As part of the BESTLIFE2030 Programme, a strong partnership has been established between the French Committee of the IUCN and the Polynesian bank SOCREDO. It is in French Polynesia that this initiative has taken shape through a long-term partnership.
From 2023 until 2030, SOCREDO is supporting the implementation of the BESTLIFE2030 Programme in the Pacific region, for which the French Committee of the IUCN serves as the regional focal point. This Programme provides direct support to small organisations working to protect biodiversity in the outermost regions of the European Union (EU) and the EU’s Overseas Countries and Territories, home to some of the planet’s richest and most vulnerable ecosystems.
Through this partnership, SOCREDO contributes to strengthening conservation projects led by local stakeholders in French Polynesia, New Caledonia and Wallis and Futuna. Beyond its financial support, the bank is actively involved in the Programme’s activities. Its representatives regularly take part in various workshops related to the supported projects, fostering exchanges between conservation stakeholders, project leaders and the business sector. This approach creates opportunities for direct collaboration between SOCREDO and project leaders, thereby enabling financial support for organisations even beyond the scope of the BESTLIFE2030 Programme.
The partnership also includes an awareness-raising component. In 2024, the French Committee of the IUCN organised a conference for SOCREDO staff to present the key biodiversity challenges facing French Polynesia, as well as the specific projects supported under BESTLIFE2030. This meeting helped to deepen understanding of the territory’s environmental challenges and highlighted the role that economic stakeholders can play in the transition towards more sustainable development.
Through its support for nature conservation initiatives carried out under the BESTLIFE2030 Programme, SOCREDO reaffirms its commitment to the sustainable and inclusive development of French Polynesia. As the territory’s leading bank, serving all Polynesians, it believes that the preservation of the territory’s natural heritage is inseparable from its economic and social development. This commitment is part of a long-term vision, for the benefit of present and future generations.
By fostering partnerships between conservation organisations and committed businesses, the BESTLIFE2030 Programme demonstrates that cooperation between public, voluntary and economic stakeholders is essential for preserving biodiversity whilst supporting the sustainable development of the Pacific island territories.
