BNP Paribas, the bank for a changing world, is proud to present April 2008 as MilliontreesNYC month in New York City. The Bank has been present in New York City for over 30 years through its Corporate and Investment Banking division. Our involvement in this important initiative is aligned with BNP Paribas’ long term commitment to the environment and social responsibility.
MillionTreesNYC is a citywide, public-private initiative between the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation and New York Restoration Project with an ambitious goal to plant and care for one million new trees across New York City’s five boroughs over the next ten years. MillionTreesNYC was introduced on Earth Day last year as one of Mayor Bloomberg’s 127 PlaNYC initiatives to create a healthier, sustainable city, The MilionTreesNYC initiative will increase New York’s urban forest, its most valuable environmental asset, by an astounding 20 percent, while achieving the many quality-of-life benefits that come with planting trees.
Commenting on the initiative, Everett Schenk, CEO of BNP Paribas North America, said "BNP Paribas is very excited to partner with MillionTreesNYC to help the City change for the better. This is a great opportunity to give back to the City that has been our North American headquarters for over 30 years and to also give our employees the ability to volunteer their time to make New York greener.”
The MillionTreesNYC month in New York City will include the BNP Paribas Greenhouse erected in Union Square, Manhattan over four days from April 26th to 29th, to generate and accept donations from New Yorkers and to help educate about the importance of planting and preserving trees. The greenhouse will be staffed by BNP Paribas employee volunteers. There will also be a host of strong advertisements throughout the City including a billboard in Times Square, panel advertisements throughout the subways, bus stops and phone booths and a video advertisement in taxis. BNP Paribas will also donate 1200 trees to home owners in designated Trees for Public Health Neighborhoods throughout the City.
“When we learned of this partnership between the city and the private sector on such an important environmental initiative, we were anxious to be part of it. We are happy to be on board,” said Michele Sicard, Head of Corporate Communications for BNP Paribas in North America.
On a global basis, BNP Paribas is part of several key environmental programs such as Global Compact (in partnership with the United Nations) and the Carbon Disclosure Project which is one of the largest programs developments by a non-profit organization in the field of corporate gas emissions. BNP Paribas has been included in the DOW Jones index for socially responsible investment -Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI) - for the past 6 years
The Group also encourages the development of environmentally responsible investments. In 2007, BNP Paribas ranked 4th worldwide in renewable energy financing according to new Energy Finance magazine. Recent projects include the financing of four wind resorts in Europe and the largest solar power plant in the United States. In February 2008, BNP Paribas also became the largest shareholder of Impax; a British environmental company specialized in energy, water and waste processing.
The Bank’s commitment to Corporate and Social responsibility was recognized last year by the Foreign Policy Association who awarded BNP Paribas’s CEO, Baudouin Prot, the ‘Social & Corporate Responsibility’ award for 2007.
About BNP Paribas
BNP Paribas (www.bnpparibas.com) is a European leader in global banking and financial services and is one of the 4 strongest banks in the world according to Standard & Poor’s. The group is present in over 85 countries, with almost 163,000 employees, including 15,000 in the US. The group holds key positions in three major segments: Corporate and Investment Banking, Asset Management & Services and Retail Banking. Present throughout Europe in all of its business lines, the bank’s two domestic markets in retail banking are France and Italy. In the United States, BNP Paribas employs 15,000 people including 2,500 employees in its Corporate and Investment Banking as well as Asset Management and Services businesses which are headquartered in New York. It is also present in other financial hubs throughout the United States including Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Dallas, Houston, Miami and Boston. BNP Paribas also operates a retail banking business through its subsidiary Bank of the West with over 700 branches in the Western US.
Contacts:
Michele Sicard
Head of Corporate
Communications, New York
+212-841-3070
or
Edwina Frawley–Gangahar
Media
Relations, New York
+212-841-3719
or
Kerrie McHugh
Media
Relations, New York
+ 212-841-3809
