BPCE_REGISTRATION_DOCUMENT_2017

SOCIAL, ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIETAL INFORMATION A range of services to meet the challenges facing our customers

Caisse d’Epargne initiatives In 2017, the Caisses d’Epargne consolidated their rank as the No. 1 bank for personal microloans (1) while also holding on to their leading position in the professional microloan segment. They are the only banks that offer support services adapted to the needs of microloan borrowers, via the Parcours Confiance association and the Créa-Sol microfinanceinstitution. A total of 70 advisors are dedicated to this activity across France, alongside over 600 partners providing support for borrowers. In 2017, 4,885 personal microloans and 3,012 professional microloans were issued by the Caisses d’Epargne, alongside 606 microloans via Créa-Sol. The Caisses d’Epargne play an active role in microloan development. At the national level, they are represented on the Steering and Supervisory Board of the Fonds de cohésion sociale (social cohesion fund). In 2017,threemajor areas for research and innovation emerged: housing: the Caisses d’Epargne and their federation stepped up ● their work in the housing segment by establishing a partnership with social housingmanagementnetworkHabitat en Région aimed at providing struggling tenants with an appropriate microloan, including to cover past-due rent (a program initially tested with Secours Catholique); support for female entrepreneurs: the Caisses d’Epargne, working ● through their federation and BPCE, renewed their partnershipwith the French State to promotefemale entrepreneurs,with the goal of seeing women make up 40% of entrepreneurs by 2020. This agreementwill be implementedthrough regional action plans over the course of 2018; mobility:in 2017 the FNCE rolled out an innovativelease financing ● offer with purchase option, funded with a microloan issued by the Caisses d’Epargne,in partnershipwith Renault. The goal is to allow job seekers to acquire a new car for a lower total cost than they would pay for a used car. Implementationof the offer will continue in 2018. Finally, the Caisses d’Epargne maintained their international commitments through their involvement in the European MicrofinanceNetwork (EMN) and the European Savings Bank Group (ESBG).The FNCE participatesin the EMNworkinggroup on the social achievements of microfinance and publishes a microfinance survey each year inpartnershipwith Convergences. Banque Populaire initiatives The Banque Populaire banks have invested in banking education,and some branches offer support to vulnerable customers. The bank’s employees or external partners provide training sessions to small groups of customers on topics such as budget management, using banking services and debt. Some banks also offer innovative budget educationsolutionsin the form of guides,games,videos or interactive modules that are available for free on the bank’s website or the website reserved for the bank’s cooperative shareholders. These solutions are used as educational material and allow customers to better manage their budget while improving their overall understandingof the banking industry. Via their Federation they are also membersof the Finances & Pédagogie association. Playing a pivotal role in financial education

Caisse d’Epargne initiatives Since its creation in 1957, Finances & Pédagogiehas been supported by the Caisses d’Epargne. Through this partnership, 21 regional employees implemented a teaching program in 2017 covering all types of money managementtopics. This financial education project is mainly devoted to teaching young people and preparing them to seek employment, informing people in economically and financially unstable situations, and training social aid professionals to support these demographic groups. It is also open to non-profit volunteers and employees inthe public or private sector. In 2017, 2,856 sessions were held with about 41,000 interns. They included: 15,000 young people from schools and vocationalcenters; ● 20,000 people receiving assistance from entities in the social and ● solidarity-based economyor othersocial organizations; over800 socialworkersand volunteers,mainlyfromthe socialservices ● divisions of associations, mentorship organizations, and local governments. All of these actions are intended as concrete responses to current priorities of banking inclusion and prevention of over-indebtedness. The initiatives take the form of workshops/training sessions that combine theoretical learning and practical experience. Nearly 3,800topics were covered in2017: 55% involved budgeting and money issues in everyday life; ● 16% involved banking and payment instruments; ● and 15% involvedissues related to credit, microloansand excessive ● debt. The association,which celebratedits 60 th anniversaryin 2017, is now recognizedas a pivotal figure of financial educationin France. It is a member of the Operational Committee for National Financial EducationStrategy run by the Banque de France. It is also accredited by the French Ministry of Education. Its key teaching materials are validated and incorporated in the educational library of the INC (French National Consumer Institute). Finances et Pédagogie works closely with over a thousand different public, privateand non-profitpartnersall aroundthe country. The Banque Populaire banks and the Caisses d’Epargne have taken various steps to facilitate access to banking services for persons with disabilities: they provide visually-impaired customers with free account ● statementsin Braille and some are issued specially-designedguides and checkbooks. They also endeavor to make their services accessible by installing ATMs with Braille and voice guidance features as well as specially-designedonline tools. In 2016, the networks provided special training focused on serving disabled customers (sign language, serving persons with disabilities, etc.). They directly encouraged the employment of persons with disabilities by raising awareness, advising local companies and offering practicejob interviews to job-seekers with disabilities; Promoting access to banking services for persons with disabilities

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Source: Fonds de cohésion sociale (social cohesion fund). (1)

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Registration document 2017