AfE 2024
Since its foundation in 1885 as a cooperative and mutual bank, social usefulness has been central to Crédit Agricole’s business model. It was an early pioneer of sustainable finance. It was one of the first banks to commit to exiting the thermal coal industry by 2030 in OECD countries and by 2040 for the rest of the world.
At the end of 2023 it renewed and increased its commitments, undertaking to finance and invest massively in renewable energy, low-carbon infrastructure, clean technologies and energy-efficiency projects. It has also committed to support all customers big and small in their transitions and to stop financing any new fossil fuel extraction projects.
Philippe Brassac, chief executive of Crédit Agricole, put this in the context of a climate emergency, while clarifying that the bank would take a selective approach to supporting energy players engaged in this transition.