BNP Paribas Assurance launches three socially responsible investing funds with social and environmental focus

Rueil, march 31, 2009

Within the framework of its Corporate and Social Responsibility policy, BNP Paribas Assurance continues to promote Socially Responsible Investing¹ for individual investors.

After integrating environmental, social and governance (ESG²) factors in its general fund (55 billion euros), BNP Paribas Assurance is addressing expectations expressed by clients in a 2008 survey³ showing that half of all clients were ready to invest a portion of their contract in socially responsible funds.

According to the study 94% of the clients were interested in SRI funds with a focus on social values, and 93% were receptive to funds with an environmental focus. To address this demand, BNP Paribas Assurance has created three unit-linked products for clients seeking a proactive socially responsible investment approach:

BNP Paribas Aqua⁴, S.A.M Smart Energy⁵ and BNP Paribas Insertion Salariés⁶

All three of these funds are equity funds that are managed according to SRI criteria. The two environmental funds (BNP Paribas Aqua and S.A.M Smart Energy) invest in companies whose business mix is weighted towards environmental activities (water, renewable energies). The BNP Paribas Insertion Salariés reserves a maximum of 10% of its assets to investments in unlisted businesses and organizations that develop social solidarity programs.
All three funds are managed with a SRI approach that systematically takes into account environmental, social and governance criteria in the investment process.

The BNP Paribas Aqua fund is eligible for inclusion in life insurance contracts marketed by BNP Paribas and BNP Paribas Private Bank. Cardif life insurance contracts will propose all three of these new funds.

1: SRI: Socially Responsible Investing
2 : ESG : Environment, Social and Governance criteria
3 : see press release in Life Insurance and SRI, April 17, 2008
4 : BNP Paribas Aqua , managed by BNP Paribas Asset Management
5 : S.A.M Smart Energy, managed by S.A.M
6 : BNP Paribas Insertion Salariés, managed by Natixis AM

Detailed fact sheets for funds available on request.

About BNP Paribas Assurance
BNP Paribas Assurance (www.assurance.bnpparibas.com) is the Life and Property & Casualty insurance unit of BNP Paribas. It develops and markets products and services under two commercial brands. Products distributed through the BNP Paribas retail branch network in France are branded BNP Paribas. Those distributed by other channels in France and in international markets are branded Cardif. BNP Paribas Assurance is the world leader in creditor insurance and the fourth-largest life insurance company in France. Its life and non-life insurance units have received an AA rating from Standard & Poor’s. BNP Paribas Assurance is actively committed to exemplary Corporate Social Responsibility. It has adopted a Socially Responsible Investment program, encourages diversity throughout the enterprise (earning the "Equality at Work" label) and supports local economic development in the markets where it operates. BNP Paribas Assurance is equally committed to environmental responsibility, targeting a 10-percent reduction in the company's carbon emissions by 2010. It had gross written premiums of 16.1 billion euros in 2008. With operations in 41 countries, BNP Paribas Assurance generated 42% of its 2008 gross written premiums outside the BNP Paribas group and 37% of gross written premiums outside France. It counts 8,000 employees, 70% of them outside France.