The Chairman of BBVA Banco Continental, Pedro Brescia Cafferata, explained that “this report aims to be a true and verifiable testimony of our performance social responsibility matters. It is our fourth report and the second reviewed by Deloitte, the purpose of which is to achieve the utmost rigor, paying particular attention that the information accompanying each chapter is transparent and in keeping with GRI guidelines and the ten principles of the United Nations Global Compact, which we subscribed four years ago now.”

The reports covers stakeholder engagement, customer guidance, financial inclusion, responsible finance, responsible products and services, human resource management, responsible procurement, environment management and climate change, commitment to society and corporate volunteer work.

It likewise mentions the progress achieved in 2008 and the targets set in Corporate Responsibility for this year.

Main Advances

In the field of community involvement, the most outstanding features in the report include the major advances in the Leer es estar adelante (Reading is being ahead) programme, which is part of the integral community involvement programme BBVA is undertaking in Latin America. The programme results have far exceeded expectations, given that almost 60% of the children on the programme can now understand what they are reading, a similar or higher ratio to those recorded in Chile or Argentina. A great step forward in comparison to the national average, where only 20% are able to understand what they read.

In cultural and social commitment matters, the activities of the BBVA Banco Continental Foundation and the Mario Vargas Llosa Theatre, sponsored in partnership with the Peru National Library, have fostered the development of a new cultural space which over this period has received almost 30,000 spectators attending its theatrical works.

Likewise, in the business sphere, thanks to responsible and prudent management, the Bank has kept up sustainable growth, obtaining the Best Bank in Peru Award, given by the prestigious publication Global Finance.

As regards environment management, at the end of 2008 the BBVA Group launched its Global Eco-efficiency Plan for the period spanning 2008-2012, thus becoming the first financial entity to have such a plan, with specific targets and a funding provision of €19 million.