Crédit Agricole S.A. has provided, from the beginning of its quotation, to its shareholders, both private shareholders and institutional investors, communications policy based on close relationships and dialogue.
Crédit Agricole S.A. so set up different means of dialogue with its shareholders: a website dedicated to the relation with shareholder, an email address and a toll-free number to answer the questions of the shareholders, meetings of information and raising awareness of the whole French territory…systems particularly relevant during the current financial crisis.
Shareholders
Extensive information for individual shareholders
Crédit Agricole S.A. has been providing individual shareholders with a full range of information. Crédit Agricole S.A. organises around 20 shareholder meetings every year across Metropolitan France that are attended by as many as 1,200 people. These meetings dealt with particular topic such as investment strategy, the transfer of private wealth, and the global economic and financial climate.
In 2008, during four of these 22 meetings shareholders were able to speak directly with Crédit Agricole S.A. management.
A toll-free number from France is available (0 800 000 777) where shareholders can contact Crédit Agricole S.A.’s investor relations department directly and hear a recording of certain information 24 hours a day. In 2008 this service won the Fils d’Or award from Synerfil and La Vie Financière for its reliability and availability.
In 2008, the toll-free number received more than 100 000 connections and already more than 7 000 a month since the beginning of 2009.In addition, Finance & Shareholders’ website has a shareholder section with a specific email address for shareholder queries.
Formed in 2003, the Shareholder Liaison Committee meets three times a year and now has 12 members representing the company’s individual shareholders. The Committee is responsible for gathering feedback on the company’s shareholder communications and improving the shareholder newsletters and reports.
Crédit Agricole S.A. also has a Shareholders’ Club for shareholders owning at least 50 bearer shares or one registered share. This Club, now 120,000-members strong, aims to inform and educate – mainly through a quarterly Shareholders’ Club Newsletter sent to all members.
Strong ties with institutional investors
The Group intensified its contacts with financial analysts in order to answer their questions (which came in more frequently than usual) about the status of its various businesses. The institutional investor relations team held meetings in Paris for fund managers wishing to meet Crédit Agricole’s senior managers, and the Group’s Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer gave presentations at major international banking conferences.
- * This information has been audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers. For more information
