Group news / Spirica: the first insurer to launch a euro fund dedicated to the fight against global warming

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Thursday, 18 April 2024

Spirica: the first insurer to launch a euro fund dedicated to the fight against global warming

Crédit Agricole Assurances subsidiary Spirica is the first insurer to launch a euro fund – named “Fonds Euro Objectif Climat” – dedicated to the fight against global warming. An SFDR* Article 9 fund that meets the highest standards of sustainability and transparency, it is already available to Spirica’s online partners and will be available from this summer to wealth management advisors’ platforms and private banks through a number of life insurance and capitalisation policies. This major market innovation is fully aligned with the commitments set out in the Societal Project.

Fonds Euro Objectif Climat aims to exclusively support projects designed to help combat global warming by pursuing two objectives: climate change adaptation and the sustainable management of natural resources. Green bonds and other vehicles making up the fund must demonstrate a positive impact on the energy and ecological transitions. The contribution to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals will be assessed for each project financed and presented annually in a sustainability report that will seek to be as transparent and informative as possible.

* Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation

Linxo Connect Payments, a bank transfer payment initiation solution that enables merchants to collect payments of any amount by standard or instant (within ten seconds) bank transfer, is now available within the PrestaShop and WooCommerce apps, both of which offer ready-to-use e-commerce modules for e-tailers.
This payment method enables retailers and e-tailers to offer their customers an optimised and personalised payment experience, with no need to input their IBAN and no impact on their bank card limits.

Crédit Agricole CIB has financed IPlanet* to help it roll out an electric vehicle charging network to around 500 filling stations in Italy. The planned investment of more than €200 million will see charging infrastructure installed at the first 300 filling stations over the next three years, with the remainder to be installed by 2032. CACIB acted as Mandated Lead Arranger and Hedging Bank for this infrastructure project finance deal, which is pioneering in its sector. It also represents a historic opportunity in Italy’s fast-growing electric vehicle market. The deal highlights CACIB’s expertise in helping its clients navigate the energy transition.

* IPlanet is a joint venture between Italiana Petroli, the leading private operator in Italy’s fuel and mobility sector, and Macquarie Capital, the world’s leading investor and consultant in the infrastructure and renewable energy sectors.

Crédit Agricole Toulouse 31 recently launched its Energy Transition Advice team, which sits within its Major Clients and Real Estate department. Three experts dedicated to the farming, corporate and small business markets will support the Regional Bank’s network. Their role is to help customers with expertise on reducing their carbon footprint (through carbon assessments, energy audits, solar panels, soft mobility, etc.), inform and train specialist advisors and coordinate activity across the Haute-Garonne region.

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Crédit Agricole Ukraine came top in the “Bank offering the best terms for farmers” category at the financial market ranking awards ceremony. The ceremony, held in Kyiv, was organised by Delo.ua and “TOP-100: Ratings of the Best” magazine. The award was presented to Carlos de Cordoue, CEO of Crédit Agricole Ukraine. The main purpose of the ranking is to determine which financial institutions have made the biggest contribution to the resilience of the Ukrainian economy.

2024 National Energy and Environment Industry Day

The first National Energy and Environment Industry Day, held in early April by Crédit Agricole Transitions & Énergies, brought together close to a hundred energy transition finance and investment specialists from the Crédit Agricole group. The day included feedback and expert talks, notably from renewal energy industry body Syndicat des Énergies Renouvelables (SER). It also included panel discussions on insurance in the renewable energy sector and the development of offerings with Crédit Agricole Assurances subsidiary Pacifica and CAMCA and on third-party investment with input from the Regional Banks and experts from CA T&E.

Talk: “Let’s Go Crazy”

Thursday 25 April, 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Find about an extraordinary project that helped people living with psychiatric disabilities produce a long-form documentary. This talk, organised by the Group Disability team, aims to raise awareness about mental health-related issues and combat prejudices that affect people living with psychiatric disabilities. Director Amaury Pascaud, members of the production team and mental health professionals will talk about their experience (face to face at the Evergreen blue auditorium and remotely).

VIDEO

Innovation: Club Innov’Acteurs 2024 celebrates excellence

Over 120 innovators joined Fédération Nationale du Crédit Agricole for its annual event on 26 March. The event was an opportunity for the Group’s innovation champions to share their experience, discuss topics of common interest and celebrate excellence in innovation by voting for the most promising innovative projects.

The event underscored the Group’s commitment to encourage innovation and make it a driver of growth and performance in support of our strategy.

China is not 1980s Japan, and this is both good news and a big problem

A real estate crisis, population issues, trade tensions with the United States and worrying debt levels: there are many points of comparison between present-day China and 1980s Japan, sparking fears that the Chinese economy might undergo Japanification.

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