We are proud to share that BNP Paribas Portugal was recognized as the Best Company for Diversity and Inclusion (end user) in the Women in Technology and Data Awards with the project GM IT (Global Markets Technology) Women bootcamp.

This award aims to celebrate companies that have sought to promote women where appropriate and contribute to improve the gender balance in Technology and Data roles across the capital markets. A recognition that reflects BNP Paribas Portugal’s efforts in increasing the representation of women at all levels.

Gender equality is an important dimension of our commitment to Diversity and Inclusion. Having more talented and empowered women in tech roles will allow us to boost collaboration and innovation in our teams which will consolidate the Group’s lead over other companies in the sector.

Sylvie Le Pottier
Head of Human Resources, BNP Paribas Portugal

GM IT (Global Markets Technology) Women Bootcamp

Get to know the project behind this recognition.

The “GM IT Women bootcamp” is a transformative program designed to support and onboard junior female developers from top coding institutions such as Code for All, 42 Lisboa, Ironhack Portugal, and Le Wagon Portugal into the technology field.

This program has a unique approach. It combines intensive training, hands-on experience, and personalized mentorship to prepare participants for successful careers in IT.

Mikhail Khasin
Head of Global Markets IT, BNP Paribas Portugal

This first edition had +40 applications, within which BNP Paribas selected the most promising 10 students, who for 9 months worked side by side with an experienced mentor who provided guidance and career advice.  The result? An empowered group of female developers, all converted to permanent employees, that are now equipped with the tools they need to thrive in the tech industry.

“Investment banking for large companies is already a very important business in Portugal, but the idea is to make it even bigger.”

Diogo Malato Moura
Head of CIB Front Office BNP Paribas Portugal

Diogo Malato Moura, Head of CIB Front Office BNP Paribas Portugal, shared with ECO his insights on Portuguese and international markets, as well as his views on BNP Paribas CIB’s operation in Portugal.

Click here to read the full interview.

Through the Climate & Biodiversity Initiative, the BPNP Paribas Foundation supports scientific research teams internationally who study the interactions between climate and biodiversity. Its goal is to improve knowledge of the interactions between climate and biodiversity to assess the impacts of their disruption on our environment and societies.

Since 2010, the Foundation has supported more than 500 scientists worldwide, a total of 35 scientific research projects with a total budget of €24million.

✅ between 7 and 15 research projects (fundamental and/or applied research)

✅ will be funded over a period of three years (2026–2028)

✅ for a total budget of €7 million.

With the theme “Ocean & coastal ecosystems“, the new 2025 call for projects is open!

Supporting scientific research on climate and biodiversity

As part of its commitment to the environment, since 2010, the BNP Paribas Foundation has been supporting research on climate and biodiversity by working with international research teams.

With a budget of €7 million over three years to fund and promote between 7 and 15 projects, this programme is based on the organisation of a call for projects every three years. During this call for projects, a rigorous selection process led by leading figures in their field of research is put in place to select the boldest, most innovative projects with the greatest impact.

Its objective?

To select research projects aimed at improving knowledge of the interactions between climate and biodiversity and their effects on our societies. It also encourages researchers to identify nature-based solutions to climate change and biodiversity loss.

In 2023, 8 new international research projects joined the programme. Some of the winning research projects, for example, are looking at ocean acidification, how forests – whether plant or animal forests – capture and store carbon, or the resistance of fruit trees to climate change.

Key takewaways

•  Application phase:  21 January – 4 May 2025
• Evaluation and pre-selection phase: 2 May – October 2025
• Final decision:  November 2025

What is Top Employer?

The Top Employer label is an international certification awarded by the Top Employers Institute, an independent body that certifies the quality of companies’ HR practices.

Each year, an audit is carried out based on around 250 questions covering 19 key areas such as well-being, diversity & inclusion, talent acquisition and skills development, etc.

The Top Employer Europe certification is based on the assessment of the company’s ability to meet standards, established at local and European level, which change each year.

Local and European recognitions

After another high scoring audit conducted by the Top Employers Institute and covering 20 Human Resources related themes, BNP Paribas has now have now renewed its certification, both at European and local levels in Portugal, Spain, France, Luxembourg, Poland, Turkey and Ukraine. 

With a global average score of 89.91%, BNP Paribas distinguishes itself compared to others 1281 Top Employer’s Europe, on topics like:

• Diversity & Inclusion with a rating of 93,16%, (+ 14,42 points compared to benchmark)
• Well-being with a rating of 89,19%, (+ 11,8 points compared to benchmark)

We are honored to receive the Top Employer certification in Portugal, for the third year in a row. This prestigious award recognizes our commitment to nurturing a workplace where our people feel empowered, valued and respected. At BNP Paribas Portugal, we foster collaboration, diversity and well-being, creating a safe environment where everyone can thrive both professionally and personally.

Sylvie Le Pottier
Head of Human Resources for BNP Paribas Portugal

BNP Paribas Portugal was recognised at the 2024 HR Awards, where it received two awards: Global HR Strategy and Employer Branding. These rewards celebrate the Group’s commitment to excellence in people management, impactful HR practices and a positive workplace culture. 

• Global HR Strategy – in the large companies’ category, this award recognises the commitment to impactful HR policies and the positive influence on internal management and social responsibility. 

• Employer Branding Award – acknowledging an Employer Branding Strategy focused on fostering a strong internal culture and effectively communicating its values externally, both grounded on the Group´s Employee Value Proposition.

Full details available here.

• Launched for the first time in 2015 by the BNP Paribas Foundation, Dream Up is an international programme that covers 29 countries and currently has 30 active projects. Its purpose is to take art, origins, stories and culture as a starting point for structured and sustained educational practice, helping participants to develop critical thinking, storytelling, cooperation, teamwork, as well as project management skills that will help them throughout their personal and professional lives.
• The BNP Paribas Foundation’s ambition is to provide long-term support for the talents, innovative projects and personalities who will help change the world, giving them visibility and making their projects sustainable, whether cultural, social or environmental.
• The programme has already supported more than 50,000 children in 29 countries.
• The 4th edition of Dream UP in Portugal, a project by BNP Paribas, has selected Skoola, a non profit organization whose mission is to take culture to younger generations, so that they can enjoy cultural and musical practice, regardless of their social or economical background. With said objective, SKOOLA offers scholarships which promote inclusion and equality of opportunities, boosting its social impact.

Público interview available here

• The BNP Paribas Foundation has created Dream Up an educational programme with the aim of contributing to the social inclusion of children and young people through the learning and regular practice of artistic expression activities.
• Applications for the programme, which has already supported more than 50,000 children in 29 countries, are open between 15 January and 29 February.

BNP Paribas in Portugal announces the opening of applications for the 4th edition of Dream Up, which takes place from 15th January to 29th February. This educational programme aims to promote the social inclusion of children and young people at risk of exclusion (whether due to social background or physical condition) by learning and regularly practising artistic expression activities, such as music, singing, dance and drama, as a complement to their formal schooling. For this purpose, an annual donation of 20,000 euros will be made over the next three school years, making a total of 60,000 euros, to which can be added other donations in kind and through Corporate Volunteering, carried out by the Bank’s more than 8,000 employees in Portugal, who are available to support both the associations and the children and young people, through study support, for example.

Learning and practising performative and visual activities from an early age favours self-knowledge, communication, creativity and many other essential skills in the training of each person. Dream Up gives the opportunity to access and develop their potential in areas of artistic expression for hundreds of children and young people in situations of social vulnerability. It’s a programme that plays a fundamental role by achieving our corporate social responsibility objectives in Portugal. To this extent, we are very excited to be launching its 4th edition which, in its 12 years of existence, has already supported more than 3,000 children and young people, thus contributing to a society that wants to be more inclusive

Luciana Peres, head of Corporate Social Responsibility, Diversity and Inclusion at BNP Paribas Portugal.

Launched for the first time in 2015 by the BNP Paribas Foundation, Dream Up is an international programme that covers 29 countries and currently has 30 active projects. Its purpose is to take art, origins, stories and culture as a starting point for structured and sustained educational practice, helping participants to develop critical thinking, storytelling, cooperation, teamwork, as well as project management skills that will help them throughout their personal and professional lives.

The BNP Paribas Foundation’s ambition is to provide long-term support for the talents, innovative projects and personalities who will help change the world, giving them visibility and making their projects sustainable, whether cultural, social or environmental.

Apply here.

Education and technology. Education and creativity. Education and business. Education and family. Education for all.

After the success of the first episode, BNP Paribas presented the second episode of the Challenging the Future cycle, hosted and created by BNP Paribas Portugal.

• Should curricula be adjusted to the needs of companies? 
• What tools are we giving to young people and children?
• Should tablets and technology in general be integrated into our schools?
• Artificial intelligence (and Chat GPT, among others): how can we maintain critical spirit and creativity within automatism?
• What is the role of the family?

Under the topic Education today: new frontiers?, the panel, moderated by João Miguel Tavares, discussed this and much more with recognised specialists: 

• António M. Feijó: Chairman of the Board of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation
• Clara Palma: Vice-President of Educational Policy at AAUL – Academic Association of the University of Lisbon
• Miguel Herdade: Associate Director of the Ambition Institute (UK)
• Susana Peralta: Associate Professor at Nova SBE

The session was held in Portuguese, in digital format.

See the full episode below