We began considering this possibility as early as summer 2023. It seemed to us like a natural evolution of the work we had already been doing in the area of corporate social responsibility at the bank, and we believed we were ready for a bigger step and a more structured presence.

Luciana Peres, president of Fundação BNP Paribas Portugal

Luciana Peres, President of Fundação BNP Paribas Portugal, shared with Observador her insights on the Fundação BNP Paribas Portugal first steps, as well as the first two projects that will be supported by the Fundação.

At the time of its launch, the Foundation is investing €1.5 million, directly allocated by the parent Foundation under the Climate & Biodiversity Initiative, which supports scientists studying the impact of climate change on marine biodiversity, in two Portuguese winning projects (out of 163 submitted worldwide) — a clear demonstration of the quality of work being developed in this field in the country.

These two projects fall under the strategic area of biodiversity, with a focus on increasing research capacity, and enabling scientists to find solutions that can ideally be scaled up to address conservation and restoration issues related to the marine environment and biodiversity.

Luciana Peres, president of Fundação BNP Paribas Portugal

Click here to read the full interview.

• With a 40-year success story in Portugal, the creation of the Foundation stems from the will to give back to a country that has contributed so much to the BNP Paribas Group and is now one of its strategic locations.
• The Foundation reinforces the Group’s commitment to the sustainable and inclusive development of Portuguese society, consolidating all philanthropic activities in Portugal under a single, unified vision.
• The Foundation’s motto is “We give power to those who take action!”, embracing networking as its preferred working method and promoting collaboration among all stakeholders, with a view to achieving systemic change in the areas in which it operates.
• Three strategic areas: Solidarity (inclusion through employment), Environment and Biodiversity (restoration and conservation of marine ecosystems), and Culture (access to culture and support for underrepresented artists).
• The investment in the year of launch includes €1.5 million for study and research projects on the impact of climate change on ocean warming and its consequences for marine species living in the Atlantic Ocean.

BNP Paribas announces the launch of the Fundação BNP Paribas Portugal, the 14^th Foundation of the BNP Paribas Group worldwide, with the aim of reinforcing the Group’s commitment to the sustainable and inclusive development of Portuguese society. The Foundation was created to respond to the country’s most pressing social, environmental, and cultural challenges, consolidating all the Group’s philanthropic activity in Portugal under a single vision, in the year in which BNP Paribas celebrates 40 years of activity in Portugal.

At the time of its launch, the Foundation is investing €1.5 million, directly allocated by the parent Foundation under the Climate & Biodiversity Initiative, which supports scientists studying the impact of climate change on marine biodiversity, in two Portuguese winning projects (out of 163 submitted worldwide) — a clear demonstration of the quality of work being developed in this field in the country:

• Gulf of Guinea: Migration of the Pelagic Marine Megafauna (OCEANPATH)

This project aims to establish a protected offshore marine migration corridor between Cape Verde and the Gulf of Guinea for blue sharks, mako sharks and whales. Using innovative monitoring technologies and 3D mapping, OCEANPATH seeks to improve predictions of migratory patterns and contribute to large-scale marine conservation.

• Temperature and Early Development of the small-spotted catshark (SHOW-IT)

Conducted in controlled aquarium conditions, this project studies the effects of ocean warming on the early immune and motor development of small-spotted catshark, comparing Atlantic and Mediterranean populations. Its findings will help inform the design of future marine protected areas.

“Acting for the common good to make the world better, more just, and more sustainable is embedded in the DNA of our patronage actions A major player in corporate patronage since 1984, the BNP Paribas Group has a strong presence in the global philanthropy landscape. Providing innovative solutions, protecting, repairing, inspiring, and upholding these ambitions, particularly with the vibrant forces that make up the BNP Paribas Group teams in Portugal, is essential.”

Anne Pointet, Head of Company Engagement for Group BNP Paribas.

“In a fractured and divided world, seeing the emergence of a new foundation in Portugal with the desire to innovate and support visionary actors in solidarity, the environment, and culture is excellent news. It reinforces a coalition now composed of 14 foundations and endowment funds of the BNP Paribas Group.”

Isabelle Giordano, Head of BNP Paribas Group Philanthropy.

With a 40-year history of success in Portugal, the creation of the Foundation reflects the will to give back to a country that has given so much to the BNP Paribas Group, and which is now one of its strategic locations. For several years, the BNP Paribas Group has defined its ambition as having a positive impact on society (“We are serving our customers and the world we live in”), contributing to sustainable development (using the 17 SDGs defined by the United Nations), through an ambitious social responsibility strategy with a strong philanthropic pillar. A company of BNP Paribas’s current scale in Portugal has the capacity to raise awareness and mobilize other companies and organizations—whether partners or clients—as well as, very effectively, its employees, now numbering more than 9,000, in collaborative work capable of generating real change. The Foundation aims to continue working closely with communities, side by side with those on the ground, supporting projects that create real and lasting impact, thereby deepening the bond that already exists.

“We believe in the power of collaborative work and coalition-building to achieve systemic change in our society and our planet. That is why we have adopted the motto for the BNP Paribas Portugal Foundation: We give power to those who take action! We will support innovative, challenging, well-founded projects capable of producing measurable impact in their areas of activity. For this reason, we are committed to and will invite employees, clients, partners, universities, and other organizations that share our vision — the development of a more inclusive and sustainable society — to join us in long-term investment in the areas and beneficiaries we have identified as priorities.”

Luciana Peres, President of BNP Paribas Fundação Portugal

An integrated approach to a more inclusive and sustainable society

The activities of the Fundação BNP Paribas Portugal are structured around three strategic areas:

1. Social, focused on social inclusion through increased employability, particularly among young people, women, and migrants in vulnerable situations;
2. Environment and Biodiversity, aiming to contribute to increased research capacity and the identification of scalable solutions for the conservation and restoration of marine biodiversity, with a focus on the Atlantic Ocean; and
3. Culture, committed to increasing access to cultural activities for those who usually do not have that opportunity, and to supporting artists from underrepresented groups in revitalizing Portuguese artistic expressions.

These three pillars will guide the Foundation’s activities and reflect its commitment to contributing to a more inclusive, sustainable, and participatory society.

The Foundation will work side by side with associations, institutions and other partners, strengthening the impact of supported projects through the sharing of knowledge, experience, collaborative networks, and the mobilization of the most appropriate resources for the success of each initiative. BNP Paribas employees will be invited to participate, reinforcing their commitment to the Bank’s social responsibility, as well as their role as citizens engaged in the world in which they live.

With a strategy aligned with the BNP Paribas Foundation, its parent foundation, the strategy of the BNP Paribas Portugal Foundation for the 2026–2028 period will greatly benefit from the experience accumulated in Portugal by BNP Paribas’s corporate social responsibility area, particularly in the field of social inclusion, now complemented by projects in the conservation and restoration of marine biodiversity and by the participation in and revitalization of artistic expressions of cultural identity.

BNP Paribas Portugal was distinguished at the 5th Edition of the Diversity Seal Awards. This is an initiative that recognizes organizations that actively promote diversity, equity and inclusion practices within their teams and in society.

This year, BNP Paribas was recognised with two distinctions:

• Diversity Seal in the category “Projects with Community Engagement”, for the Mosaico Programme.
• Honourable Mention in the category “Internal Projects to Promote Diversity, Equity and Inclusion” for the Disability Strikes Back initiative.

Find more on the following articles:

• Greensavers
• Human

Portugal’s Diversity Seal is an initiative promoted in a partnership between the Portuguese Association for Diversity and Inclusion and the High Commission for Migration, which has the goal to recognise organisations that develop and implement policies and practices aimed at promoting and valuing diversity.

According APPDI, the recognition of good practices, within the framework of the Diversity Seal, functions as a quality label and public acknowledgment, reinforcing the organization’s commitment to inclusion, enhancing its reputation, attracting talent, and generating both competitive and social advantages.

Preparing BNP Paribas for the future of talent and technological innovation

Sylvie Le Pottier, HEad of human resources bnp Paribas portugal

Sylvie Le Pottier, Head of Human Resources for BNP Paribas Portugal, shared with RHMagazine her insights on Portuguese talent and Human Resources trends, as well as her views on BNP Paribas Human Resources Portugal.

Click here to read the full interview.

BNP Paribas Portugal Continuous Improvement Team has received an Honorable Mention in the Culture category at the most recent edition of the Kaizen Award Portugal which took place on May 20 at Nova School of Business and Economics, in Carcavelos. 

The Culture category of the Kaizen Award Portugal acknowledges projects that clearly demonstrate the result of strategies implemented to spread a lean mindset across organizations, resulting in increased efficiency of services, process optimization and digitization of workflows.

This Honorable Mention, received by Cláudia Figueira and Lucas Corrêa Santos, Continuous Improvement Specialists, recognizes the WINs Program, BNP Paribas digital channel for continuous improvement ideas, as well as the achievements of the Lean Ambassadors in 2024, for their outstanding work as enablers of continuous improvement and efficiency across the organization. 

Kaizen Award in Portugal

The Kaizen™ Award Portugal is promoted by the Kaizen Institute Portugal, which provides consulting and training services to companies and public organizations, aiming to promote operational excellence through the implementation of Lean, Six Sigma, and other management tools.

This annual initiative recognizes organizations that excel in applying Kaizen principles and Lean methodologies and highlights projects that demonstrate operational excellence, innovation, sustainability, and continuous improvement. The awards aim to contribute to encourage the adoption of a continuous improvement culture across different sectors of the Portuguese economy.

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.