Towards a corporate ecology

Since 2008, BCF has drawn up its CO2 balance sheet, taking into account its direct and indirect emissions. Since 1 January 2024, in accordance with the new SBA Guidelines, the Bank has been required to collect energy data relating to the buildings. On this basis, it participated in the PACTA test and established a regular procedure to measure the emissions of its loan portfolio.

To date, BCF’s main sources of emissions are building heating and commuting, which together account for 74% of total emissions. This is followed by office supplies, a category in which the impact of the replacing IT equipment was included for the first time in 2023, which alone accounts for 12% of this category. Between 2018 and 2023, BCF reduced its emissions by almost 354 tonnes of CO2, demonstrating its ongoing efforts in the area of sustainability.

Since 2022, the Coordination Conference for Public Sector Construction and Property Services (KBOB), the coordination body for the federal construction services, has taken into account the impact of grey energy associated with the construction of these buildings.

Although the 27.2% reduction in CO2 emissions may seem relatively modest at first glance, it makes perfect sense when considering that BCF’s balance sheet has more than doubled (multiplied by 2.6) over the same period.

Comparing this performance with its growth, BCF has actually reduced its CO2 emissions by more than 50% without reducing the number of points of sale. This clearly demonstrates the effectiveness of the measures put in place to control energy consumption and environmental impact. It also shows that impact materiality has long been an integral part of BCF’s business model.

BCF invests in the Carbon Fri Foundation pro rata to its CO2 emissions, enabling it to obtain two labels certified by Climate Services, an accredited body that guarantees compliance with ISO standards:

• – The Carbon FRI label certifies that BCF’s carbon balance sheet has been drawn up in accordance with international standards, in particular ISO 14064-1. This confirms that the Bank has a structured climate policy and a concrete action plan to reduce its CO2 emissions. As part of this process, BCF is responsible for collecting the necessary data, while Climate Services, accredited by the Carbon Fri Foundation, is responsible for quantifying the emissions, analysing the results and producing the carbon balance sheet.
• The second certification relates to online banking. In accordance with the ISO 14044 standard, it certifies that the full life-cycle assessment (LCA) of BCF’s online products (www.bcf.ch site, maBCF portal, e-banking and mobile banking) is included in the calculation of CO2 emissions.

LCA is an assessment method that allows the environmental impact of a service or product to be quantified at every stage of its life cycle, from the supply chain (upstream supplier) and BCF production to the customer’s downstream use.

BCF systematically promotes the saving of energy and natural resources in all its activities. In 2024, it continued its efforts to prevent an energy blackout in Switzerland. In addition to one-off measures, the Bank launched a number of long-term initiatives, such as the replacement of lighting and the renovation of its head office ventilation system, as well as the refurbishing of several other sites. In each of these renovations, energy efficiency was a key criterion, with the aim of reducing the environmental footprint while optimising energy consumption.

Environmental criteria are also integrated into BCF’s purchasing process. Suppliers, products and services, preferably from the Bank’s area of activity, must not only meet price and quality requirements but also comply with environmental and social responsibility standards.

The Bank continues to upgrade its buildings for better energy performance. In 2024, it opened the Domdidier branch. It is continuing the gradual renovation of the offices at its headquarters. As part of this process, BCF is adopting best practice, particularly in relation to the building envelope. Wherever possible, photovoltaic panels are installed. A project to connect the headquarters to district heating is underway, launched in 2022, and is expected to be completed in 2026. Finally, the location of BCF’s buildings in the centre of urban areas ensures that biodiversity-rich areas are not affected.

BCF uses and optimises its resources responsibly to reduce its carbon footprint in the long term. Each year, new initiatives are added to its environmental action plan.

As part of its commitment to transparency, the Bank has been publishing data on its environmental impact in its Annual Report for several years. It continues to develop its indicators with the aim of refining and strengthening them in future reports.

Green electricity delivered at the meter

The electricity supply is 100% green electricity from Hydro Fribourg. BCF favours LED or low-energy bulbs for the exterior and interior lighting of its buildings. When modernising its buildings, it installs automatic lighting management. It uses only green hydroelectricity and has signed several district heating contracts for its buildings for the 2024-25 period.

For more responsible IT

BCF customers are encouraged to participate in climate protection by using e-banking.

The annual Carbon Fri certificate for the bank’s online services was issued to BCF in April 2023. This certificate attests that the CO2 balance sheet has been drawn up by an accredited organisation that guarantees compliance with the ISO 14044 standard. It also certifies the existence of a climate policy and a declaration of intent to reduce CO2 emissions and the existence of a certificate of investment in the Carbon Fri Foundation.

100% of BCF’s IT services are outsourced to Swisscom, which in 2020 was voted the world’s most sustainable company in the field of telecommunications companies by World Finance magazine. (See Swisscom’s One pager in the appendix).

Reducing paper consumption

100% of the paper used by BCF is recycled. All paper is FSC certified. Thanks to e-documents, BCF also offers its customers the possibility of doing without paper mailings. In 2019, BCF replaced its counter receipts with electronic signatures, saving of 2 million sheets of paper per year.

Wherever possible, work trips are made by public transport. Work-related traffic has decreased by 18% between 2013 and 2023. In 2024, three hybrid/electric cars were made available for business travel.

BCF provides financial support to its employees when they purchase an annual public transport pass (job abo). BCF has also installed charging stations for its employees’ electric vehicles.

In 2022, BCF has had its mobility plan recognised by the agglomeration of Fribourg. The plan offers employees financial advantages on annual Frimobil transport passes.