BNP Paribas : "BNP Paribas is a natural supporter of diversity in the broadest sense of the term" Jean-Laurent Bonnafé - La Tribune

In 2015 we signed the Charte d'Engagement LGBT+ of l'Autre Cercle. We have hundreds of thousands of customers in the 72 countries in which we operate, and have received a lot of emails, particularly from people who didn't share our view that a company could actually do something, or they thought it was a mistake... Some comments were almost hateful, which just makes our decision all the more justified. After all, if it produced that kind of reaction, there is definitely a problem. We probably lost a few customers, but these are not areas for which we should be held to account. By contrast, within the company itself, we received lots of encouragement and signs of appreciation. We did what we had to do. Were we right? Of course! Furthermore, our decision to sponsor the Gay Games, as well as the networks, which are individual initiatives, has made the movement more powerful. And if any LGBT+ person is treated badly or disrespectfully, we handle it in the same way as general harassment. The procedure begins with an individual interview and may lead to disciplinary action, demotion or even dismissal. Awareness campaigns and preventative measures must have sufficient impact to avoid any form of discrimination. At BNP Paribas we believe in the need and the interest to be as open as possible but we cannot make progress on our own. Schools and society must create more open-mindedness. We are all in this together.