ACTIVITY REPORT 2021 What is the strength of the “banking without distance” strategy? Behind this approach and at the basis of our culture of The third aspect of proximity concerns decision-making; efficiency is a multidimensional philosophy of proximity our customers know the people ultimately in charge at and added value. BRED and its banking subsidiaries, and decisions are made at the most local level. Local proximity to our customers first of all, which we have endeavoured to strengthen in recent years and to Finally, managerial proximity, which is just as essential, significantly improve. Indeed, banking without distance because commercial banking is a business that involves shows the BRED Group’s ability to meet the ever-increasing consulting, and the ability to mobilise teams to support expectations of individuals, professionals and companies of customers sets us apart. Our employees are involved in all sizes, both in terms of the overall long-term relationship the strategy, we give them the keys not only to understand and of services and advice. It shows the relationship of it but also to be key players in it. trust that we are continually striving to enhance: trust in our ability to support our customers on a long-term basis The added value of advice to all our customers is one of the in their personal or corporate projects. Trust as well in our foundations of our strategy. Customers, who are better- ability to meet their needs for financing, sound investments informed and more exacting, expect to have advisers who and data protection. can meet their specific needs, and who are highly competent. This is what the BRED Group strives to offer and which This philosophy also covers our proximity to the territories. has resulted in the emergence of “100% advisory banking”. We are a cooperative bank, with a particularly strong role in the territories where we are established, both in France and abroad. We are in perfect harmony with them, with converging interests. If one day, one of our territories shows lower profitability than others, the savings collected there will be used to finance the development of projects in those territories, and will not be allocated to another territory The local proximity offering better profitability. to customers shows the relationship of trust that we are continually striving to enhance 14 dlrow eht ot nepO