How BNP Paribas boosted engagement in their employee volunteering and giving program
BNP Paribas in Switzerland With nearly 1,300 employees and a presence in Geneva, Zurich and Lugano, BNP Paribas (Suisse) SA is a leading European bank in Switzerland for corporates, institutions and private clients. Active in Switzerland since 1872, we strive for long term development with a clear strategy for each business line: To be the preferred partner of Corporates and Institutions, supporting them in their development both in Europe and beyond with our “One Bank for Corporates” initiative. To be a leader in Wealth Management in terms of expertise and service for private clients and entrepreneurs. The BNP Paribas Group integrated model enables us to offer our clients the financial stability of a leading bank in Europe with international reach and its wide range of products and investment. By developing long-term close working relationships with our clients, we support the transition of society to a more sustainable economic model.
Company:
BNP Paribas in Switzerland
Industry:
Banking & Finance
Number of employees:
1,300 (across 3 locations)
Case focus:
Boosting participation in CSR by digitising their employee volunteering and giving program
The context Developing employee engagement is a pillar of the bank’s CSR strategy. Clémence Francelle, CSR and Corporate Philanthropy Programme Manager, manages the bank’s CSR activities, including volunteering events to engage the bank’s employees in Switzerland. She highlights their main challenges and how they partnered with Alaya to reach 40% employee participation. The bank's Corporate Social Responsibility strategy covers all the economic, social, civic and environmental issues associated with making finance more sustainable. They are working to fully integrate environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues and positive impact into the bank's activities and business model; to control and reduce their own ecological footprint; to value diversity and inclusion in their teams on a daily basis; and to develop partnerships with a high socioenvironmental impact. Volunteering is part of BNP Paribas' approach to being a socially responsible player while also responding to the aspirations of its employees. It provides employees with a real opportunity for personal fulfilment by putting their skills, know-how and time to work in the public interest.
The challenge The bank has been offering occasional volunteer work in the field as well as skill-based volunteering assignments for several years now, but at the end of 2018, the Group wanted to make employee solidarity a pillar in its Corporate Responsibility program. To this end, the bank in Switzerland made it part of their policies, by giving each employee 8 hours (since increased to 16 hours, or 2 working days) to take part in volunteer actions during their working time. Their main challenges were to: Boost employee participation Expand their offer of volunteering opportunities with a larger number of nonprofit organisations and on a variety of themes that could meet the interests and passions of each employee and are aligned with the Group’s priority targets Manage the workload that this represents
The solution An all-in-one digital platform By implementing an easy-to-use online platform, employees are able to be part of the program wherever they are in the world. With a choice of activities available at their fingertips and can easily participate in various
Screenshot
ways, such as: Field volunteering Skills-based and online volunteering Monetary or in-kind donations
An engaging user experience By having everything in one place, employees are able to see and register for upcoming events and activities online - and pick what suits their interests. Employees are also able to see what their colleagues are up to and get inspired by their actions by sharing photos and updates on the Newsboard! This helps boost engagement and participation of their program.
Dedicated support & industry expertise Alaya also provides BNP Paribas with day-to-day support to develop these actions, both through its knowledge of the nonprofit ecosystem (such as selecting projects aligned with their program pillars for corporate campaigns and donations) and with the operational management of the events, allowing a continuously growing number of propositions to employees with limited additional workload for the CSR team.
The results
40% of employees active on the platform "After a year and a half of working with Alaya, nearly 40% of our employees are active on the platform. In 2019, 260 employees gave more than 850 hours of their working time to support the work of local nonprofit organisations. The collective enthusiasm and individual engagement shown during events shows that solidarity engagement is a lever of motivation for the bank's employees."
Clémence Francelle, CSR and Corporate Philanthropy Programme Manager BNP Paribas Switzerland
Tips and advice for other companies 1.
The search for meaning in one's professional day-to-day is a reality that is increasingly shared, and a company that supports and encourages the commitment of its employees in solidarity actions contributes to meeting this expectation.
2.
With the right support, regularly offering volunteer activities with no
3.
Through the mobilisation of all actors in society, a more sustainable
additional workload is possible for any company.
and fair economy will be possible. This is why all forms of collaboration between companies, nonprofit organisations, public authorities and civil society are essential in this transition towards a more responsible growth!
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