Crédit Agricole partners with Willing for its cybersecurity awareness campaign

Crédit Agricole SA, the French leader in local universal banking, considers cybersecurity a priority. The Group is aware that employees play an essential role in mitigating cyberthreats and organizes an annual awareness campaign for all its entities and staff.

For its 2024 campaign, the Group turned to Willing for support!

Human error: A serious cybersecurity flaw

Cyberattacks no longer target just computer systems, they also – and above all – target people.

We have seen a sharp increase in the number of increasingly sophisticated social engineering frauds, attacks designed to trick victims out of money or personal information. They pose a constant threat to businesses.

Employee training and awareness is more important than ever, but raises a number of communication issues: How do I raise awareness of cyberthreats among thousands of staff members without taking the moral high ground? How do I make cybersecurity more accessible, less abstract? How do I communicate technical information in user-friendly language?

The Crédit Agricole Group approached Willing and its in-house marketing and communication department, Cinétique, to help tackle this challenge.

A strong, empowering, human-centered campaign

The Cinétique team of marketing and communication experts worked closely with the Group’s IS Security and Risks Department to develop an awareness campaign with a triple objective:

  • Remind staff of good IT security practices, without demeaning the women and men who make up the Group,
  • Help teams to gradually adapt to an enhanced cybersecurity, by changing behaviors, creating new habits and supporting them through the learning curve,
  • Design a positive, striking campaign, clearly explaining the risks of social engineering fraud.

It had to be an awareness campaign centered around people. An idea rapidly formed, that of a strong, large chain in which every link has a role to play, symbolizing the unique importance of every staff member in reducing the daily risk of cyberattacks and so guaranteeing optimal security throughout the company.

The campaign title became Strongest Link, chosen from among the various creative concepts presented.

It is a resolutely positive campaign featuring a series of six portraits spotlighting employees making the right choices, with a focus on commendable behavior, rather than stigmatization.

It was rolled out internationally to all Group employees as an integral part of a dedicated communication strategy, in both print and digital formats (posters, kakemonos, etc.).

An animated didactic film was also released to round out the multi-channel campaign, explaining the phenomenon of social engineering in a video medium.


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Regional philanthropy

  • Every year, we sign sponsorship agreements with various organizations and associations. By way of example, in 2023, we were sponsors for over 100 days.
  • Since 2023, we have been a partner of Nos quartiers ont des talents (NQT), an association that promotes the professional integration of local young graduates, through which we mentor young professionals and pass on our knowledge and experience.

Partnerships with schools

  • We invest in our team members’ schools and alumni networks, and regularly take part in their events: company forums, entrance competitions, challenges, case studies, hackathons, etc.

Local charity events

  • We take part in charity events in our regions all year round, often initiated by our team members. Examples include the Toulouse and Paris marathons (2022, 2023 and 2024), awareness-raising and fundraising for Pink October (2023), Clean my Calanques (2024) and the Pink October race (2024).

Reducing our greenhouse gas emissions

  • Since 2022, our annual carbon footprint has been calculated by a qualified service provider (in accordance with the GHG Protocol).
  • We use this GHG assessment to evaluate and correct our scope 1, 2 and 3 reduction trajectory.

Sustainable purchasing and waste management

  • Our purchasing policy prioritizes purchases of reconditioned equipment or products made by environmentally engaged suppliers whenever possible, such as French non-profit organizations set up to help disabled people find work (like ESAT), in line with our continuous improvement approach.
  • We have set up selective sorting and recycling systems in each of our offices for paper/cardboard, metal, plastic and glass waste.

Promoting soft mobility

  • We pay 75% of our team members’ public transport fares.
  • We travel by train for business trips, as part of our Company Agreement, to reduce our carbon footprint.

Building on sustainable IT

  • Our website is eco-designed and developed, in line with our purpose and commitments (WCAG).
  • We give our used IT equipment to our team members’ children, associations or local schools.

Encouraging diversity and equal opportunity

  • We have a fair and inclusive recruitment process that gives everyone an equal chance, whatever their level of experience, origin or religion.
  • Our “Diversity” charters testify to our zero tolerance of all forms of discrimination.
  • We recruit students responsibly every year on work-study contracts and in internships, to help integrate young people into the world of work.
  • We have partnered with the Nos quartiers ont des talents association which accompanies disadvantaged young graduates, helping young professionals along the path to employment and facilitating the transmission of knowledge between generations.
  • We have assigned a representative in the fight against discrimination and promotion of diversity, Jennifer Borderie, whom our team members and candidates can contact in reference to such issues.
  • We have also set up a free helpline in collaboration with Malakoff Humanis to assist team members in difficult situations, for example due to harassment, discrimination, illness, social fragility or disability. (Phone: 3996.)

Promoting and accelerating gender equality

  • Our 2023 Company Agreement includes exceptional leave for female team members in the event of an abortion.
  • We offer parenting support including tripartite interviews on leaving for and returning from maternity and paternity leave.
  • Our professional equality index is the focus of a specific action plan. It stands at 93/100 for 2024 and is constantly improving.

Integrating people with disabilities

  • Marie-Cécile Batigne is our disability representative, in charge of supporting disabled team members and raising awareness among our teams.
  • Our 2023 Company Agreement provides for specific leave for any team member with a child who is diagnosed with a disability or pathology.
  • We have drafted an in-house memo providing information on leave options for caregivers.
  • We assist team members with the RQTH process and protocol to recognize their status as a disabled worker in France.
  • We adapt our workstations to the needs of our disabled team members to provide them with an inclusive working environment and encourage them to remain in employment.

Across-the-board CSR

  • As part of our drive to raise awareness of CSR issues among all our team members, our Willing Management Committee has received training and is regularly updated on these issues. All our offices have joined the Climate Fresk initiative, where during the workshops, we roll out our awareness-raising campaigns.
  • Our corporate project supports initiatives addressing the core issues and fields of action covered by ISO 26000.

A participatory, consultative approach

  • We assign an ambassador to relay our corporate project in each of our offices. It is their role to align the policies of our Executive Committee, Management Committee and Works Council with our teams’ proposals.
  • We use visual management techniques to communicate the progress of our corporate project in each office, and to collect questions, suggestions and contribution requests from our teams.

Business ethics

  • We have an Ethics Charter with a code of conduct that governs all professional relations with our partners based on seven immutable principles: solidarity, integrity, respect for others, honesty, rigor, loyalty and respect for professional secrecy. This encourages our suppliers to also act responsibly and protect the environment.