BNP Paribas Announces Over $55m (€50m) Of Global Donations To Fight COVID-19 Virus

• Includes significant allocation to the Americas, including in the US with donations from BNP Paribas USA and its affiliate, Bank of the West
   
• Over $55 million (€50 million) in direct support to more than 30 countries providing locally for hospitals and vulnerable populations
   
• In addition to other initiatives, BNP Paribas USA donates to NYC Health + Hospitals and Bank of the West donates to four hospitals in its West Coast footprint

NEW YORK and SAN FRANCISCO, April 09, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- BNP Paribas, a premier global bank, today announces additional global aid for the medical sector and at risk populations fighting the COVID-19 virus with donations now totaling over $55 million worldwide. This includes significant allocation to the Americas, including in the US with donations through BNP Paribas USA and its affiliate, Bank of the West.

BNP Paribas and its subsidiaries around the world mobilized from the start of the health crisis to support the hospital system, medical research and institutions that help the most vulnerable and disadvantaged.

BNP Paribas USA, including its affiliate Bank of the West, is making five large donations to hospitals around the US:

• Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Hospital in Los Angeles to help fund COVID-19 programs
   
• NYC Health + Hospitals and the USTA to provide direct support to some of the hardest-hit hospitals in the NYC area including Bellevue, Elmhurst, and Lincoln, as well as to the new field hospital being constructed at the USTA Billie Jean King Tennis Center in Queens
   
• UCSF Medical Center in San Francisco to fight COVID-19 in the Bay Area
   
• PIH Health Good Samaritan Hospital in Los Angeles to procure critical medical supplies
   
• Swedish Medical Center in Seattle to help fund COVID-19 testing

The bank is also contributing:

• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): Bank of the West donated nearly 500,000 masks to hospitals in the communities it serves. BNP Paribas USA is also donating an additional 100,000 masks in the US
   
• Employee Match: BNP Paribas and Bank of the West employee donations are being matched 1:1 to charities supporting certain COVID-19 relief efforts
   
• Virtual Volunteering: BNP Paribas in the US has organized a Virtual Volunteer program for staff
   
• Additional support for existing charitable partners: BNP Paribas USA is committing additional support to many current charitable partners in New York and New Jersey who provide essential relief and recovery services to some of the area’s most disadvantaged individuals. Similarly, Bank of the West donated to the United Way and the Opportunity Fund, an organization that provides capital assistance and technical support to small businesses affected by the pandemic

BNP Paribas is also making significant donations in Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Mexico, and Peru.

“This gift will make a major contribution to keeping our front line workers safe and healing the bodies and spirits of our highly vulnerable community at a time of critical need,” said Dyan Sublett, president of the MLK Community Health Foundation, which supports the work of Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Hospital. “We are incredibly thankful for this extraordinary act of generosity from Bank of the West.”

“As our heroic workforce continues to confront the COVID-19 pandemic, we are grateful for the generous donation from BNP Paribas that will provide comfort to our health care workers who are working day and night to save lives,” said Dr. Eric Wei, Vice President and Chief Quality Officer, NYC Health + Hospitals.​

“We appreciate Bank of the West for recognizing the dedication of our physicians, nurses and staff who are going above and beyond to provide care during this pandemic,” said James R. West, President and Chief Executive Officer, PIH Health. “These funds will go a long way in providing the equipment needed to keep our professionals safe and the resources needed to continue providing excellent care to our patients and our community. We thank Bank of the West for their support.”

Jean-Yves Fillion, CEO of BNP Paribas USA and Chairman of CIB Americas, stated, “This is an unprecedented time in modern history, which requires all of us to collectively do what we can to provide support to health institutions and communities as we battle this health crisis. Our donations are informed by feedback from medical experts so as to be directed to specific priorities for each country hit by the crisis where BNP Paribas has a presence. In the Americas, we are proud to be making a substantial contribution not just in monetary means, but in critical PPE as well as staff volunteering. BNP Paribas is also proactively serving its clients and business partners, and will continue to do so through the crisis.”

“We are at a pivotal moment when we have the opportunity to help those impacted by the spread of COVID-19 by supporting our healthcare professionals. The need for funding and personal protective equipment is great and we are taking action,” said Nandita Bakhshi, President and Chief Executive Officer of Bank of the West, Co-Chief Executive Officer of BNP Paribas USA Inc. “Bank of the West is supporting four hospitals that are vital to pandemic response and relief efforts focusing on research, testing, and clinical trials. Through these contributions, we hope to improve the health and livelihoods of those in our communities, support heroic frontline workers, and remind all of us that we are stronger together.”

About BNP Paribas in the US
BNP Paribas is a premier global banking partner and has built a strong and diversified presence and product suite in the United States (US) to help serve its clients in today’s changing world. The bank employs over 14,000 people and has had a presence in the US since the late 1800s. Bank of the West, BNP Paribas’ retail arm, serves over two million individuals and small & businesses through a network of around 600 branches and business centers. Large corporate and institutional clients are served by BNP Paribas’ Corporate & Institutional Banking franchise that has a presence in the main US cities, in addition to a wide international reach through a network of offices in EMEA and APAC. The bank also offers asset management services through BNP Paribas Asset Management as well as Real Estate and Fleet Services through partnerships. www.usa.bnpparibas.com

About Bank of the West
At Bank of the West, we know money deposited in a bank has the power to finance positive change. So we are taking action to ensure our activities help protect the planet, improve people’s lives, and strengthen communities. We are redefining banking for a better future by focusing on areas where we believe we can have a real impact: supporting energy transition, helping enable women entrepreneurs, and financing innovative start-ups. As the bank for a changing world, Bank of the West is committed to sustainable finance along with our parent company BNP Paribas. Through Digital Channels and offices across the U.S., Bank of the West provides financial tools and resources to more than 2 million individuals, families and businesses.

© 2020 Bank of the West. Member FDIC. Equal Housing Lender. Doing business in South Dakota as Bank of the West California.

About BNP Paribas
BNP Paribas is a leading bank in Europe with an international reach. It has a presence in 71 countries, with approximately 199,000 employees, of which more than 151,000 are in Europe. The Group has key positions in its three main activities: Domestic Markets and International Financial Services (whose retail-banking networks and financial services are covered by Retail Banking & Services) and Corporate & Institutional Banking, which serves two client franchises: corporate clients and institutional investors. The Group helps all its clients (individuals, community associations, entrepreneurs, SMEs, corporates and institutional clients) to realize their projects through solutions spanning financing, investment, savings and protection insurance.

In Europe, the Group has four domestic markets (Belgium, France, Italy and Luxembourg) and BNP Paribas Personal Finance is the European leader in consumer lending.

BNP Paribas is rolling out its integrated retail-banking model in Mediterranean countries, in Turkey, in Eastern Europe and a large network in the western part of the United States. In its Corporate & Institutional Banking and International Financial Services activities, BNP Paribas also enjoys top positions in Europe, a strong presence in the Americas as well as a solid and fast-growing business in Asia-Pacific.

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