institut de la Finance Durable, as well as the exchanges on LinkedIn, are nourishing and helping me to contribute to transform the banking industry.
I would be pleased to get in touch!