OREANDA-NEWS. June 30, 2016. Jean-Laurent Bonnaf, Chief Executive Officer and Director of BNP Paribas, has marked the commitment of the Group by signing the ILO1 Business Charter on disability inclusion. This ceremony was held today  in presence of  the French Minister of Disability, S?gol?ne Neuville, the CEO of Carrefour, Georges Plassat, and the Director-General of the ILO, Guy Ryder. Carrefour, in its capacity as current Chair of the ILO GBDN Steering Committee, was hosting this event in its Head Office.

The signature of this Charter strengthens the BNP Paribas's overall non-discrimination and diversity policy. It expresses the desire of the management of the Group to take a new step forward by encouraging a global worldwide innovative approach and by committing to go beyond legal requirements.

BNP Paribas wants to contribute to change the way disability is perceived: sharing best practices with the ILO network is a great opportunity to reinforce the willingness of the Group and to reach this ambitious objective.

The only tripartite U.N. agency since 1919, the ILO (International Labour Organization), brings together governments, employers and workers representatives of 187 member States, to set labour standards, develop policies and devise programs promoting decent work for all women and men. BNP Paribas has become a member of the ILO Global Business and Disability Network in 2016.

This organization is a network of multinational enterprises, employers' organizations, business networks and disabled persons' organizations who share the conviction that people with disabilities have talents and skills that can enhance virtually any business.

The network enables BNP Paribas to exchange worldwide good practices on recruitment of persons with disabilities and better inclusion in the workplace.

BNP Paribas is also engaged to develop a better accessibility for its clients. For example, BNP Paribas Fortis is the first company in Belgium to carry off the 'Disability Matters Europe' award. 'Disability Matters' is an international conference and awards program devised by US-based Springboard Consulting LLC to honor companies that show exemplary performance in making their services and/or workspaces accessible to people living with a disability.

BNP Paribas Fortis has been selected to receive the 'Europe Marketplace Award 2016', which has been handed over at a ceremony in Paris on 23 June.

In more than 20 countries in which we BNP Paribas has a presence, the company signed agreements or introduced measures to facilitate the hiring and retention of employees with disabilities.

BNP Paribas has 3,200 employees with disabilities worldwide. The HR and Diversity teams and the Group’s managers strive each year to improve the indicators: 

- Increasing the proportion of persons with disabilities hired directly.

- Optimising the careers of employees with disabilities by making any arrangements that will help them remain in work and contributing to the design of tools using new technologies. 

- Informing, training and raising the awareness of managers and employees to improve their understanding of different types of disability and to help break down stereotypes (guides, awareness-raising workshops, talks, etc.).

Since 2016, the trade unions have recognised our commitment and have all signed the BNP Paribas SA Disability France agreement. Between 2012 and 2015, the proportion of employees with disabilities increased from 2.8% to 3.6%. This new agreement is aimed at strengthening the package of measures undertaken under the new ambitious commitments that are intended to build on the experience of previous years.

“We want our commitment on disability to be overall. Work on accessibility for people with a disability is a benefit for all. Aspiring to be the reference among European banks with a global reach, our contribution to a better consideration of disability situations is essential, in particular in the digital transformation of our services, to attract and retain talents. With the signing of the ILO Business Charter on disability, we express our willingness to go a step further by encouraging a global stand for our 75 countries and committing to go beyond local regulations”, said Jean-Laurent Bonnaf?.

More than 10 years of commitment - BNP Paribas was one of the first banking groups to adopt a policy to prevent workplace discrimination and promote diversity. In 2006 it included discrimination risk in its 30 major operational risks. BNP Paribas also ensures that all differences are respected and valued. Its Diversity policy is firmly focused on promoting equal opportunities and inclusion.

Since 2004, the group's Diversity policy is implemented on a daily basis with the signing of agreements, diversity training to curtail stereotypes, measures to advance equal opportunities for men and women and to increase the international profile of management teams, a Disability policy to facilitate the recruitment and integration of disabled employees, partnerships with specialised associations and support for employees' networks that foster inclusion.

About BNP Paribas

BNP Paribas is a leading bank in Europe with an international reach. It has a presence in 75 countries, with more than 189,000 employees, including more than 146,000 in Europe.

The Group has key positions in its three main activities: Domestic Markets and International Financial Services (whose retail-banking networks and financial services are covered by Retail Banking & Services) and Corporate & Institutional Banking, which serves two client franchises: corporate clients and institutional investors. The Group helps all its clients (individuals, community associations, entrepreneurs, SMEs, corporates and institutional clients) to realise their projects through solutions spanning financing, investment, savings and protection insurance. In Europe, the Group has four domestic markets (Belgium, France, Italy and Luxembourg) and BNP Paribas Personal Finance is the leader in consumer lending.

BNP Paribas is rolling out its integrated retail-banking model in Mediterranean countries, in Turkey, in Eastern Europe and a large network in the western part of the United States. In its Corporate & Institutional Banking and International Financial Services activities, BNP Paribas also enjoys top positions in Europe, a strong presence in the Americas as well as a solid and fast-growing business in Asia-Pacific.

1 International Labour Organisation