Strategy

Social strategy

This implements our principles of utility and universality in an environment of profound societal changes that generate uncertainty and require support and inclusion for all. As a result, Crédit Agricole, through all of its subsidiaries, offers its social offerings to all its customer segments so that all players in the economy and the regions can be assisted and supported in current and future transformations.

  • Ensure access for all to products and services

    For individual customers, the Regional Banks and LCL have developed accessible, simple, clear and transparent offerings: EKO and LCL Essentiel for everyday banking services, an inclusive insurance offering with the EKO formula in its new auto and multi-risk home range, and a multi-risk rental insurance product for young tenants.

    For SMEs and corporates, the EKO Pro, LCL Essentiel Pro and Propulse 100% digital offerings give access to an account, a card and the essential services of the agencies for an attractive rate.

    For the insured parties, individual customers, professionals, farmers or corporates, a complete risk analysis approach preserves their holdings or their work/activity tool.

    1 million individual customers and
    61,000 SMEs     benefited from the accessible and inclusive offerings distributed by the retail banks in France at 31 December 2024.

    Commitment to young people

    The Regional Banks and LCL are committed to young people, offering them a range of products and services to help them achieve their projects according to their needs.

    • Everyday needs: Globe-Trotter, an international payment card and related services at €2/month, LCL Flex, the instant mini-loan on the mobile app, the Livret Jeunes account at a boosted rate of 4% until 31 January 2025, then 3.40% as from 1 February 2025, the driving licence loan at €1 per day.
    • Housing: Entre2Loc, housing insurance specifically for young tenants.
    • Education: affiliation with the State-guaranteed student loan scheme run by Bpifrance, allowing students under the age of 28 to cover all the costs of student life (tuition fees, accommodation, study trips etc.); LCL x Interfimo student loans without a personal guarantee, specifically aimed at students who will go on to become future professionals.
    • Employment: Youzful, the digital platform offering guidance and jobs for young people, launched in January 2021.

    Support vulnerable people and prevent over-indebtedness

    • Three mechanisms designed to assist customers facing financial difficulties: Points Passerelle, the customer assistance agency in the area of consumer finance, the Protected Budget Module of the Customised Account offering and LCL Initial (bank accounts with limited incident fees).
    • Detection of financial difficulties: reworking and expansion of the criteria by raising the monthly credit flow threshold to €1,664 at 1 July 2024, in order to allow a much larger proportion of customers to benefit from the cap on bank charges; mechanisms for early detection of potential financial difficult, particularly through the use of artificial intelligence.
    • A comprehensive approach to help agricultural customers in times of crisis: Coups Durs Pro/Agri.
    230,000 people/customers benefiting from the support measures and offers for vulnerable groups and the prevention of over-indebtedness by the end of 2024

    Points Passerelle

    This scheme supports customers made vulnerable by a life event by identifying solutions to help them return to a stable and sustainable situation. This is a comprehensive approach to essential property and personal insurance needs, also including housing, individual mutual health insurance, death benefit, and consumer borrower insurance for micro-loans. At year-end 2024, more than 12,600 people were supported by Points Passerelle.

    Improve access to care and healthy ageing

    Deployment of Crédit Agricole Santé & Territoires (Healthcare and Territories)

    The decrease in the number of doctors over the next decade will coincide with an ageing population, resulting in a sharp increase in the demand for healthcare. In the face of these challenges, Crédit Agricole Santé & Territoires structures solutions with a dual aim:

    • To facilitate access to primary care in the regions and thus contribute to the fight against medical deserts through pragmatic solutions (health centres and clinics, assisted and augmented telemedicine, home healthcare etc.).
    • To support an ageing society through home healthcare, advice and non-medical housing.

    See also “Ambitions 2025”, the New business lines section.

    Support and guidance for healthcare professionals

    Different mechanisms and offerings proposed by the Group benefit healthcare professionals directly: the Prêt Interfimo Profession Libérale loan with €2,932 million granted in 2024, a housing loan offer for interns and heads of health clinics, a refinancing package of €400 million in 2024 in partnership with the European Investment Bank to increase the number of women in the healthcare profession.

  • In France, the regional roots of Crédit Agricole, the leading bank network, can be seen in the contribution of the Regional Banks to local economic life. Strengthening social cohesion is the second pillar of the Group’s Societal Project, with the aim of fighting social inequalities and the desertification of certain regions. Revitalisation of the regions to strengthen social cohesion is being implemented through several initiatives.

    Support high-impact players and investment solutions promoting social cohesion

    Economic and social development is supported by the Amundi Finance et Solidarité fund which, with more than €500 million in assets, confirms its leadership position in investments and the social and solidarity economy. LCL is strengthening its “LCL Impact Sociétal et Solidaire” responsible investment ranges, notably with LCL Better World, the market’s first exclusive allocation of funds contributing to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals within life insurance policies and the Impact Social et Solidaire programmes.

    Social housing is an essential lever in the Group’s action, which includes a partnership with Action Logement and real estate promotion intended to create social and inclusive housing for vulnerable people.

    €10.4 billion Amount of outstanding loans related to the LCL offerings that contributed to a revitalisation of the regions and a reduction in inequality – offerings related to loans to professionals and SMEs in rural revitalisation areas (ZRR)

    Social bonds

    The Crédit Agricole Group also offers targeted financing (social loans) the funds of which are allocated directly to an asset or project with a social benefit and issues social bonds as part of the Group’s Social Bond Framework, the Group’s reference framework that defines the eligibility criteria used in defining the categories of eligible social loans. As at 31 December 2024, the outstanding social bonds issued by the Group’s entities totalled €7.9 billion.

    Promote entrepreneurship

    Through the Regional Banks and its various entities, Crédit Agricole relies on specialised partners to enable as many entrepreneurs as possible to develop and secure their project before they start, using a range of mechanisms (collateral-free loans, advice, coaching).
    Every year, this collaboration results in the development of thousands of new projects to stimulate the economic fabric of our regions and create jobs.

    Some of the major partners include:

    • Initiative France offers to support entrepreneurs, upon application, by means of two distinct levers: financing through a 0% interest collateral-free loan and a guarantee (financed by a guarantee fund).
    • Réseau Entreprendre, a network made up of volunteer business leaders, supports and finances entrepreneurs with job creation potential to help them successfully create, take over or grow their business via collateral-free loans and collective support in clubs.
    • France Active’s purpose is to develop a more inclusive, more sustainable economy and to promote access for project leaders to the creation (or rehabilitation) of businesses with a social impact.

    Philanthropic initiatives serving inclusion

    In 2024, the Crédit Agricole Group’s philanthropic contributions amounted to €43.8 million¹, up 4% compared to 2023. The Group supports projects led by associations, foundations, and NGOs—nearly 75% of which are carried out in France. Inclusion is the leading theme—covering professional integration, education, and the fight against poverty—and now accounts for nearly 40% of supported projects, a share that continues to grow. Culture is the Crédit Agricole Group’s second area of focus, primarily through initiatives related to built heritage, but also in connection with cultural institutes. In response to emergency situations, Crédit Agricole provided support to those affected by the floods in the Valencia region of Spain. It also continued its support for victims of the war in Ukraine.

    1 Data based on self-reporting by the Crédit Agricole Group entities in France and abroad.

  • Crédit Agricole S.A. aims to be a responsible employer over the long term and wishes to promote its employer brand through seven themes.

     

    Crédit Agricole S.A. is a responsible employer…

    2024 Data

    Development

    That offers multiple opportunities

     

    • 81,244 FTE employees (of which 52.9% work outside France), present in 46 countries
    • 17,919 new permanent positions filled, of which:
      • 11,003 job transfers from employees already within the Group, representing 61% of permanent positions filled
      • 6,916 recruitments from outside the Group
    • 40.2% of women managers
    Skills

    That trains its employees and takes part in collective development

     

    • Nearly 2.6 million hours of training provided, of which 54% concerned the development of hard skills
    • LinkedIn Learning partnership rolled out in 2024, with 30,700 employees accessing content and an average 64 minutes of training
    • Partnerships with renowned higher education institutions
    Collective

    That takes part in social progress

     

    • Existence of a Global Agreement signed with UNI Global Union since 2019, renewed and valid until end 2027
    • 195 corporate agreements signed in 2024 (80 in France and 115 outside France)
    • 100%1 of employees worldwide covered by a fully paid 28-day paternity leave
    • 100%1 of employees worldwide covered by a fully paid 16-week maternity leave
    Recognition

    That shares value creation

     

    • Capital increase: an annual discounted share offer made available to the Group’s current and retired employees in 20 countries
    • The capital increase offer is made available to over 90% of Crédit Agricole S.A. employees
    • 6.53% of employees are shareholders in 2024
    Societal

    That nurtures diversity in its human capital

     

    • Women in the Executive Committee: 29.4%
    • Women in the Top Management2: 25.8%
    • Women managers: 40.2%
    • Promotions that concerned women: 57.78%
    • Employment rate of disabled people in 20243: 5.95%
    • 134 nationalities
    Flexibility

    That offers an attractive and secure working environment

     

    • 84% accountability rate, indicated by the annual employee survey (85% participation rate in 2024)
    • Employee recommendation of 79%, its highest level since the implementation of Crédit Agricole S.A.’s first annual survey
    • Several commitments to foster work-life balance (childcare, academic support, leisure activities for employees and their children, healthcare provisions, sports offer etc.)
    • Environmental certifications of the Group’s main Paris area campuses as regards bird life, biodiversity and ecological site management
    Development

    That commits to young people

     

    • 301 mid-school pupils from priority education networks accepted for a corporate shadowing internship at Crédit Agricole S.A. in France
    • 13,276 young people welcomed within Crédit Agricole S.A. throughout 2024
    • Under-30s in permanent employment recruitments: 44.2%

    1 Excluding entities being integrated (roll-out underway).
    2 Chief Executive Officers, Deputy General Managers and Directors appointed by internal processes.
    3 Scope covered: Crédit Agricole S.A. in France.

    Impact on 6 of the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals

    SDG 3. Good health and well-being SDG 4. Quality education SDG 5. Gender equality SDG 8. Decent word and economic growth SDG 10. Reduced inequalities SDG 15. Life on land

    Highlights of 2024

    The Talent Factory

    To accelerate the transformation driven by the Human-Centric Project (accountability, empowerment and managerial and cultural transformation), Crédit Agricole S.A. offers all its employees dynamic, increasingly personalised career paths to help them develop their skills.

    Crédit Agricole S.A. relies in particular on IFCAM, the Crédit Agricole Group’s university, to offer its employees a range of professional certifications for the many business lines of the bank and the specialised markets.

    This year, thanks to a unique partnership, Crédit Agricole S.A. has also been using an international platform (LinkedIn Learning) to develop each individual’s potential. The main advantages are as follows:

    • a response to the desire to provide all Crédit Agricole S.A. entities with a complementary, innovative and up-to-date training offer;
    • a response to the increasingly demanding employer-brand challenges of competition and candidate searches worldwide;
    • a cultural transformation to meet the challenges of professional mobility and to encourage human resources teams, managers and employees to rethink and dare to embark on innovative career paths.

    Since May 2024, Crédit Agricole S.A. employees in France and around the world have been progressively given unlimited access to the Group’s training, skills development and mobility programmes via the LinkedIn Learning platform. A new step has been taken in the large-scale personalisation of career paths.

    AI for all

    A number of initiatives have been launched by the entities to use artificial intelligence (AI) to bolster human intelligence in all the business lines.

    For Crédit Agricole S.A., generative AI, in particular, represents an opportunity to improve the customer experience and the experience of all its employees by amplifying human intelligence. This technology is an opportunity to develop human skills and discernment and thus place human accountability at the heart of customer relationships.

    In 2024, the Human Resources Directors’ Committee was trained in generative AI. And to raise awareness among its employees, Crédit Agricole S.A. is launching a programme for controlled and progressive adoption of generative AI, in joint development with IFCAM and the Information Systems business line. Crédit Agricole S.A. is ensuring that all its employees increase their skills by rolling out a training programme to familiarise them with this technology, first in France in 2024, then in the first half of 2025 in all the countries where it operates.

    With this training, Crédit Agricole S.A. is preparing its employees to effectively integrate generative AI into all its business lines.