Commitment to the Environment

Environmental Responsibility

Climate Change is undeniably one of the greatest challenges of our times. In 2019, the UK government committed to bring all greenhouse gas emissions to Net Zero by 2050. BNP Paribas UK has been taking further steps to play its part, whilst supporting the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

By engaging with our employees and working in partnership with our suppliers, we are committed to reducing the impact of our UK operations on the environment. We have been measuring our carbon footprint since 2012, and since then we have reduced our greenhouse gas emissions* per FTE by 51%.

*Scope 1, 2, 3 (Business Travel)

Progress against our key targets

Reducing our carbon emissions

In the UK, our primary objective is to support the BNP Paribas Group in reducing Scope 1, 2 and 3 (business travel) greenhouse gas emissions to 1.85 teqCO2/FTE by 2025. In 2024, the Group achieved 1.48teqCO2/FTE, with the UK Territory achieving a 25% reduction since the 2019 baseline.

In addition to this, we are working towards reducing absolute Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions across our UK operations by 60% by 2030 (compared to a 2018 baseline). In 2023, the UK achieved a 45% reduction.

Renewable Energy Procurement

BNP Paribas in the UK is committed to increasing its renewable energy supply, prioritising on-site renewables where practicable and off-site renewables that demonstrate additionality. In 2024, 99.1% of our UK electricity needs were met from renewable energy sources, backed by verified Renewable Energy Guarantee of Origins (REGO’s) and we continue to strive to reach our 100% target.

In 2023, BNP Paribas signed a 15-year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) for the renewable energy from a 46-hectare solar farm, which is expected to deliver over 40,000 MWh of renewable electricity annually. The project went live in June 2024. BNP Paribas’ long-term commitment to purchase the renewable power generated by the solar farm has enabled the development of this project, adding new capacity for renewable energy to the national grid and contributing to the energy consumed at our London Head Office.

Focus on Decarbonisation and Energy Efficiency

Investing in the decarbonisation of our offices and energy-efficient technologies continues to be the core focus for operations. In 2024, the UK achieved a 13% decrease in energy intensity (kWh/m2) compared to 2019.

In 2025 we will be installing an Air Source Heat Pump solution at one of our London offices, as part of our decarbonisation efforts. In addition to this we will be replacing the Heating and Air Conditioning system at our main London Head Office. Combined with our continued efforts to upgrade to LED lighting across various UK locations, these projects are expected to deliver considerable energy savings over the next few years.

Sustainability considerations are a key factor when relocating our premises. In 2023 BNP Paribas Leasing Solutions UK  moved to Midpoint in Basingstoke and in early 2025 BNP Paribas Personal Finance moved to AIR in Solihull. Both sites are EPC B rated and will contribute to ongoing energy savings.

Using resources responsibly

The BNP Paribas Group has set a paper consumption target of 70kg/FTE by 2025. This target has been achieved and in 2024 the paper consumption was 34kg/FTE for BNPP Group and 16kg/FTE for the UK Territory. We aim to further reduce paper use by investing in digital solutions, while adhering to a BNP Paribas Group wide sustainable paper sourcing policy.

As outlined in the Ocean Protection Statement we are committed to tackling plastic pollution by phasing out the use of single-use petrochemical based plastics across our operations. Our approach to resource management in the UK supports the circular economy and principles of the waste hierarchy, with a strong focus on waste prevention.

In 2024, we installed a biodigester at our London Head Office, turning food waste produced on-site into compost, which is then distributed to the local community.

Engaging our Employees

We run environmental campaigns throughout the year to educate all our employees across the UK on their own environmental impact, and the difference they can make, at work and home through their own behaviours and advocacy.

In addition, employees have the opportunity to train and acquire new skills through the Group Sustainability Academy, which was launched in 2022.

By the end of 2024, more than 1,500 UK employees had participated in Climate Fresk, a 3-hour training session focusing on the causes and consequences of climate change.

Working with our Supply Chain

Our Sustainable Sourcing Charter outlines the economic, environmental and social commitments that our suppliers are required to adopt.

In the UK, we pro-actively collaborate with our suppliers to ensure that our own operations are more sustainable, and to share best practice.

Certifications

To act as a framework, we have implemented Environmental Management Systems certified to ISO14001:2015, with >75% of UK operations currently certified.

For more information on the commitments of the BNP Paribas Group please click here.

You can find our environmental policies here.