Our sustainable solutions 

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• Belfius supports Belgian households in their building and renovation projects that focus on energy-saving. There are 3 variants in energy-efficient housing loans:
  • Lower interest rates for new-builds (because they are subject to the latest energy efficiency and energy consumption standards);
  • An immediate reduction in the interest rate for energy-related renovations if they improve the home’s energy performance by at least 30% (i.e. a 30% improvement in their energy score in kWh/m2 per year);
  • A deferred reduction in interest rate if the home’s energy score falls to 1,500 kWh/m2 per year or more within the first 7 years of the loan.
     

Energy Renovation Loan: For smaller amounts, a consumer loan is generally more appropriate. With this in mind, Belfius offers the Energy Renovation Loan: a loan package for financing energy-related renovations, such as better insulation, installing double or triple glazing, replacing an old boiler with a high-efficiency version, installing a heat pump or solar panels, or carrying out an energy audit.

• Financing energy efficiency projects through new programmes and techniques in collaboration with the European Investment Bank (EIB):
  • BEEP (Belfius Energy Efficiency Package): Through BEEP, Belfius offers public bodies, educational establishments and social non-profit organisations a unique financing package to speed up their investments in energy efficiency and renewable energies.
  • ELENA (European Local Energy Assistance) is a joint subsidy programme of the EIB and the European Commission for energy efficiency and renewable energy programmes for buildings. Belfius is the first and only commercial bank to have received an Elena subsidy to actively support its customers in carrying out their projects.
     
• Smart Building & Renovation Solution (SBRS) is an all-in package for financing sustainable and affordable public buildings and healthcare infrastructure, drawing on the long-standing experience of our own property specialists and the expertise of specialised and innovative partners. Find out more about SBRS.
• With our Green & Social Bonds, we offer public authorities, intermunicipal companies and businesses the opportunity to diversify their financing through ‘green’ issues and strengthen their sustainability policy.

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• Total investments made by Belfius in renewable energy reached approximately 1.9 billion EUR at the end of 2023. This includes financing for projects and loans, as well as more than 500 leasing contracts in progress in the fields of biomass, solar energy, onshore and offshore wind power, cogeneration and the greening of production lines. Belfius also helps to manage the financing of renewable assets on the energy markets in neighbouring countries.
• We do not provide finance for companies involved in coal mining and/or unconventional oil and gas production. In the field of energy production, we do not finance fossil fuel-based projects.
• And we only finance companies in the fossil fuel sector in order to help them make the transition to new renewable energy techniques and applications. Belfius’ policy on energy transition policy is set out in our sector-specific ESG policy.
• In 2023, the Aster cooperative, representing 90% of the Flemish social housing market, set itself the goal of installing 395,000 solar panels on 52,500 social housing units in Flanders over a five-year period. Belfius is funding the first stage of this energy transition project with a loan of 106 million EUR. This initiative is also of direct benefit to tenants, whose energy bills will fall.
• Vendor leasing: This financing technique enables machine manufacturers, importers or distributors, who are Belfius customers, to offer their own customers a solution for using capital goods in return for periodic payments. Belfius Lease is also planning to create a platform dedicated to second-hand equipment. In this way, we are promoting the circular economy.
• Belfius Auto Lease is increasingly emerging as a mobility provider with a sustainable vision:
  • CenEnergy by Belfius offers tailor-made solutions for customers wishing to switch to electric mobility. These include the installation of charging stations, access to a management platform, access to the CenEnergy digital application and charging cards.
  • Through its partnership with Cyclis, Belfius Auto Lease is strengthening its mobility offering in Belgium for employers and employees alike. The offering includes the leasing of all types of bicycles, along with additional services.

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• Belfius Home & Family home insurance offers additional cover for grandchildren in the care of their grandparents, as well as secondary residence cover, aimed mainly at the elderly.
• Pay-as-you-Drive insurance rewards low mileage. This approach offers a personalised premium that depends on the number of kilometres driven in the year, thereby guaranteeing a fair premium.
• The Drive for Life car insurance cover from DVV offers the over-60s a guarantee of mobility as their compulsory third-party motor insurance is never cancelled.
• Bicycle insurance offers extended protection for all types of bike.
• The MyBo tool is a priority communication channel, useful in particular in the event of a natural disaster. The tool also improves the efficiency of claims reports for customers.
• Belfius Home Credit Protect death insurance provides optional ‘serious illness’ cover.

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More and more investors want their investments to have a positive impact on society.  Irrespective of these expectations, current societal challenges are prompting banks to develop specific products focused on the fight against climate change, pollution, the failure to respect human rights, the shortage of drinking water, the loss of biodiversity, the arms race, the problems associated with an ageing population, etc.

To meet these challenges, Belfius offers investors a complete, transparent and segmented range of meaningful investments, managed by Belfius Asset Management (our investment fund management and administration subsidiary) and Candriam (Belfius’ preferred external partner in this field for many years). Belfius Asset Management and Candriam are both signatories of the UNPRI (United Nations Principles for Responsible Investment) quality charter.

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Depending on the type of investment, we conduct different levels of screening and apply a specific sustainable investment approach, sometimes in collaboration with external partners:

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   Basic screening, which amounts to applying the exclusions provided for by law.
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   More in-depth screening, based on our own policies, which go further than the law. Find out more about our policy on exclusions and/or restrictions for sensitive sectors and controversial activities.
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   A ‘Best-in-class’ approach which selects only those companies with the best sustainable development performance in their sector or region.
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   A thematic approach, which looks for companies that actively offer sustainable solutions to global challenges, such as water scarcity, sustainable forest management, sustainable energy, clean technologies, food supply and quality, personal data security, personal protection and health..

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A range of different funds, developed since 2019, invest in entities that offer solutions or products aimed at tackling a societal and/or environmental problem. Belfius adds a second positive impact by financially supporting noble causes linked to an investment theme.

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At Belfius, innovation and sustainable development are very closely linked. We see innovation as a springboard to a sustainable future, in environmental, social and economic terms. Several technological services based on our digital expertise actively encourage companies, their employees, local authorities and the public to adopt more sustainable behaviour.

• Fairville combines five initiatives (Onze Stad App, Cirklo, MyWaste, Buck-e and City Lovers) on a single online platform, aimed at facilitating digital transition in towns and local authority areas.
• Hoplr is a digital neighbourhood connection platform that has won several awards. The platform encourages local mutual aid, communication and citizen participation.
• Jaimy is a platform that enables customers to quickly find trusted professional tradesmen in the electrical, heating, plumbing or renovation sectors.
• Belfius also supports a number of start-ups and scale-ups discovered through the W.IN.G (Wallonia Innovation and Growth) fund and Do!Gent.

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