Groupe BPCE, the 2nd largest banking group in France, works with a large number of suppliers in all types of business category. Purchasing plays a key role in ensuring the group’s economic performance and forms an integral part of its responsible approach.
Establish a balanced relationship with suppliers
The Purchasing department of BPCE Achats & Services works for the benefit of the Banques Populaires, the Caisses d’Epargne, BPCE SA and the principal subsidiaries of Groupe BPCE – with a view to optimizing their external expenses and simultaneously enhancing their economic performance.
The Purchasing department of BPCE Achats & Services coordinates and manages synergies with the regionally-based purchasing teams by capitalizing on best practices adopted throughout the group and by developing a culture of cooperation at a regional level.
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Our Responsible Purchasing Policy is founded on the values defended by Groupe BPCE. Our principal ambitions are to help attain the objectives of the strategic plan, to develop a responsible purchasing footprint, and to make Groupe BPCE a front-ranking partner in the supplier ecosystem.
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Our responsible purchasing approach, which forms an integral part of our global and sustainable performance objectives, is structured around a number of key priorities such as creating long-term, well-balanced relationships with our suppliers and measuring the environmental impacts of our purchasing operations, notably their carbon footprint.
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Vigilant about the practices they adopt, our Purchasing teams make ethics and equity the guiding principles of their actions. Accordingly, we also expect our suppliers to reciprocate and to demonstrate strict compliance with these same commitments.
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Our Responsible Purchasing Policy is founded on the values defended by Groupe BPCE. Our principal ambitions are to help attain the objectives of the strategic plan, to develop a responsible purchasing footprint, and to make Groupe BPCE a front-ranking partner in the supplier ecosystem.
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Our responsible purchasing approach, which forms an integral part of our global and sustainable performance objectives, is structured around a number of key priorities such as creating long-term, well-balanced relationships with our suppliers and measuring the environmental impacts of our purchasing operations, notably their carbon footprint.
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Vigilant about the practices they adopt, our Purchasing teams make ethics and equity the guiding principles of their actions. Accordingly, we also expect our suppliers to reciprocate and to demonstrate strict compliance with these same commitments.
2024 figures
35,510 suppliers
€4.1bn purchases
Become a Groupe BPCE supplier
The Group’s purchasing requirements are managed centrally or locally to satisfy the needs of Groupe BPCE companies.
To become a supplier, the following conditions must be met:
- Compliance with Groupe BPCE’s Conduct and Ethical Standards,
- Satisfaction of the requirements of the so-called ‘Sapin II’ law on transparency, the fight against corruption, and the modernization of economic life,
- Compliance with reporting obligations by filing on the Provigis platform Provigis the mandatory documents required in accordance with the duty of vigilance,
- Alignment with the commitments made by Groupe BPCE within the framework of its corporate social responsibility (CSR) approach: Sustainable sourcing charter,
- Adoption of a proactive approach to enable Groupe BPCE to benefit from both digital and societal innovations,
Provision of high quality products and services.
Provided you meet the above-mentioned conditions, if you would like to develop commercial relations with Groupe BPCE, contact The Purchasing department of BPCE Achats & Serviceswho will reply as soon as possible.
We also welcome innovative or recently-created micro companies and SMEs. Within The Purchasing department of BPCE Achats & Services, a start-up referent listens to VSEs/SMEs to facilitate their relationship and collaboration with Groupe BPCE and its companies.
To contact the start-up referent: referent_startups@bpce.fr
The purchasing process
Sourcing
A market analysis is carried out to identify suppliers or technologies likely to be in a position to respond to a consultation process.
Consultation
Before requesting any products or services, risk analyses are carried out for each identified supplier: financial risk, risk of concealed work, and risk of economic dependence on Groupe BPCE. All consultations are processed via the Group’s Purchasing IS.
Selection & drafting of contracts
All bids are examined using objective selection criteria based on functional, technical, commercial, legal, regulatory, and CSR considerations. Particular attention is paid to developing secure relationships with suppliers.
Monitoring of supplier relations
Mindful of the relationships they develop with their suppliers, the Purchasing teams manage and coordinate all supplier relations by fostering a customer/supplier relationship founded on mutual respect and sense of shared responsibility, notably through the organization of regular meetings.
Payment
Supplier payment deadlines are a major issue that concerns all Groupe BPCE companies without exception. Paying suppliers on time is the basis of a healthy and well-balanced relationship. To facilitate the processing of invoices and reduce payment times, suppliers must send their customer an invoice in accordance with the payment schedule specified in the contract.
When dealing with third parties, suppliers are asked to inform their contacts of any potential or established conflicts of interest. As part of the Group’s responsible purchasing policy, suppliers are also required to:
- Comply with current CSR standards and regulations,
- Agree to be assessed on their own CSR performance and, if necessary, to propose measures to improve their performance (CSR progress plan, etc.),
- Support Groupe BPCE in its efforts to achieve its own CSR objectives, notably by proposing innovative products, processes or services.
Processing of personnal data
Within the framework of our relationship with suppliers, we may be required to process some of their personal data.
To understand how this data is used and how to exercise your rights in this area, please consult the BPCE Achats & Services privacy policy .
Responsible purchasing
The principles of action adopted by the Purchasing department of BPCE Achats & Services are perfectly consistent with the Group’s CSR ambitions and commitments. Our CSR Approach
For further details, please consult Groupe BPCE Responsible purchasing policy (in French only).
Label: promoting a sustainable and well-balanced relationship with our suppliers
On July 9, 2024, the Supplier Relations and Responsible Purchasing Label Award Committee – composed of Business Mediation, attached to the Ministry of the Economy and Finance, and the National Purchasing Council (CNA) – awarded the Label Supplier Relations and Responsible Purchasing (RFAR charter) to BPCE Achats & Services.
This demanding label, supported by public authorities, makes it possible to demonstrate the implementation of the commitments of the Supplier Relations and Responsible Purchasing Charter (signed by the group) and the recommendations of ISO 20400, the international standard on responsible purchasing. It is awarded for a period of 3 years, subject to annual verification on major criteria by an approved auditor: BPCE Achats & Services is therefore formally committed to a plan for continuous progress in responsible purchasing.
So far, 13 companies in the group (including BPCE SA) have been certified, with the support of BPCE Achats & Services.
Reducing our environmental footprint
Reducing our environmental footprint
After having exceeded the ambitions of its 2019 – 2024 Strategic Plan to reduce its own footprint by 15%, for its VISION 2030 strategic plan, Groupe BPCE has set a target of reducing its carbon footprint by 6% by the end of 2026.
One of our priorities is to achieve even more responsible purchasing by systematically taking account of CSR criteria, including our carbon footprint, in all specifications, consultations and supplier relations. TCFD, the climate report of Groupe BPCE (2023 Edition)
Médiation
In order to encourage the amicable settlement of disputes with suppliers liable to arise during the performance of contracts, BPCE Achats & Services has appointed an in-house Supplier Relations Mediator responsible for promoting, through dialogue and consultation, solutions in the best interests of all parties concerned.
Suppliers may refer a matter to the Supplier Relations Mediator if they consider that they have taken every possible step with their operational contacts to remedy the difficulties encountered in the course of their business relationship. It is essential to remind the mediator of the steps already taken. Submissions are made by e-mail: Supplier Relations Mediator
The procedure is as follows:
- In the event of failure to reach an amicable agreement with the supplier’s usual operational contact during the performance of the contract, the supplier should contact the Purchasing Manager of BPCE Achats & Services or the Group company with which it has signed a contract,
- Should it prove impossible to reach an amicable agreement after discussions with the Purchasing Manager, the supplier may request the intervention of the BPCE Achats & Services Supplier Relations Mediator.
- In the absence of an amicable agreement after discussions with the BPCE Achats & Services Supplier Relations Mediator, the supplier may request the intervention of the Companies Ombudsman of the French Ministry of the Economy, Finance, and Industrial and Digital Sovereignty (Médiateur des entreprises du ministère de l’Economie, des Finances et de Souveraineté industrielle et numérique).
Developing the use of inclusive suppliers
Groupe BPCE contributes to the professional and social integration of people with disabilities and vulnerable groups who are far from employment by subcontracting certain activities to structures for integration by economic activity (SIAE) and disability structures (protected and adapted work sector – STPA- and Disabled Independent Workers – TIH ).
Groupe BPCE currently works with more than 300 suppliers from this sector, offering various types of services on a direct or co-contracting basis.