“Sun-dried organic banana, a little bit of butter, sugar, guava jam…” Step by step, Diana Céspedes recited one of the recipes that she and other 16 women know by heart. They’ve already executed the same procedure a million times, but today, it has to be perfect because it’s not everyday that they welcome a queen.

In an imperfect world, new technologies offer an opportunity to make certain improvements that benefit society. Blockchain, the driver of the new tech revolution, promises to help in solving key data traceability and transparency issues.

Palace Resorts – the company that sets the standard in five-star, all-inclusive resort accommodations –proudly announces El Celler de Can Roca Experience, a unique gastronomic experience in partnership with three-Michelin-star Chef, Joan Roca and BBVA Bancomer, to Moon Palace Cancun, on May 8th & 9th, 2018. The exclusive dinners will benefit the rebuilding of schools in Mexico City that were destroyed during the country’s recent natural disasters.

On Sunday March 4, the global capital of the film industry will once again don formal dress to announce its highest honors. During the ceremony, celebrities will attend a number of parties but without a doubt, one of the most popular and long-awaited will be the charity dinner hosted by Elton John each year to collect funds for his foundation. This year, the Roca brothers, the celebrated restaurateurs of Girona, will be in charge of the preparing a special menu for the occasion – a menu not just for the stars, but for a good cause.

In the month since Harvey hit Houston, BBVA Compass has published a series of articles to help its customers and the public at large understand the city’s new reality, how to move forward, and how the bank will be there to provide support.

Hurricane Harvey, one of the most damaging hurricanes in U.S. history, might have put on a show during its destructive performance across Texas, but the philanthropic efforts of BBVA Compass employees also took center stage. Although the storm made a costly appearance, the bank’s team members demonstrated how the invaluable impact of helping others could be enough to outlast the the storm’s moment of fame.

When a group of employees from BBVA Spain considered covering the nearly 500 miles of the Camino de Santiago (the pilgrimage to the shrine of the apostle St. James the Great in the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela) by bicycle, they could have done it like almost everyone else: with a small group of friends, taking a week or more, and enjoying daily breaks. But instead, they managed to gather more than 150 people and complete the entire journey in just three days without stopping. And all for a good cause.

BBVA Executive Chairman Francisco González has reinforced the Group’s commitment to the U.S. after the most recent natural disasters. “We’re going to redouble our commitment to those affected through a number of actions,” he explained. In Houston, where he met with the city’s mayor, Sylvester Turner, he gave a message of solidarity on behalf of the entire BBVA Group. Francisco González also announced that he is going to visit Mexico City in the coming days to see first-hand the damages caused by the Sept. 19 earthquake.

The path of devastation left by Hurricanes Harvey and Irma has affected more than tens of thousands of people along the Texas Gulf Coast and Florida. According to BBVA Research USA, the economic impact of Harvey could reach $111 billion for Texas and $52 billion for Florida due to Hurricane Irma. Now as impacted communities transition to the recovery stage, many neighbors and people throughout the nation are willing to lend a helping hand. Here are a few ways you can assist with disaster relief efforts.

A complete picture of the damage wrought by Hurricanes Harvey and Irma is still coming into focus, but what is clear is that among the hardest hit are homeowners.

For these homeowners, many without flood insurance, starting the rebuilding process can be an overwhelming task, and just knowing where to begin to get the money needed to rebuild may seem complicated. According to BBVA Compass Insurance Agency Managing Director Analicia Geisen, a good place to start is with the homeowner’s insurance company.

Known as one of, if not the, oil and gas hub of the United States, the East Texas region suffered another dire consequence of Hurricane Harvey’s ripple effect: the interruptions to the energy companies who had set up shop in the affected areas.

The ninth annual BBVA Compass Dynamo Charities Cup will be broadcast nationally for the first time in an effort to help raise as much money as possible for this year’s nonprofit beneficiary: the Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund established by Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner and Harris County Judge Ed Emmett.

Branches in Southeast and Central Alabama including Dothan, Eufaula, Montgomery and Auburn/Opelika closed at 12:30pm today, Monday, September 11, due to inclement weather from Tropical Storm Irma.

The Branch Status page will have updated branch closings and hours information as they become available: https://www.bbvacompass.com/go/statusfl.html

If you need assistance, call us at 1-800-COMPASS or use the BBVA Compass Mobile Banking app and BBVA Wallet. You can manage your accounts, make transfers, pay bills, deposit checks, view balances and more: https://www.bbvacompass.com/digital-banking-services/mobile-banking.html

As flood waters caused by Hurricane Harvey receded, thousands of south Texas residents  found themselves left with damaged homes, cars and other property in the historic storm’s wake.

Hurricane Harvey slammed into the South Texas coast in late August, bringing with it historic and unprecedented flooding and leaving a path of destruction in its wake, the exact toll of which will take weeks, months and likely even years to determine.

BBVA Compass, with nearly a quarter of its branches located in South Texas and its holding company headquarters located in Houston, felt the full force of Harvey’s lashing, with employees’ personal lives impacted, administrative buildings closed, branches closed and some flooded and ATMs knocked offline. But, as one of the top 25 largest U.S. commercial banks based on deposit market share, it was critical that operations continued with minimal interruption to serve all communities and clients.

Garanti supports basketball in a wide range of categories, from national senior teams to national youth teams and from academies to wheelchair basketball. With the brands 12 Giant Men (National Men’s Basketball Team), Pixies of the Court (National Women’s Basketball Team), 12 Brave Hearts (National Men’s Wheel Chair Basketball Team) and 12 Magical Wrists (National Women’s Wheel Chair Basketball Team),  Garanti has added to the culture of Turkish basketball.

Thanks to blockchain, ten-thousand Syrian refugees in Jordan were able to receive humanitarian help faster and more efficiently. The technology’s humanitarian applications will yield advantages that far exceed those of current protocols.

When BBVA Compass starts with a purpose, it immerses itself into it, as evidenced by the plethora of campaigns, events and other initiatives the bank leverages to create opportunities and bright futures.

Hand in hand with his wife Winnie, Nelson Mandela left Víctor Verster Prison as a free man for the first time in 27 years. At the gate, a police cordon held back the emotional crowd that was waiting for the South African leader and that blocked the path of the car that took Mandela to Cape Town’s Grand Parade, the square that was jammed with the hundreds of thousands of other supporters awaited him on the day of his liberation.

International Red Cross Day is celebrated each year on May 8 to commemorate the birth of the organization’s founder, Henry Dunant. After witnessing war first-hand, the Geneva businessman wrote a book that inadvertently gave rise the the largest humanitarian aid society in history.

The figures from the fifth edition of Territorios Solidarios (Solidarity Territories) attest to the strength of this initiative. A total €1,650,000 has been allocated to fund the 176 selected projects. Once again, BBVA employees have displayed their most humane side, either as project sponsors or by participating through the voting platform.

If Fernando Álvarez of BBVA Francés, Argentina, has an abundance of anything, it is drive and patience. Even so, three years after his first failure, it was hard for him to give it another go. Then a coworker and two children convinced him to never give up.

BBVA Compass took part in many events in the run up to Sunday’s big game, but it was the kid-friendly one that shined brightest. On Feb. 2, BBVA Compass hosted the 13 Make-A-Wish children headed to the game and their families for a private dinner at BBVA Compass Stadium. In addition to the dinner, the children and their families toured the Houston Dynamo and Dash’s home and spent time with Houston Texans Linebacker Brian Cushing and Houston Dash Forward Kealia Ohai. Hosting the event underscored the bank’s efforts to give back and create special opportunities as part of the big game festivities.

The UN’s recognition of BBVA Microfinance Foundation (BBVAMF) is evident in the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Fund’s new report entitled: “Sustainable Development Goals and the Private Sector”.

Everyone should have access to basic financial services by 2020. This goal, set by the World Bank, aims to combat the financial exclusion that impacts two billion people. Several organizations from the public and private sector, including BBVA Microfinance Foundation, have signed the Universal Financial Access 2020 (UFA), committing to meet this deadline.

Having a bank account is the first step to access basic financial services, such as loans or insurance, which help underprivileged families to receive essential services like water, electricity, housing, education or healthcare. It also allows small and medium sized businesses to grow, expand operations and improve risk management.

If there is something that unites the BBVA Paraguay team is its members’ passion for the brand. And no other color reflects that passion better than blue.

For yet another year, on November 25 International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women is being commemorated, and BBVA would like to resonate, among all those who are part of it, our involvement and commitment as citizens to manage to achieve a society free of gender-based violence, our support for women who suffer gender-based violence and anyone who may be in a possible abusive situation.

“It is really moving to see this type of initiatives and how a Foundation like ours can do so much in favor of society. These people have access to loan facilities, but they manage to move forward thanks to their own efforts and will to fight. Their work is spectacular and we are already seeing progress in future generations; their kids and grandchildren go to school and many even make it to college. For me, it has been an incredible visit,” said Francisco González during his visit to some of the projects supported by the BBVA Microfinance Foundation (BBVAMF) in Soacha, a city just outside of Bogota (Colombia).

BBVA Compass sponsored the Association of Financial Professional’s solidarity initiative, AFPAware Community Service Day, to package 10,000 lbs. of food and 2,000 care kits that will be distributed to needy families and abuse victims, respectively.

The Spanish Federation of Food Banks (FESBAL) has awarded BBVA its 2016 Espiga de Oro award in recognition of the bank’s community involvement program that has helped reinforce the infrastructure in the federation’s 56 food banks.

No one is poor, even though 836 million people are extremely poor, and are sick from poverty, hungry from poverty, unequal from poverty and silenced by poverty, according to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

The voting stage for the projects in Territorios Solidarios (BBVA’s regional solidarity project) is now underway. This is the moment when active, retired, and pre-retired BBVA employees in Spain can vote for the initiatives run by non-profit organizations with a national scope that they want to support.

Renewable energies are not only an investment opportunity, a response to the planet’s urgent need for sustainability and a change that will improve our lives –they can also rescue remote populations from their isolation and help ease their problems. Microgrids are making giant strides in every corner of the world, combining goals and mobilizing interests.

A simple cell phone can make a huge difference in the lives of the billions of people who live in the world’s least developed countries. There, apps aren’t only resources for work and entertainment, but tools to improve the health, security and income of the poorest.

Studies run by the Government Delegation on Gender-Based Violence have shown that violence against women continues to exist among Spain’s youth and school children. One of the main difficulties with gender-based violence is that victims often do not recognize themselves as such.  Which makes the ability for teenagers to detect the first signs of abuse absolutely critical.

What connects a customer who is about to lose two million Mexican pesos (nearly 100,000 euros), soy milk, butterflies, and children who immigrate to the United States? One person. Her name is Amelia Aguilar and she is the manager of a BBVA Bancomer branch in Puebla, Mexico.

The national winner of the 7th Valores de Futuro (BBVA’s financial education program for elementary school students) has been announced: the 6th grade class at CEIP Guillermo Romero de Córdoba. As it happened with many of the submissions this year, the winning project shows marked solidarity, ability to engage and mobilize and innovation.

Today, May 30, the fifth edition of ‘Territorios Solidarios’ (Solidarity Territories) gets underway, a BBVA community service initiative in which current, retired and pre-retiree employees get to promote their favorite charitable causes throughout Spain.

Chema Martínez, Carlos Soria, Garbiñe Muguruza and the Roca brothers are carrying out charity activities which demonstrate their individual and professional merits. Integrity, cooperation, humbleness, desire to achieve excellence, commitment, teamwork… These are their qualities as BBVA Ambassadors and the values which the company espouses.

The winter is another harsh test for the survival of the people of Syria. Once again, UNHCR has prepared in advance for its campaign for the coldest months of the year to support people forced to flee their homes by conflicts ravaging their countries.

The world is currently facing the biggest forced migration crisis since the Second World War. Approximately 60 million people have had to leave their homes because of war, persecution or unstainable conditions in their home country. In the report “Obstacle Course To Europe: A Policy-Made Humanitarian Crisis At EU Borders”, Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) warns of the desperate situation of refugees arriving in Europe.

Everybody knows that Carlos Soria is a mountain climbing figure and his drive to succeed at 76 years of age is legendary. Today, however, we won’t be talking about these defining features of his personality, but about the kindness in his heart. While not unscathed, Sama, a village he loves, managed to make it through the earthquake without any human losses.

Africa continues to be a challenge for many companies seeking to do business in countries with very particular conditions, and where the most successful policy is often not to think in terms of what isn’t there, but to take maximum advantage of the resources that are available. A few years ago M-Pesa triumphed with its model, which now needs to be replicated to achieve the same success in other nations on the continent.

BBVA will make an initial donation of 1.5 million euros, and then match donors’ contributions up to an additional 1.5 million euros. All the funds collected will go to social and employment projects run by the Spanish Red Cross, the Food Bank and Cáritas