Our commitments to gender equality

Women-men diversity is a major issue for Groupe BPCE, the second largest banking group in France and a cooperative player rooted in all territories. On the occasion of International Women’s Rights Day, Groupe BPCE reaffirms its commitments to professional equality and highlights the results already achieved, as well as the objectives it has set for itself by 2030.

This commitment is at the heart of Groupe BPCE’s social responsibility policy and its Diversity, Equity, Inclusion policy. It aims to guarantee open, equitable, and respectful career paths for everyone, across all the group’s companies, whether in the Banque Populaire or Caisse d’Epargne networks or its other specialized and international businesses.

Tangible results: equality index and diversity indicators

For the fourth year in a row, Groupe BPCE’s professional gender equality index stood at 92 points out of 100 in 2025. This legal indicator, established in France to measure pay and professional situation gaps between women and men, reflects the consistency of the group’s efforts.

Gender diversity in management bodies is also progressing. At the end of 2025, women represent:

• 41% of senior executives,
• 40% of members of governing bodies.

These results demonstrate a positive dynamic and better representation of women in positions of responsibility. They illustrate Groupe BPCE’s ability to evolve its practices to strengthen gender diversity in banking and all its businesses, while emphasizing the importance of continuing and amplifying the actions undertaken.

A Diversity, Equity, Inclusion policy structured throughout Groupe BPCE

A professional gender equality policy steered over time

Groupe BPCE pursues a Diversity, Equity, Inclusion policy structured around three priorities:

• strengthen the representation of women at all levels of responsibility,
• ensure pay equality between women and men,
• combat sexism, harassment, and all inappropriate behaviors.

This policy translates into clear HR guidelines and concrete measures, deployed within the group’s various companies and monitored over time. It is part of Groupe BPCE’s overall CSR strategy.

Strengthened industry-wide agreements for gender diversity and parenthood

The commitments of the group’s companies are also reflected in social dialogue. In July 2024, new industry-wide agreements were concluded for the Banque Populaire and Caisse d’Epargne networks. They strengthen the professional gender equality policy, particularly concerning:

• recruitment, to foster diversity in applications and career paths,
• parenthood, with measures facilitating work-life balance,
• prevention and fight against sexual harassment and sexist behavior, extended to situations of domestic violence.

These agreements illustrate Groupe BPCE’s commitment to making gender diversity a lever for quality of working life and employee protection, across all its establishments and in all territories.

Concrete initiatives to advance gender diversity at all levels

Develop female talent and leadership paths

To accelerate gender diversity within Groupe BPCE, several structuring programs have been deployed to support the progression of female talent:

• the Gender Diversity Charter, signed in 2021, which formalizes concrete commitments to professional equality and more balanced governance;
• the “UP by BPCE” program, a gender-balanced leadership initiative designed to train, support, and promote women leaders within the group;
• the “DECLIC” program, which supports women from the group’s various companies in building and pursuing their professional paths.

These initiatives aim to remove career progression barriers, make female talent more visible, and promote women’s access to management positions and expert roles, including in areas undergoing significant transformation (digital, data, IT, sustainable finance).

Raise awareness, train, and mobilize all teams

Groupe BPCE also acts on daily practices, by mobilizing all teams around the fight against gender stereotypes and recruitment biases. Among the actions implemented:

• specific training for recruiters and managers, to limit biases in recruitment, mobility, and promotion processes, and to ensure a genuine diversity of applications;
• awareness programs on sexism and harassment, notably through the #StOpE initiative, to prevent inappropriate behavior and promote a respectful and inclusive work environment;
• actions to promote careers among female students and recent graduates, for example through events like “Women in Finance,” which help to raise awareness of the diversity of jobs in banking and finance.

Relying on networks and labels to anchor gender diversity for the long term

Groupe BPCE relies on internal networks and labeling initiatives to strengthen and embed gender diversity for the long term:

• over 8,000 employees are members of 31 women’s or mixed networks, present in all territories. These networks promote experience sharing, mentoring, peer support, and the dissemination of best practices in gender diversity;
• Groupe BPCE supports its establishments in obtaining and renewing the AFNOR “Professional Equality” label, which recognizes the quality of the systems in place to reduce pay gaps and promote equal opportunities;
• dedicated budget allocations are mobilized each year to correct pay gaps between women and men, in line with the equality index results.

These actions contribute to structuring a solid, measurable, and externally recognized gender diversity policy.

2030 objectives: towards strengthened parity within Groupe BPCE

Groupe BPCE has set ambitious objectives by 2030 to further promote gender diversity. One of the major milestones is to achieve 50% women among executives, compared to 47.8% at the end of 2025.

To achieve this, the group continues to disseminate the principle of gender diversity in all its HR processes:

• recruitment and onboarding,
• career and mobility management,
• identification of talent pools,
• training and managerial support.

These objectives are part of Groupe BPCE’s long-term project, consistent with its cooperative model, governance, and CSR policy. They contribute to strengthening the trust of customers, members, employees, and partners in a group attentive to diversity and inclusion.

Gender diversity, a lever for performance and trust

By continuing its commitments to professional gender equality, Groupe BPCE aims to offer a work environment where everyone can develop and contribute fully to collective performance. Groupe BPCE will continue to transparently report on its progress and results, in connection with its stakeholders and its CSR policy ambitions.