BIC - 2018 Registration document

OUR ENVIRONMENTAL, SOCIAL, AND SOCIETAL RESPONSIBILITY

The BIC Sustainable Development Program and its five flagship commitments: Writing the Future, Together [NFPS]

Progress made in 2018 ❯ Throughout 2018, the dialogue on the topic of sustainable development continued at various events, including: the Oddo Mid-Cap Forum in January 2018 in Lyon, France, ● where BIC met, upon their request, with financial and extra-financial analysts and fund managers at individual and group meetings; the Annual Shareholders’ Meeting on May 16, 2018; ● the ESG/SRI meeting organized by Société Générale on ● November 13, 2018. Responsible Communication 3.1.3.5. Challenges ❯ BIC seeks to engage in controlled, responsible communication operations that will allow the Group to retain the confidence of its stakeholders. Approach and Policy ❯ Defined in 2013, the Responsible Communication Charter formalizes BIC Group’s integration of the Value of Responsibility in its communication. This Charter expresses BIC’s intention to share reliable information and release clear, accurate messages; it applies to all communication undertaken by the Group around the world towards all its stakeholders. To ensure accuracy in the Group’s communication, this Charter comprises three principles by which BIC pledges to: implement the necessary means, in terms of organization, ● processes and tools, for verifying all communications issued by the Group; make responsible use of its stakeholders’ personal data, in ● compliance with the regulations; include environmental and social impacts in the criteria that ● determine its communication choices. It also defines communication actions to help build a more responsible world.

BIC is a member of the Executive Committees of the main industry associations, and in some cases, has been for many years. Lobbying activities can also take the form of direct contacts with the pertinent authorities, institutions, governmental agencies and NGOs. The Group’s subsidiaries also cultivate direct relations with the national authorities in their countries of operation. However, the Group has no professional lobbyists on its payroll. Clearly identified lobbying responsibilities At the highest level of the Group, CEO Gonzalve Bich and BIC Executive Vice-President Marie-Aimée Bich-Dufour, along with the Category and Continent Directors, are responsible for steering and monitoring all lobbying actions on a regular basis. The operational responsibility for BIC’s relationships with public authorities and institutions is delegated to a small number of specifically identified managers, who have been named to represent the Group in the above-mentioned proceedings. The Category and Continent Directors are kept informed of the progress of laws and regulations that affect their operations. BIC Group ensures strict compliance with local laws and regulations in the pursuit of its lobbying activities. Like all the Group’s activities, lobbying is governed by the Anti-Corruption Policy and the BIC Code of Ethics, which names the persons to be notified in case of violation. Employee awareness The latest developments concerning lighters are shared with the Group’s employees during the results presentations. The General Managers and Marketing Managers are also kept directly abreast of BIC’s lobbying actions on lighters. Progress made in 2018 ❯ BIC Group lobbying activity in 2018 focused on pending regulations and standards concerning stationery products (EU directives and regulations: REACH, CLP, Toy Safety) and lighters (ISO 9994, Child Safety, CLP). The Group is also following the European Commission project to improve market oversight.

Dialogue with the financial 3.1.3.4. community Challenges ❯

100% of the environmental claims that appear on the packaging, in the catalogs and on the websites for BIC ® products are approved by the Legal Department.

Shareholders and investors increasingly seek to integrate sustainable development into the realm of finance. As part of its ongoing dialogue with the financial community, BIC strives to offer all relevant information and indicators and shows how its Sustainable Development Program has allowed the Group to seize opportunities and control the associated risks.

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• BIC GROUP - 2018 REGISTRATION DOCUMENT •