A socially committed bank

In 2024, BCF took part in the Association of Swiss Cantonal Banks’ study on sustainable development, which highlighted the difficulty for the general public in making the connection between sustainable development and cantonal banks. The study also highlighted the fact that ESG financial products were still not well known and recommended that cantonal banks communicate more concretely and illustrate their actions with clear examples. In this sense, this report and the Bank’s publications on social media are part of an effort to improve the visibility of its actions.

Every year, BCF supports many projects, associations, clubs and events throughout the canton. By working alongside those who drive the region and help raise its profile, the Bank contributes to enriching the collective experience of all citizens.

In 2025, the Bank contributed CHF 4.7 million to the development of culture, sport and education. The Bank has to date entered into more than 100 partnerships that strengthen its institutional positioning and support its commercial strategy. These partnerships also give the Bank the opportunity to maintain close contact with nearly a thousand clubs and associations, some of which are affiliated with various umbrella organisations. They are designed with a view to long-term collaboration, generally for a renewable period of three years. Partner associations receive a fixed contribution, ensuring the stability and continuity of their activities. By way of example, BCF has partnerships with the Fédération fribourgeoise des chorales, the University of Fribourg, Fribourg International Film Festival (FIFF), the Association fribourgeoise de football, the Fribourg Youth Orchestra, the Fribourg Ski and Snowboard Association, Rencontres de folklore internationales (RFI) and HC Fribourg-Gottéron, the canton’s flagship ice hockey club, which plays its home games at the BCF ARENA.

BCF does not support individual athletes, motorised or extreme sports, violent sports or activities that have a negative impact on the environment. It only supports projects and events whose proceeds are to be used in the Canton of Fribourg.

In 2025, BCF also gave its support to ad hoc projects or requests with a connection to CSR themes, notably with the Football is more (FIM) Foundation, which promotes inclusion through education and sport, the Forum économique du développement durable (organised by Fribourg Chamber of Commerce and Industry), Tuile – Festival des Soupes, Fri-Son, Pro Senectute, CREAHM, Jardin Intramouros, AIRPG – the Petite Glâne area revitalisation project, plus Bio Gmüestag Kerzers (Organic Vegetable Day in Seeland, a biodiversity festival).

The Bank also helped a team from the Fribourg ornithological club “Groupe des Jeunes Ornithologues de Fribourg” take part in the friendly 2025 Bird Race, an event to raise awareness of local biodiversity and support bird conservation. It is a race where the teams compete to spot as many bird species as possible moving around solely by foot, bicycle or public transport.

BCF also collaborated with the St-Camille association and the Centre d’Intégration Socioprofessionnelle (CIS) to create promotional items. The St-Camille association primarily helps adults suffering from physical disability, providing them with special facilities and opportunities to work in workshops. St-Camille beneficiaries helped make ladles to stir fondue made from wood sourced from a Fribourg forest. CIS, which has worked with handicapped people since 1962, employs more than 140 workers in receipt of a disability allowance and also offers vocational rehabilitation for people wanting to return to the workforce. CIS created invitation cards for some events hosted by BCF. Other customer gifts were made in cooperation with “Le Goût du Miel Sàrl”. This social enterprise helps people with their professional and social reintegration through beekeeping, gardening and artisanal products. This engagement with local associations and foundations reflects the BCF’s desire to make an active contribution to a more inclusive society. By collaborating with organisations working to integrate people with disabilities or who are rejoining the workforce, BCF supports specific initiatives to reinforce the autonomy and confidence of everyone.

Holders of a BCF debit card enjoyed favourable terms from the following partners in 2025: Arena Cinémas Fribourg, Les Bains de la Gruyère, Urbanspa, Papiliorama, Hostellerie am Schwarzsee, Ogoz Island Association, the Festival International du Film de Fribourg (FIFF), and Générations magazine.

Founded in 1992 on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of Banque Cantonale de Fribourg, the BCF Foundation actively contributes to the vitality of regional associations. With CHF 2.25 million in capital, it supports the creation and development of cultural, artistic and scientific projects of importance to the community. Since its creation, it has invested more than CHF 1 million in major projects that shape and enrich life in the Canton of Fribourg.

In 2025, the Foundation actively supported the canton’s association network by assisting several projects in highly diverse areas, such as the philosophy festival “Penser / Denken”, the summer week of the Ensemble Ouroboros orchestra, the publication of children’s book “Les Abécédaires – Le grand nuage de Magellan”, the “Erzählfest” storytelling festival by the association Verein KulturAllTag at Ueberstorf, the “Songe d’une nuit d’hiver” contemporary circus by the company Si le colibri, and “Rencontres fermentées” at the Explora festival at the University of Fribourg.

BCF plays an active role within the four pillars supporting the Fribourg economy (4P) alongside building insurance provider Établissement Cantonal d’Assurance des Bâtiments (ECAB), energy supplier Groupe E and transport provider Transports Publics Fribourgeois (TPF). Together, these institutions are committed to supporting large-scale, sustainable projects in areas as diverse as culture, health, community and sport.

BCF makes its economic publications and market analyses available to the public. It also offers a range of practical tools on its e-banking platform to help customers better manage their finances, in particular by viewing a breakdown of their spending and income. Other practical information is published in product brochures. BCF is gradually developing and testing new services to inform interested parties about financial, social, ecological and technological issues and promote dialogue.

BCF also pays special attention to the younger generation, offering them various ways to open their first account. It helps them learn how to manage their finances, particularly through its active participation in the FinanceMission project. This initiative, which is jointly spearheaded by several cantonal banks and two education umbrella organisations, aims to improve young people’s financial literacy. The association offers a range of courses in line with school curricula, complemented by an interactive teaching tool for use at lower secondary level. The aim is to improve students’ basic financial skills: understanding the financial implications of investment projects, drawing up a budget, planning their income, prioritising their spending and developing their ability to save. The educational approach also enables young people to think about their relationship with money and spending by comparing it with that of their peers.

As part of their commitment within the FinanceMission association, the organisations involved are guided by ethical principles. They have no influence over the contents of lessons, do not promote products and do not try to acquire customers.

In 2025, experts from BCF Digital Support organised several workshops with Pro Senectute (a Swiss organisation providing specialised services for the aged), training volunteers and helping senior citizens to use BCF’s digital tools. These workshops are also an opportunity to share information about online security and offer valuable advice.

In view of the surge in incidents of attempted fraud involving bank customers, BCF has published information on its website. The Bank provides security advice for its clients, tips on what to do in the event of suspected fraud, and a phone number available 24/7. The following main preventive measures were taken:

• organisation of six conferences;
• revision of the “security advice” on the bcf.ch website;
• awareness-raising campaigns on social media and Twint.

Information on the website is brief and precise, ranging from the essential, with the awareness-raising campaign regarding phishing in the policy. The Bank’s aim is to be able to take action early on to limit fraud risks by disseminating clear, accessible and targeted messages.

BCF is also a partner of “eBanking – en toute sécurité !”, an independent platform of Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts (IT section) which offers, in collaboration with the School of Engineering and Architecture of Fribourg, several types of training in digital security. The aim of “eBanking – en tout sécurité !” is to help ensure the security of personal information, especially during e-banking transactions. The platform provides information on how to uphold digital security.

Account management (basic services such as savings, pensions, and payments), cards (individual services), custody account management and safe-deposit boxes are services available to the entire population with a connection to the Bank’s economic area. There are no exclusion criteria. This sets BCF apart as one of the few banks that does not link account fees to customer assets and chooses not to charge any asset-based account fees. Basic services are offered to all customers, free of charge or with particularly advantageous and competitive terms for certain specific services. The dense network of branches in the canton ensures the easy accessibility of banking services in all regions of the canton, including outside the urban centres.