They attend school, help their families, work, take care of their elders… Girls are an active part of society, but most are discriminated against due to their gender, and this inequality puts them at a disadvantage. October 11 has been marked as the International Day of the Girl to remind us all that, to build a better future, it is essential to support the development of girls and young women across the globe.

Financial education takes center stage throughout the year with activities to take place around the globe. During these sessions, prestigious subject matter experts will share their knowledge at conferences, workshops, and classes. The agenda of events represents an unparalleled opportunity to learn about the world of finance.

“We need a massive change and digitalization can not only radically accelerate the pace at which we mobilize funds for sustainable development, but also improve the use of these funds by enabling a better management of their social impact,” explained BBVA Global Head of Responsible Business Antoni Ballabriga, during the European Banking Summit, held in Brussels on October 2 and 3.

Climate change, the biodiversity crisis and inequality pose “the greatest sustainability challenges in the coming years,” according to BBVA Group executive chairman Carlos Torres Vila. “Addressing the most important challenges humanity has ever faced is in our hands, and the future will depend on what we do now. For banks, the future of banking lies in financing the future.” Given all of these challenges “companies cannot simply stand by,” he emphasized at an event held by the SERES Foundation in Madrid on Tuesday.

It is not easy to talk about money. Many people consider it a taboo, or they feel insecure about their knowledge of finance, so they avoid the topic. This is problematic when it happens with a financial advisor.

BBVA has named the winner of its newly created Open Talent Award for Sustainability as Australian last mile start-up AgUnity.

BBVA recently completed its 49th investment in community development financial institutions (CDFIs), moving its total investment in the community catalysts to $100 million in the U.S. three months ahead of its five-year target.

October 7 marks the celebration of Financial Education Day, a day that aims to raise awareness about the importance of a good financial education. Throughout the week training and awareness-raising activities will be held around the world. BBVA participates in various activities and announces the second installment of EduFin Talks, taking place in Madrid on Tuesday, October 8.

Social entrepreneurship is known for addressing society’s most pressing problems. The migratory crisis is one of them, forcing millions of people to go to countries where they face an uncertain future. Social enterprises are working hard to support them, offer them the opportunities they need and portray a different – unprejudiced – image of refugees.

A festive day to reflect on and assimilate BBVA’s values. Values Day, now in its second year, was celebrated by the entire BBVA Group. Employees from across the bank’s operating footprint connected with each other over shared values in various workshops, presentations, and group activities.

More than 126,000 BBVA employees spent the day re-familiarizing themselves with, assimilating, and living the corporate values, which represent a fulcrum to the bank’s cultural transformation. Over the course of the day, bank employees participated in workshops and activities that reinforced the central pillars underpinning the bank’s mission, “to bring the age of opportunity to everyone.” This year’s event also included participation from the network of sales teams, who developed special activities to enhance an understanding of how they can help customers on a day-to-day basis.

As sustainable fashion moves closer to the mainstream, it is starting to be recognized as an efficient way of curbing the impact of one of the planet’s most polluting industries. The industry’s social enterprises cool eco-friendly designs are winning the hearts and pockets of consumers.

After last week’s climate summit in New York, there is still a lot of uncertainty around the feasibility of fulfilling either the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda goals or hitting the 2050 carbon neutrality target. In an article written by BBVA Research’s Arturo Fraile, the economist warns that “time is running out, and progress must be made” because positive results are still on the distant horizon. In his opinion, financial regulation and supervision will be key to this unavoidable transition.

by Anita Dharapuram

BBVA USA Tucson and Southern Arizona CEO Mark Mistler, alongside six of his local team members, have been working together in banking for more than 25 years. In today’s reality, few people stay at the same job for more than four years, but Mistler and his team have figured out the secret to success and are a refreshing enigma in the modern-day workplace. In Mistler’s case, a unique journey from the gridiron to his current state helped maintain this longevity.

On September 22, the Principles for Responsible Banking were signed during the United Nations General Assembly in New York. These principles were conceived a year ago in Paris thanks to the initiative of 28 financial institutions working together under the framework of the United Nations Environment Programme – Finance Initiative (UNEP FI).  BBVA was one of the founding banks. To date, 130 CEOs from financial organizations around the world have signed the principles.

Group-dynamic games are techniques used to improve coordination levels within a team, as well as to build its members’ problem solving and decision making skills.

New technologies are catalysts for change, but the full benefits will only be available to those with a good financial and digital education. Verónica López Sabater, director at the  International Financial Analysts Foundation (AFI) champions digital technologies as a means to facilitate financial inclusion and as a source of opportunities for all.

In commemoration of the fourth anniversary of the approval of the 2030 Agenda, with its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), BBVA is joining the #Act4SDGs to help disseminate these United Nations goals. It is doing so in collaboration with the Spanish Global Compact Network, the largest global network on sustainability and corporate responsibility, which BBVA joined in 2002.

BBVA is one of the signatories of the Collective Commitment to Climate Action that, under the auspices of the United Nations, 31 international financial institutions have promoted to ensure the alignment of their products and services to the fight against the climate emergency.

BBVA is one of the signatories of the Principles for Responsible Banking, promoted by the United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI). These Principles embody the commitment of 130 banking institutions and the United Nations to take on the climate emergency and sustainability challenges facing society today.

World Car-free Day is held on September 22 to raise awareness about the environmental impact of large-scale car use. BBVA Momentum, the bank’s program that supports social entrepreneurship, has backed businesses that are working for sustainable, more environmentally friendly transportation.

Summer vacation is the best time to include some fun and educational activities on financial literacy in children’s games. This way, almost without realizing it, little ones can learn basic concepts like saving and consumption that will be very useful to them in the future.

Garanti BBVA recently signed the world’s first gender loan with Turkish company Polat Energy. The $44 million loan will finance the construction of Turkey’s largest wind farm. The company’s performance will be annually assessed based on a series of gender criteria, and improvements in their performance will also enhance the terms of the loan.

Now that the school year is about to begin, it’s a great time to catch up on the most relevant events for entrepreneurs coming up for the remainder of the year. All these events aim to spread knowledge, catch on the latest developments in the industry, do some networking, and explore new ways to innovate and grow. These are some of the most noteworthy.

BBVA has extended its line of green loans to cover sustainable vehicle purchases for all SMEs and freelancers who want to buy electric or hybrid cars for business purposes. This new product rounds out one of the most extensive lines of green loans in the Spanish market.

The extinction of species, the rise in temperatures and major natural disasters are some of the consequences of climate change. Countries and industries are aware and work to combat the planet’s accelerating pollution. Are there any viable solutions? According to some researches, using big data and machine learning could help drive energy efficiency, transforms industries such as the agriculture and find new eco-friendly construction materials.

Yet another year, BBVA has been included in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI), the market’s leading benchmark index, which measures the economic, environmental and social performance of the world’s most valuable companies.  BBVA’s inclusion in the DJSI World and DJSI Europe indices was announced today Friday, September 13. Garanti BBVA was also included in the DJSI Emerging Markets and is the only company in Turkey which qualified for fifth consecutive year.

The term agribusiness is used to refer to economic activities derived from or connected to farm products. In other words, crop production, as well as crop processing, transportation and distribution. Agriculture and all of its economic, social and demographic derivatives… a sector that has an impact on practically all the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

BBVA Momentum, the BBVA program that supports social entrepreneurship, is entering its second half. September kicks-off with new training sessions for the selected social enterprises from participating countries: Colombia, the United States, Mexico, and Turkey. In a short couple of months, the most ambitious round of BBVA Momentum to date – with a record-breaking 169 participating social enterprises – will draw to a close.

‘Learning Together,’ the educational program BBVA delivers in collaboration with Spanish newspaper ‘El País’ and the Santillana Foundation, continues to build on its success. The initiative was kicked-off in January 2018 and aims to promote education, positioning it as one of the basic cornerstones of our society.  In only 18 months of operation, this innovative educational program, which has hosted more than 120 guest experts representing a diverse range of fields, has reached 500 million views.

‘Design thinking’ is a methodology that develops creativity and promotes innovation to solve problems and meet people’s needs in a viable way. Its influence has reached social enterprises who use it to improve their results and increase their impact.

Antoni Ballabriga, BBVA’s Global Head of Responsible Business, was recently appointed Co-Chair of the Global Steering Committee for the United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI). The UNEP FI is the global partnership established between the UN and the financial sector to promote sustainable finance, a cause that will keep Antoni Ballabriga busy well after the summer holidays. His calendar features a trip to New York on September 22 when BBVA, as one of the founding banks, will sign the United Nations Principles for Responsible Banking.

Antoni Ballabriga received a B.A. in Business Administration and an MBA from ESADE Business School. He completed postgraduate studies at Harvard Business School where he focused on strategy and corporate social responsibility.  He chairs the European Banking Federation’s working group on sustainable finance. He has also chaired the Spanish Forum for Socially Responsible Investment (SpainSIF) and the Spanish association of executives for corporate social responsibility (DIRSE).

Ballabriga reports directly to the bank’s management board. His avowed mission is “to ensure the bank systematically positions people at the heart of its decision-making processes.”

One would think that a good financial education, in and of itself, would be enough to properly plan for retirement. However, research conducted by the Mexican Association of Pension Fund Managers (AMAFORE) and supervised by Jean Paul Madrigal, reveals something more is needed. The BBVA Center for Education and Financial Capabilities awarded this retirement planning research project one of its inaugural BBVA EduFin Research Grants.

Banks, with their array of financial service offerings and bottom-line image, may not seem like natural cheerleaders for sustainable corporate practices. Your banker, after all, doesn’t make a living sourcing fair-trade chocolate for candy bars or producing renewable biomass fuel. Banks, however, play an increasingly significant role in promoting sustainable activities that support a clean environment, vulnerable populations and human rights, among other goals through their internal practices and through the enterprises they finance.

Through its renewable energy subsidiary, Enel Green Power España (EGPE), Endesa has begun construction of ‘Primoral’ wind farm, which will supply power to BBVA from the end of 2019. The plant, located in Villamayor de Gállego (Zaragoza), will be a 35 MW power plant capable of generating 108 GWh a year once it comes into operation.

Experts agree that workplace diversity translates into significant benefits for businesses. Decision making, return on investment, entry into new markets, and innovation all improve when minorities are represented in a company’s workforce.

Although the concept of sustainable development was first used officially in the Bruntland Report, published in 1987, it wasn’t until the UN General Assembly held in 2015 when countries across the globe signed the UN 2030 Agenda For Sustainable Development. A pivotal part of this agenda are the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), a set of goals and specific sets of tasks defined by the UN to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity.

A large percentage of the Spanish population is not familiar with some basic financial concepts that are essential for making investment or borrowing decisions. This was one of the key takeaways shared by Pablo Hernández de Cos, Governor of the Bank of Spain, during his presentation at EduFin Summit 2019, the yearly leading global financial education summit organized by the BBVA Center for Financial Education and Capability.

In 2018 BBVA invested €12.4 million in initiatives supporting social enterprises, encouraging volunteer activities, and promoting corporate responsibility. This amount totals €43 million for the 2016-2018 time period.

Three years ago, world leaders approved Agenda 2030, a global plan of action for sustainable development. This initiative aims to end poverty, reduce inequality, and combat climate change. Agenda 2030 has defined 17 high level sustainable development goals (SDGs) with 169 integrated and indivisible targets that address the economic, social, and environmental dimensions of sustainability. To fulfill the SDGs,  governments, the private sector, and society as a whole must unify efforts. Thus, the final SDG – number 17 – aims to revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development. BBVA contributes to all the SDGs. But this one, more than the others, entails a direct commitment to the communities the bank serves and the industries where it does business.

August 12 is International Youth Day, a day designated by the United Nations General Assembly to remember, among other facts, that 24 million young people do not got to school, and one in ten live in zones suffering from armed conflict. Education is the key to ensuring these generations have opportunities in the future.

The Montrose Center broke ground Tuesday on its affordable senior independent living center in Houston, as part of the organization’s mission to empower primarily LGBTQ individuals and their families, to enjoy healthier and more fulfilling lives.

BBVA’s Global Head of Responsible Business, Antoni Ballabriga, has been named co-chair of UNEP-FI Global Steering Committee. UNEP FI (United Nations Environment Programme – Finance Initiative) is a global partnership established between the United Nations and the financial sector in 1992 to promote sustainable finance.

According to the United Nations, “It is important that governments, civil society and communities work together to implement lasting solutions to reduce violence, deliver justice and ensure inclusive participation at all times.” This is the aim of Sustainable Development Goal 16: “To promote just, peaceful and inclusive societies”. BBVA contributes to this goal through its responsible banking model and commitment to human rights, to name a few.

Kathy Fennell works at BBVA US and wants you to know one thing: She’s passionate about volunteering, and she thinks you should be, too. “Volunteering is so rewarding,” says Fennell, a Relationship Support Specialist for the Commercial and Real Estate Group in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

The number of finalists in this year’s edition of BBVA Momentum, BBVA’s social entrepreneurship support program, has grown exponentially to 169 enterprises from Colombia, United States, Mexico and Turkey. All these enterprises compose a mosaic that perfectly reflects the social and environmental concerns of global society.

Each year 13 million hectares (over 50,000 square miles) of forests are lost, and 22 percent of known species are in danger of extinction. As part of its commitment to preserve the environment and within the context of its Pledge 2025, BBVA endorses Sustainable Development Goal 15, which aims to promote the sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, combat desertification, reverse land degradation, and halt the loss of biodiversity. This commitment is aligned with  principles 7, 8, and 9 of the UN’s Global Compact.

Behind an event like the 2019 EduFin Summit, the global summit on financial education organized by BBVA’s Center for Financial Education and Capability, is a great team making sure that everything runs like clockwork. Their work is essential to ensure that the audience, from 23 different countries, enjoys this important event. An event where anecdotes and a sense of humor have their place. This is the backstory of the 2019 EduFin Summit.

BBVA city in Madrid has hosted the EduFin Summit 2019, the important world summit on financial education organized by the BBVA Center for Financial Education and Capability. Over 30 industry experts from 16 different countries attended this significant event, along with 250 attendees. Over two days, the participants have shared their knowledge and experience in digitalization and financial education as drivers to generate opportunities for everyone.

The United Nations warns about one of the most significant global issues facing humanity, as reflected in Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 13: climate change and its impacts. “Without action, the world’s average surface temperature is likely to surpass 3ºC this century. The poorest and most vulnerable people are being affected the most.” BBVA’s approach to business is accompanied by a firm commitment to mitigating the effects caused by climate change and integrating them into its risk management model.

BBVA Group executive chairman Carlos Torres Vila defended the role of education in general and financial education in particular to fight poverty and enhance people’s well-being. “Education in general is the best driver to end inequality and promote a sustainable development. It’s the simplest way to bring the age of opportunity to everyone – especially those who are most vulnerable,” he said on the second day of the BBVA EduFin Summit 2019 being held in Madrid.

In this interview, José María Roldán, Chairman of the Spanish Banking Association (AEB), emphasizes the need to make sure that “no one is left out of the digitization process and the opportunities it creates”. Just a few hours before the opening of the third edition of the EduFin Summit – which will be held at Ciudad BBVA, the bank’s corporate headquarters in Madrid, on July 11 and 12 – the AEB Chairman weighs in on the financial sector’s approach to user confidentiality matters: “It is something that is ingrained in our DNA. And this is something that is not that clear in the case of many tech operators, whose main source of income is selling data,” he says.

BBVA is holding the leading international event on financial education. The third edition of the 2019 EduFin Summit will take place on July 11th and 12th, with the participation of BBVA Group executive chairman Carlos Torres Vila; Bank of Spain Governor Pablo Hernández de Cos; and Spanish Banking Association (AEB) Chairman and CEO José María Roldán. Over 30 global experts from 16 countries will debate how the digital revolution can contribute to people’s financial well-being.

United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 12 entails using resources and energy efficiently, building infrastructure that doesn’t damage the environment, improving access to basic services and creating green jobs with fair pay and good labor conditions. BBVA helps to attain this SDG with sustainable action and initiatives designed to develop the economy and improve the quality of life life for everyone.

Flore-Anne Messy, the Head of the Insurance, Private Pensions and Financial Markets Division at the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), views digitization as a source of opportunity and the best guide for financial institutions to design products that are increasingly customized and adapted to the needs of consumers and businesses. Messy is one of the most respected voices in the world for financial education. She will participate in the 2019 EduFin Summit, the financial education summit BBVA will hold in Madrid on July 11th and 12th.

The generation born between 1981 and 1994, known as Millennials, is reaching maturity in an ever-changing and very complex world where new technologies set the pace with increasingly sophisticated financial products and services. Today young people are looking for new sources of financial education to ensure they plan their finances properly.

“The Sustainable Development Goals and climate change entail a transformation on the same scale as digitization, but, in this case, the stakes are much higher” This is how BBVA Global Head of Responsible Business Antoni Ballabriga described “this present moment and the opportunity and sense of urgency that we are dealing with today as societies” in the face of climate change.

BBVA Edufin Research Grants 2019 announces the financial education research proposals that will benefit from the envisaged funds in this second edition. A total of €50,000 will be distributed among the five shortlisted projects to support them in developing their social and innovative approach to the issues they address.

BBVA’s Group executive chairman announced today that the bank’s goal is for all products to offer a sustainable option – both for large corporations and institutions, and SMEs and individual customers. The bank plans to reach this goal throughout 2020 for its main products sold in Spain.

Climate change is forcing countries and the private sector to gaze into the future from a different point of view, one in which technology opens new paths to contribute to the development of societies. This is the scenario based on which the UN has defined its Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) No. 9:  Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation. BBVA has committed to – and is already – contributing to the achievement of this goal.

BBVA Momentum, BBVA’s social entrepreneurship support program, announced the final list of companies that will participate in the 2019 program. The enthusiasm and ambition to surpass previous years’ numbers prevailed during the selection phase, as the final participant numbers attest.

True to its commitment to sustainability and the environment, BBVA has launched a €20 million new line of green loans for customers interested in purchasing electric or hybrid cars. This new product seeks to meet a growing demand from society, increasingly aware of the fight against climate change.

In collaboration with Impact Hub Istanbul, the 10 social entrepreneurs will participate in online and classroom-based learning that will contribute to their business growth plans, and strategic mentoring-support and networking activities that include other entrepreneurs, customers and investors.

Roughly half the world’s population still lives on only the equivalent of two U.S. dollars per day, whereas worldwide unemployment stands at 5.7 percent.  This might seem like a low percentage, but in many parts of the world, merely having a job does not translate into being able to escape poverty. The eradication of poverty depends on all parts of society having access to stable employment and decent wages. This is the objective of United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 8: “Promote inclusive and sustainable economic growth, employment, and decent work for all,”  a goal BBVA works toward each day, not only internally in its relationship with its employees, but also with a business model that more broadly contributes to its fulfillment.

According to BBVA, knowledge, education, and culture are fundamental drivers for the creation and development of opportunities for individuals. In 2018 alone, the bank invested €75.5 million in these areas, helping 3.8 million people.

BBVA Momentum, BBVA’s program to support social entrepreneurship, is celebrating record high participation rates. The number of entrepreneurs applying from Colombia, the U.S., Mexico and Turkey surpassed all expectations.

More than 265 million children are not enrolled in school;  22 percent are of elementary school age. Despite global advances made across a number of fields efforts addressing education need to be redoubled to ensure that no one is left behind. United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4 is summarized under the heading: “Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.” BBVA is contributing to this SDG with important international social education programs.

The Edufin Summit, the preeminent summit on financial education and skills, returns for another year, bringing together the world’s leading experts in the field. This year Madrid has been chosen to host the global meeting, organized by the BBVA Center for Education and Financial Capabilities to be held on July 11 and 12.

Garanti Bank presented its initiatives to combat climate change at the 10th Energy Efficiency Forum and Fair. The bank has increased both its portfolio of sustainable loan options and its financing of innovative projects aimed at supporting green and renewable investments.

Entrepreneurship held an important place in BBVA’s 2016-2018 Community Investment Plan. The Group’s programs especially target entrepreneurs who are in vulnerable circumstances and those whose projects will have a positive impact on society or the environment.

The green bond BBVA issued in May 2018 has helped reduce CO2 emissions by 274,609 tons since its launch in May 2018, with another 106,529 tons estimated for 2019. It also generated 558 GWh/year of renewable energy. The bank has allocated one billion euros obtained from wholesale markets to finance renewable energy and sustainable transportation projects, according to the first bond monitoring report the BBVA Group recently published.

BBVA signed the so-called New Deal for Europe based on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – a letter CSR Europe presented today in Brussels. The letter aims to alert and involve companies, politicians and civil society about the need to join forces for a sustainable future. The heads of 100 large corporations subscribed to this declaration in the lead up to the European elections. BBVA is the only Spanish bank to join this initiative.

Darren Easton, Senior Director at the Center for Financial Services Innovation (CFSI), is one of newest members of the Center for Financial Education and Capability’s Advisor Council. Excited about this new role, Easton will bring his valuable knowledge in financial health, finance and communications to the Center.

April 25 was the submission deadline for BBVA EduFin 2019’s call for research proposals. This year, a total of 38 applications have been received, more than doubling last year’s 17 submissions. This increase in submissions showcases the appeal of this initiative among the research community, and underscores BBVA’s commitment to financial education.

There is no doubt that big data is transforming the financial industry, helping it overcome the challenges of today’s society. Nonetheless, given the fact that one of its fundamental objectives is to obtain data — albeit to improve customer satisfaction —  it still causes some people to have misgivings because it is perceived as an intrusion of their privacy.

2018 was another year of commitment to financial education at BBVA. Over the year, the bank supported a variety of different programs and initiatives to help people get the financial skills and abilities they need to make informed decisions.

In general, businesses use the customer data they access for internal purposes, creating value-added services. Yet, there is greater potential for society as a whole beyond corporate “closed doors.” Public-private sector collaboration using data sources for external initiatives can produce significant benefits. For example, a door could be open that would facilitate the use of data to help fulfill the United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

BBVA has invested more than €300 million over the past three years as part of its Community Investment Plan, supporting a total of 24 million people. In 2018 alone, BBVA allocated more than €104 million to social programs that reached eight million people around the world

BBVA Momentum 2019 is the first social entrepreneurship program run by a financial institution in Turkey. Those interested in participating can apply from April 8th through May 6th.