2020 Universal registration document and annual financial report - BNP PARIBAS 601

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A COMMITTED BANK: INFORMATION CONCERNING THE ECONOMIC, SOCIAL, CIVIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSIBILITY OF BNP PARIBAS

Our environmental responsibility: accelerating the ecological and energy transition

Commitments 2018 Status 2020

In its own sphere of operation, BNP Paribas has undertaken to reduce its paper consumption per employee by 30% between 2012 and 2020

Almost 50% reduction in 2019, reaching 65% in 2020

The Group reduced its direct impact on forest ecosystems and their biodiversity through its paper consumption. BNP Paribas drastically reduced its paper consumption per employee between 2012 and 2020, with a reduction of nearly 50% achieved in 2019, and almost two-thirds in this year of the health crisis. On the remaining consumption, it is on track to reach its target to source at least 80% of sustainable paper (see Use responsible purchasing and reduce waste production, Commitment 11).

and to increase the portion of responsibly- sourced paper (recycled or PEFC/FSC- certified) in its supply to at least 80% by 2020

Rate in 2020 of 73%, up from 62.5% in 2018

(1) Thanks in particular to their ambitious public commitment and the work carried out as part of the Soft Commodities Compact, the member banks of this group are leaders in the field. Using technical guidelines developed in consultation with banks and stakeholders, banks have established or updated policies to combat deforestation. Today, Forest 500 ranks the members of the Soft Commodities Compact among the most advanced banks in terms of policy all are among the top 30 of the 150 financial institutions in this area (and BNP Paribas is ranked five).

New commitments were made in January 2021. They should be published during the year, after validation by the Act4nature Steering Committee.

Ocean conservation, a must for BNP Paribas

BNP Paribas recognises the crucial role of the oceans for the environment and climate, as well as for people and economies. The Group is also a major player in the financing of global maritime transport. In 2019, BNP Paribas took a public position on the oceans, summarising the actions it has already taken and making new commitments towards ocean conservation. The Group wants to actively participate in its preservation:

■ by focusing its financing on activities that are sensitive from the point of view of ocean biodiversity;

■ through proactive support for initiatives that contribute to a sustainable economy that respects marine ecosystems and people.

In line with SDG 14 Life Below Water , BNP Paribas frames funding in the areas of maritime transport, fisheries and aquaculture, underwater extraction of natural resources, marine renewable energies and land- based activities closely linked to the ocean.

The Group, a major player in the financing of maritime transport on a global scale, is continuing its work with its customers to support the ecological transition of vessels. A funding budget of EUR 1 billion by 2025 has been committed for this purpose in 2019. In 2020, BNP Paribas also supported the launch of the voluntary certification Green Marine Europe, as a member of the development committee for the Surfrider Foundation Europe.

Finally, aware of the key role of corals in marine biodiversity, BNP Paribas contributed to the creation of the Global Fund for Coral Reef a blended finance fund involving the Albert II of Monaco Foundation, the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation, the UN and Mirova/Natixis Investment Managers.

Urban biodiversity: a key issue for BNP Paribas Real Estate

The real estate sector has a major role to play when it comes to biodiversity: not only must it reduce its impacts, but biodiversity contributes to urban resilience by bringing countless benefits to towns and cities, city dwellings and buildings.

In 2020, BNP Paribas Real Estate affirmed in its Biodiversity Charter(1) its ambition to contribute to reducing soil degradation and the development of biodiversity . BNP Paribas Real Estate is increasingly in discussions with its clients to measure and minimise the net use of artificial materials of their real estate projects. BNP Paribas Real Estate incorporates biodiversity into the projects it designs, renovates, manages and occupies, for example through pre-development environmental audits, the reduction of impermeable surfaces, the creation of vegetated rainwater storage and filtration facilities, and the re-vegetation of sites and buildings, environmental certifications, BiodiverCity certification(2), etc.).

In addition, BNP Paribas Real Estate publicly supports several biodiversity initiatives. For example, it has joined the International Biodiversity Property Council (IBPC) and signed the call to action for greener towns and cities.

(1) Available online: https://bnppre.isivalue.com/reporting/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Biodiversity-Commitment-Charter_EN-FINAL.pdf

(2) More details on the BiodiverCity label: http://cibi-biodivercity.com/en/biodivercity/