Credit Agricole strives to develop efficiently and sustainably

Crédit Agricole S.A. Group, which is among TOP-10 the largest banks worldwide, strives to contribute to the environmental protection and the fight against climate change at the global, European and world levels. Credit Agricole Ukraine fully shares the Group's goals and launched its own Sustainable Development Strategy in 2024. The bank finances eco-projects, supporting energy independence and promoting sustainable consumption among customers and within the company.

"We aim to be among the top 3 green banks in the country. Supporting all customers in their sustainable growth is one of the main ambitions of the bank within the Sustainable Development Strategy", said Alexandre Tchesnakoff, Member of the Management Board at Credit Agricole.

The bank aims to actively engage local farmers in the transition to sustainable practices and support regenerative agriculture. We have to act right now, because our planet is suffering from the consequences of climate change.

“The summer of 2024 became the hottest in the last 70 years. The bank's team has visited farms in different regions of Ukraine and saw with their own eyes the consequences of increased floods, prolonged droughts and natural disasters. Companies that have switched to sustainable agricultural practices are already demonstrating resilience to climate change and adaptation to changing natural conditions”, noted Natalia Porvina, Head of Agro Business Support and ESG Department at Credit Agricole.

ESG risk management is an important step towards the sustainable development of the bank. In order to support customers seeking sustainable development, Credit Agricole has created an ESG questionnaire for agricultural producers.

"Our main approach is cooperation and customer engagement in sustainable initiatives, and our main tool is our unique expertise and experience. We actively finance the introduction of sustainable technologies for agricultural producers, as we have a wide set of partner programs and our own agro-expertise", highlighted Svitlana Semenovych, Head of ESG Direction at Credit Agricole.

Credit Agricole also extensively cooperates with international institutions and attracts investments in order to provide advantageous financing terms for environmental and energy-saving projects for customers.

"We work together with the EBRD, IFC and USAID to support small and medium-sized businesses in their drive for sustainable development", said Vladyslav Berezhnyi, Head of Trade & Structured Finance Department at Credit Agricole.

The change starts with each one of us. Therefore, it is crucial for Credit Agricole to develop a corporate eco-culture through continuous training and green initiatives for employees. The bank also shows the importance of social responsibility by its own example. Only since the beginning of the war, Credit Agricole has allocated UAH 150 million to support Ukrainian hospitals within its in-house We Саre! program.