Raben and BNP Paribas Faktoring combine subcontractor financing with ESG targets

From this year onwards, Raben Logistics Poland's supplier financing programme, which supports carriers in maintaining liquidity, is combined with the pursuit of targets within the company's ESG strategy. This is another sustainable financing solution successfully implemented in Group companies, which combines a responsible approach with real support for partners in the supply chain. This program has been implemented in cooperation with BNP Paribas Faktoring, BNP Paribas Bank, and the technology start-up Envirly.

Raben Group has been basing strategic bank financing on ESG indicators since 2021 and is now extending this approach with a new factoring solution, the supplier financing programme. This transaction is based entirely on the sustainability management targets of the subcontractors, which requires an individual approach by all parties involved. 

As part of the agreement between BNP Paribas Faktoring and Raben Logistics Polska, three objectives have been established to support Raben Group's Sustainable Development Strategy:

1. Share of vehicles meeting EURO VI standard in the fleet of Raben Logistics Polska carriers, 

2. Involving subcontractors in measuring the carbon footprint,

3. Analysis of the supply chain through subcontractors’ self-assessment in the environmental, social and ethical areas.

All targets set for 2024 have been achieved and confirmed by an independent external audit. This demonstrates the high level of awareness and responsibility of Raben Group and its partners. 

The supplier financing programme is a service that supports small and medium-sized enterprises in maintaining liquidity. Thanks to the fast payment of funds for invoices issued, subcontractors do not have to wait long for a transfer from a counterparty and can safely develop their business. This is a major benefit for small transport companies that work with large operators.

In addition, all subcontractors of Raben Logistics Polska can count on real support in the area of sustainable development. In order to facilitate measurement and reporting, Raben Logistics Polska has provided them with an intuitive tool, thanks to which the carriers can calculate emissions themselves and monitor their progress in this area. This solution was provided by technology start-up Envirly. 

- The cooperation with Raben Group was the impuls for creating a dedicated module for the transport industry on our platform. We have ensured that the tool meets the needs of micro and small providers operating in the TFL sector - both in terms of the logic of the emissions calculations and the intuitive interface and visual layer. This allows companies in the supply chain to quickly understand what realistically affects their carbon footprint and Raben to gain insight into the environmental impact of subcontractors - says Mateusz Masiak, CEO of Envirly.

- More and more responsible companies, such as Raben Group, are demanding carbon footprint data from their service providers - this is no longer just a matter of goodwill, but a real competitive advantage. For many SMEs, this is a new and often difficult challenge. That is why counting emissions is now becoming one of the cornerstones of supply chain collaboration. Without this, it is difficult to talk about transparency, accountability or to maintain contracts with major players - concludes Weronika Czaplewska, vice-president of Envirly.

Incorporating ESG targets into the supplier financing programme is one step towards achieving Raben Group's ambitious decarbonisation targets. Indeed, the company has committed to reduce Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 60.4% by 2032 and to engage 79% of carriers in decarbonisation efforts by 2027 using 2020 results as a baseline.

- In this project, everything comes together as a coherent whole and drives each other. Factoring protects our subcontractors, mainly micro and small companies, from payment bottlenecks and ensures their financial stability and smooth operations. Carriers receive a carbon footprint calculation tool and support from us free of charge as an invitation to set their own reduction targets and fight global warming. In turn, their commitment to pro-environmental measures will bring us closer to achieving our sustainability strategy and allow for meeting the conditions of factoring. Through our partnership with BNP Paribas, we are helping our subcontractors achieve their sustainability goals while strengthening the resilience of the entire supply chain. Everyone benefits from this - says Ewelina Jabłońska-Gryżenia, Sustainability Director at Raben Group.

It is worth reminding that already in 2021, Raben Group received a Sustainability Linked Loan worth EUR 225 million coordinated by seven banks. This was one of the first syndicated SLL loans in the European logistics industry and the first transaction in Poland based on the borrower's strategic ESG objectives. In 2024, this amount was increased by EUR 100 million. At the time, BNP Paribas Bank acted as Sustainability Coordinator, and the subsequent implementation of sustainable financing with BNP Paribas Faktoring is a continuation of the intensive cooperation between BNP Paribas Group in Poland and Raben Group in this area.

- It is a pleasure to implement another ESG-linked financial solution with Raben, after the sustainable loan. This time, the indicators focused entirely on the supply chain, which is a definite highlight of the deal. Obtaining reliable emissions data from micro and small transport companies is a real challenge, but also a key step in the transformation of the industry - says Jadwiga Pisarska, senior ESG and sustainable finance expert at Bank BNP Paribas.

- This is a ground-breaking implementation for us - not only because of the scale, but especially the approach. We developed a solution fully tailored to the needs of the client and its partners. The use of measurable ESG indicators, defined jointly by the project team, made it possible to effectively influence carriers' actions and engage them in the transformation process - adds Agnieszka Fieback, member of the management board responsible for sales at BNP Paribas Faktoring.