External ratings

Mandatory ratings

Each year, Crédit Agricole S.A. is rated by extrafinancial rating agencies for its corporate social policy.
Some of these agencies are linked to creators of stock market indices, with the role of compiling indices based on social, environmental and corporate governance criteria.

Vigeo and the ASPI Eurozone index

Crédit Agricole S.A. has been included in the ASPI Eurozone index since September 2004. The index is made up of 120 listed companies in the eurozone that present the strongest social and environmental performances. Stocks are selected on the basis of ratings from agency Vigeo.
Crédit Agricole S.A.'s results in its last evaluation by Vigeo in 2007 showed solid improvement in all six analysis criteria, allowing it to maintain its position in the ASPI Eurozone index.

Ethifinance and the FTSE4Good index

Crédit Agricole S.A. was included in the FTSE's socially responsible stock market index in September 2005.
The FTSE4Good index acknowledges companies that make environmental and social risks central to their policy and management. In 2007, another of the Group's companies - Emporiki Bank - was also included in the index.
Ethifinance is the French agency in charge of assessing Crédit Agricole. It makes its research and analysis available to EIRiS for FTSE4Good to compile the index.

SAM and the DJSI

For the third year in a row, Crédit Agricole replied to the questionnaire from extrafinancial rating agency SAM, which rates companies before it is decided whether or not they are to be included in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI).
This analysis, done by major business sector, looks at all three aspects of sustainable development - economic, environmental and social.
The 2008 results stand out, as in 2007, with important progress, so allowing the Group to be admitted in the DJSI STOXX (European universe).

Innovest

In 2007, Innovest, the social and environmental rating agency, gave Crédit Agricole an AAA rating in the "global banks" category.
The Innovest report praised the Group for its ongoing progress, based on the appropriation of a responsibility policy within each business line, as well as the attention paid by Crédit Agricole and its subsidiaries to the environmental and social risks to which their clients and investments are exposed.
On Innovest's recommendation, The Banker, the sector's reference magazine, gave the Group the prestigious "Global Bank of the Year" award.

Optional ratings

In 2007, Credit Agricole S.A. wished to have its sustainable performance assessed by an independent and specialized expert in solicited rating, the extra-financial rating agency BMJ Ratings
The agency assessed the Credit Agricole Group’s performance in comparison with world-recognised standards and good practices from various companies. The performance of the bank is audited from the end of 2007 and the beginning of 2008 considering stakes, risks and opportunities in six areas: environment, human resources, clients, interaction with civil society, and governance.
Some of the Regional Banks, as well as Crédit Agricole Asset Management, have also opted for one or more aspects of their corporate social responsibility policy to be assessed.