Societe Generale is 160 years old!

Published on 04/05/2024
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Societe Generale is 160 years old!

It was 4 May 1864... at the height of the Industrial Revolution, Napoleon III signed the decree creating Societe Generale with the mission of "promoting the development of trade and industry". From generation to generation, we have maintained and constantly renewed this original raison d'être, serving our customers and society as a whole.

Who would have imagined 160 years ago that the ambition of our founders, a group of industrialists and financiers driven by the ideals of progress, would bring us together in 2024, driven by the same entrepreneurial spirit, to serve more than 25 million customers in 65 countries?

 

For 160 years, we have been making our clients' ideas grow

Shaped by generations of employees and customers, our Group has always supported economic development: yesterday by accompanying the industrial revolution, today and tomorrow by resolutely addressing the challenges of our time for sustainable development and responsible transition.

The strength of this legacy, inherited from previous generations, enables Societe Generale to face the future with audacity, determination and confidence.

160 years - Making ideas grow for 160 years
Preview image for the video "Societe Generale committed to progress".

160 years of daring and progress

1864: at the service of the development of trade and industry in France.
Today: recognized as Best Bank for sustainability by the IFR Award 2023.

1870: 1st Societe Generale branch in France.
Today: over 1,400 branches at the heart of local regions in France.

1871: first steps internationally - London.
Today: present in more than 60 countries.

1880: co-financing of the Telephone Company in France.
Today: +200 million euros for French Tech.

1886: inventors of the concessive model (Eiffel Tower).
Today: pioneers in the private debt sector (partnership with Brookfield).

1894: 1st safe deposit boxes for storing securities.
Today: experts in crypto assets (Forge).

1895: 1st financing of automotive industry.
Today: leader in sustainable mobility (Ayvens).

1900: major financiers of railways.
Today: committed to the decarbonization of steel (H2 Green Steel).

1903: creation of the Societe Generale Athletic Club.
Today: committed to Rugby, Parasport and eSport.

1905: 1st Societe Generale scholarship holder.
Today: a global philanthropy program for education, culture, and the environment.

1948: supporting European economic recovery (Marshall Plan).
Today: committed to sustainable finance in emerging countries (partnership with IFC, International Finance Corporation).

1956: Lucienne, 1st woman to be a branch manager in France.
Today: 100 million euros for compensation equity.

1964: founders of the 1st SICAV in France.
Today: world leader in cash equities and research (Bernstein).

1985: first online services via Logitel.
Today: ranked No.1 banking application in France.

1995: major player in online brokerage with Fimatex.
Today: leader in online banking in France.

From generation to generation, committed to progress.

We are Societe Generale

Supporting the challenges of every epoch – from the industrial revolution to the environmental transition. Contributing to the development of economies and territories. Financing major public works, infrastructure, industry and sustainable energy. Inventing new financing models and reinventing the banking profession. Supporting culture and sport and tackling inequalities... Generation after generation, with a commitment and a passion for our business, we are writing the pages of our collective history, together and with our clients. 

#WeAreSocieteGenerale

Preview image for the video "160 years – We are Societe Generale – EN".

We are Societe Generale

We are Societe Generale.
We are a century and half of history, values, ambitions.

We are more than a hundred thousand, from all cultures, all ages, and nations.
We are France, we are Europe, we are the world.

We are the ones who carried progress forward.
From the industrial revolution to world trade evolution.

To the growth of cities, culture, health and humankind.
In our communities, our countries.

Moved by our passion for our work as bankers.
Help great ideas see the light of day and projects take form.

Support businesses, young generations, support families.
Finance those who want to build and move forward.

Be the essential cog, catalyze the most ambitious visions.
Be the ones who imagine solutions, who make things possible, take the decisions.

Be the ones who believe that small projects are first steps to reach the new frontier.
Listening deeply, understanding goals.

We are proud of our mission, we are proud of our story.
We are strong, and we are together.

For our clients, for their service, we combine our expertise.
We are an investment bank, a retail bank, a private bank, all of these.

We advise, we finance, we provide mobility, we insure.
We walk by the side of our 25 million clients on all the paths of life.
From generation to generation, sometimes through decades, to be sure.

We went all the way to the top; we experienced the thrill of success.
We went through multiple crises, we disappointed, we had issues to address.

Today we are back, and we are ready.
For the sake of tomorrow, we reinvent ourselves, we stand steady.
We build strong foundations, in a world which is challenged.
We want to be founders again, for the sake of a better future.

We push sustainable projects with a sense of duty to our planet.
We commit to financial inclusion, social equity, and responsible technology.

We want to support virtuous business models for the improvement of all.
We encourage our clients and partners to be more ambitious, not to think small.

Acutely aware of our responsibility, in all our spheres.
We walk through centuries, but keep our spirit as pioneers.

Be audacious, courageous, creative … make impactful contributions.
For the sake of long-term value creation, come up with new solutions.

Understand the world of tomorrow, the next generations.
Understand the defining challenges of the coming decades and of radical evolutions.

Do our part. Lead, dare, innovate and build.

Our head held high, our conscience, look with confidence into the future, with our vision fulfilled.

Our history through time

1864
Décret d'application du 4 mai 1864

Création par un groupe d’industriels et de financiers de Société Générale pour « favoriser le développement du commerce et de l’industrie en France »

1871

Première implantation internationale à Londres

1889
Construction de la Tour Eiffel

Inauguration de la tour Eiffel le 31 mars 1889, cofinancement innovant par concession du projet de Société Générale

1901

Création du concours de l’Inspection Générale

1903

Création du Club athlétique de Société Générale (CASG), pépinière de champions

1909

Naissance de « La Solidarité », une association amicale, philanthropique et fraternelle pour favoriser l’insertion professionnelle des plus démunis

1928

Création du Calif (Crédit à l’industrie française) avec différents groupes industriels, afin d’aider le développement des entreprises et de favoriser les exportations

1939
Bureau à New York

Ouverture vers l’Amérique (New York) et de plusieurs guichets à l’international

1945

Nationalisation de Société Générale. La Banque joue un rôle actif dans le financement de la reconstruction d’après-guerre et contribue au développement de la société pendant les Trente Glorieuses

1968
Affiche Sogebail

Lancement de l’offre de crédit Sogebail (une première en France)

1985

Société Générale est la première banque à offrir à ses clients des services en ligne avec le lancement de Logitel

1987

Privatisation de Société Générale. Développement de son modèle de banque universelle et participation à la mondialisation de l’économie

Société Générale devient le sponsor de la Fédération française de rugby

1995

Création de Fimatex devenue ensuite Boursorama

1997

Acquisition du groupe Crédit du Nord

2001

Acquisition de KB en République tchèque. Société Générale poursuit son développement en Banque de détail à l’International

2007

Société Générale fait preuve de résilience pendant la crise financière et démontre sa capacité à se transformer

2015

En amont de l’Accord de Paris, Société Générale adopte une politique globale en faveur du climat. Faisant partie des banques à l’origine de la Finance à impact positif, elle réalise l’émission de la première obligation à impact positif

2023
Devanture d'une agence SG

Naissance de la nouvelle Banque de détail en France - SG - issue de la fusion des réseaux Société Générale et Crédit du Nord

2023
BoursoBank, la banque qu'on a envie de recommander.

Développement du leader de la banque en ligne en France, BoursoBank

2023
Ayvens, better with ervery move

Intégration des activités de LeasePlan au sein d’Ayvens, leader mondial de la mobilité

2023
Bernstein - Societe Generale group

Préparation du lancement de la coentreprise avec AllianceBernstein pour créer un leader de la recherche et du cash actions

2023

Annonce du partenariat avec Brookfield pour créer un fonds de dettes privées de 10 Md€

Further reading

At a glance

At a glance

At a glance
CSR strategy

CSR strategy

CSR strategy
Our businesses

Our businesses

Our businesses