Societe Generale Philanthropy

Collective and unifying impetus in favor of education, culture and the environment

The Group is stepping up its philanthropic activities with the Societe Generale Philanthropy programme, which marks the new collective and unifying impetus the Group wants to give to its commitments, as announced in its strategic roadmap presented in September 2023. 

Supporting 3 areas essential to living in a society

Following on from the Group’s CSR ambitions and its contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals, the Group is now focusing its philanthropic actions on education, culture and the environment, which are essential to living in a society. The Group is thus capitalising on its long-standing commitments to classical music (since 1987), contemporary art (since 1995) and the education and professional integration of young people (since 2006) by extending its focus to the environment, in keeping with its strategy to support the environmental transition of its clients and its activities.

By focusing on actions that strengthen our social bonds, Societe Generale intends to contribute to the construction of a more inclusive and sustainable society.

• Education, because it helps reduce economic and social inequality by providing access to knowledge, by broadening orientation possibilities and by fostering successful professional integration so that everyone can find their rightful place in society. In particular, supporting the education of young people is about investing in the future and giving them the tools they need to understand and shape the world around them. Societe Generale notably supports basic knowledge, financial education, education through sport and culture, and professional integration.
• Culture, because it’s the bond that holds our society together, it creates bridges between different cultures, and it provides a gateway to the world and our common heritage. Supporting the spread of, artistic practice of and access to culture is also about encouraging the values of excellence, sharing, opening up and creativity. Societe Generale notably supports classical music and modern and contemporary art.
• The Environment, because environmental challenges are growing and accelerating, so it is essential to support and amplify initiatives that contribute to the ecological transition, to more sustainable development and to protecting the environment. Societe Generale supports nature conservation, in particular biodiversity and the oceans, and develop awareness on these subjects.

Local, national and international action

Wherever the Group is present, its goal is to help its partners, in these areas, grow their projects and their positive impact on society. When there is an emergency due to an exceptional situation (humanitarian crisis, public health crisis, natural disaster, etc.), the Group can also respond to needs identified by general interest structures operating in the geographical region in question, in France and/or abroad. 

The Group’s philanthropy action is deployed on a local, national and international scale. 

The Societe Generale Corporate Foundation acts on behalf of the Group in France at national and regional level with a stronger anchoring in French regions, and also supports more international projects. To successfully carry out its mission, it has a mandate renewed for a period of 5 years and a multiyear action program of 55 million euros through to 2028.

Additionally, entities that wish to do so can carry out philanthropic actions locally, directly or via a foundation-type structure, as is notably the case in the United Kingdom, Romania, the Czech Republic, and Ivory Coast. 

Lastly, to amplify the impact of its action, the Group allows its members of staff to get involved in general interest initiatives. Volunteering will be gradually generalised across the Group to give employees the opportunity to dedicate at least 1 day per year to social and/or environmental actions during work hours, depending on the local labor laws applicable in the various locations in which the Group operates. 

Embodying both the Group’s heritage and its projection into the future, Societe Generale Philanthropy marks our desire to contribute to the development of the world actively and sustainably and to enable the entrepreneurial spirit that has guided it for the last 160 years to benefit those who are taking action to tackle our era’s challenges.