Societe Generale constantly strives to minimise its impact on climate change

Climate change is a complex scientific field in which a company like Société Générale has no specific expertise. What it does have however, given its size and activities, is an obligation to gather objective information on society's most pressing issues. Climate change is one of those issues. While a risk that is unevenly spread according to country (the impact on the southern hemisphere is expected to be higher than on the northern hemisphere) and sector of activity, it also presents extraordinary opportunities for responsible companies that are committed to intelligent growth which respects man and nature and current and future generations.
Making it a priority in our activities…
Société Genérale's policies and practices when it comes to managing credit risk all include the assessment of any environmental (often more tangible than climate risks alone) /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin-top:6.0pt; margin-right:0cm; margin-bottom:6.0pt; margin-left:0cm; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; mso-hyphenate:none; font-size:10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Arial; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language:EN-GB; layout-grid-mode:line;} @page Section1 {size:612.0pt 792.0pt; margin:70.85pt 70.85pt 70.85pt 70.85pt; mso-header-margin:36.0pt; mso-footer-margin:36.0pt; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Tableau Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} and social risks that may affect the Group’s activities. They are core factor in ensuring sustainable development.
This approach provides opportunities of added-value to all business lines:
  • Retail Banking: development of a range of "green" consumer and property loans and a successful remote banking services offer;
  • Corporate and Investment Banking: green financing, carbon and renewable energy markets, development project financing, particularly in emerging countries;
… and making it our business
Conscious of the responsibility that goes with employing over 159,000 members of staff, Société Generale is determined to adapt its internal activities.
It is notably committed to reducing its CO2 emissions by 11% per occupant between 2008 and 2012 and to achieving carbon neutrality by 2012 via gradual voluntary offsetting.
To do so, the Group intends to reduce energy consumption in its buildings, better harness new technologies, cut down on paper consumption and implement a more responsible "transport" policy through ongoing awareness campaigns amongst staff.