Pledge 2025 will help the bank align its activity to a 2ºC Scenario and strike a balance between sustainable energy and fossil fuel investments and is based on three lines of action: financing, management and engagement.

Its Commitment to human rights, approved in 2018, sets the foundations for further progress in that direction.

In 2016 Garanti Bank teamed up with Bahçeşehir University to launch ‘Code the Future with Garanti’, an educational program designed to make a positive impact on local communities by preparing children for the digital age. Entering its fourth year, the program will hold a series of workshops in seven cities across Turkey. Its first stop: Istanbul.

Garanti Bank has launched a new series of training seminars for entrepreneurs. The Garanti Partners Meetup series supports Turkey’s ecosystem of entrepreneurs by providing master classes on relevant topics.

Earning an outstanding rating for CRA performance is a rare accomplishment — fewer than 10 percent of banks earn that rating.  For BBVA Compass, it’s a clear reflection of the cultural shift that’s taken place within the organization over the past three years.

BBVA Compass launched its full financial education program for 2019 last week, on the heels of a successful four-month pilot program which wrapped in December, aiming to reach approximately 7,000 more people during its first full year in existence.

BBVA has released its updated financing policy addressing sectors that have a serious environmental or social impact. The main change to the policy is the inclusion of more limits and a tightening of restrictions for the mining, energy, infrastructure, and agribusiness sectors. In addition, the updated policy provides clear guidance on the management of clients and business activities related to these industries. The transportation of tar sands has been explicitly added to list of prohibited activities.

Rut Pelaiza has spent her entire life as an example: for her parents, for her daughters, and since five years ago, for the thousands of women in the Palabra de Mujer [Woman’s Word] program run by the Peruvian institution of the BBVA Microfinance Foundation. She recalls that she always wanted to be independent and with pride, shares how she managed to achieve this goal when she grew up.

For the second consecutive year, BBVA’s General Annual Meeting, to be held in Bilbao on March 15, has been certified by AENOR as a sustainable event in accordance with ISO 20121. Changes this year include improved accessibility for all participants and an increased number of suppliers committed to the sustainability of the event.

In 2019, the Business 20 (B20) – considered to be the private sector’s voice of the G20 – is seeking to showcase innovative projects that contribute to the fulfillment of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). To this end, business members of this advisory body to the G20 have submitted proposals for projects that make a significant social impact. BBVA is the only Spanish bank whose five project submissions are among those selected.

BBVA Momentum 2019 is coming to cities across the bank’s footprint for a series of informational sessions on its small business program for social entrepreneurs.

Three startups represented Turkey in Madrid on February 25th – 27th at the final event of the 2018 BBVA Momentum Social Entrepreneurship Support Program – the first social entrepreneurship program designed by a Turkish financial institution.

The Climate Bonds Initiative recognized BBVA for its global leadership, best practices and innovation in the field of sustainable financing at the 2019 Green Bond Pioneer Awards.  The bank received three awards for the publication of its framework for sustainable bonds tied to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs); for being the first financial issuer of a green bond in Spain; and for issuing the first green bond from a financial institution in Mexico.

Beatriz Morilla, Head of CSR at the Spanish Banking Association (AEB), sees financial education as a fundamental tool to “fight poverty, reduce inequalities, promote gender equality and achieve greater health and well-being.” From this global perspective, the AEB is working on the rollout of nationwide impactful actions and on securing support from the financial sector.

The town of Villamayor de Gallegó in the outskirts of Zaragoza will host the wind farm that Enel Green Power Spain will build as part of an agreement with BBVA. The 10 wind turbines in the farm will provide 30% of the energy BBVA consumes in Spain.

eKampüs, the Teachers Academy Foundation’s (ÖRAV) distance education platform has been restructured with updated content as part of the foundation’s digital transformation.

BBVA Compass and the Houston Rockets celebrated Black History Month today at Texas Southern University, hosting a Fireside Chat with civil rights leaders Carlotta Walls LaNier and Lucille Bridges.