« Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. ». The Brundtland Report 1987.
The FINANCIAL Group and Sustainable development
The FINANCIAL Group’s historic commitment to sustainable development is based on a firm conviction. It is also encouraged by its employees, customers and partners.
The FINANCIAL Group has adapted the generic definition of sustainable development to suit the needs of a financial institution. Our objective is to satisfy current development needs without compromising those of future generations, based on a responsible approach to the role of banker, which takes into account the interests of all our stakeholders: shareholders, customers, employees and civil society.
The Group's chairman, Rémy Baysset, first embraced sustainable development when he found that he had to adapt traditional banking methods to the African markets where he was developing his business, unless he wanted to alienate the 90% of economic players who were excluded from the banking system.
Furthermore, as a financial intermediary for those who are actively involved in the economy, the FINANCIAL Group plays both an active and a passive role in disseminating good practice with regard to development.
A vision anchored in the values of the Group
The principle of sustainable development in action in the Group has been anchored in the culture of the business since its creation. It is an essential component of the Group's strategies, which advocate the development of a socially equitable economy.
Commercial development
- Our commercial policies and the products we design for our customers contribute to social development: company loans to employees, loans to creators of microenterprises, project financing and so on;
- The dissemination of good practice with regard to sustainable development with the economic players we finance.
Staff management
- Principle of a social, cultural and generational mix amongst our employees;
- Recruitment and integration policy for better management of the future;
- Training policy for our employees' professional development;
- First-class social dialogue;
- Recruitment of disabled staff.
Environmental protection
- Sparing use of energy resources;
- Internal promotion of energy saving principles;
- Promotion of environmental principles with customers, and financing for environmental projects.
Organisation for sustainable development
In order to take into account the interests and constraints of all our contacts and partners, both internally and externally (our employees, customers, shareholders and the regulatory authorities) the FINANCIAL Group ensures that each individual has a special place within an appropriate organisational structure:
- Corporate governance practices;
- Improved risk management;
- Rigorous internal control procedures;.
- Code of professional conducts;
- Forums for dialogue between employees at the same level, and up and down the management structure;
- Dissemination of sustainable development concepts to all employees, without discriminating on the basis of their position in the hierarchy.