Sustainability

Much has been written about generational differences and how to classify the population according to someone's year of birth. The truth is that there is no exact or official definition of when a generation begins or ends and, depending on which demographers or researchers you consult, there are discrepancies about the years that comprise each generation.

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is one of the most influential literary and cultural voices of the 21st century. Born in the Nigerian city of Enugu in 1977, the writer grew up in an academic environment, developing her passion for literature and storytelling.

To reach the 2030 decarbonization targets and remain competitive in the European clean industrial transition, Spain and Portugal need up to €50 billion per year in additional public and private investment. This is according to the report, ‘Cleantech Investment Plan for the Iberian Peninsula’ by Cleantech for Iberia, which underscores that companies need greater financial support in the scaling phase to launch their projects.

BBVA’s sustainable business continued to grow at a strong pace in 2025. The bank channeled €134 billion, representing 44 percent growth over 2024. This figure marks an annual record for the financial institution, which aims to mobilize €700 billion between 2025 and 2029.

Achieving significant business growth and committing to ambitious climate action are not mutually exclusive, as demonstrated by the UK’s Atom bank, an app based savings and lending firm that BBVA has invested in since 2016. The bank's most recent annual Sustainability Report underscores key achievements in its commitment to becoming climate positive from 2035, notably a 22% reduction in operational emissions concurrent with a period of record balance sheet growth.

Garanti BBVA, in partnership with TUREMPA, removed over 60 tons of solid waste and 613,000 liters of liquid waste from marine ecosystems in the Marmara Sea, Lake Van, Göcek and the Saros Gulf in 2025.

The European Investment Bank (EIB) and BBVA signed two key agreements to boost green finance. The first is an EIB guarantee line of up to €380 million for BBVA to finance green projects. The second is an advisory agreement, under which the EIB will provide consulting support to BBVA to strengthen its capabilities in climate action and environmental sustainability.

A custom-designed ATM manufactured from waste and scrap materials and powered entirely by renewable energy has become a symbol of how innovative employee ideas at Garanti BBVA are turned into tangible projects — and of how sustainability has become an organic part of the organization’s culture.

Boris Becker is a former German tennis player, coach, and writer, regarded as one of the most charismatic legends of modern tennis. In 1985, at just 17 years old, he made history by becoming the youngest Wimbledon champion, a victory that propelled him to worldwide fame. Throughout his career, he won six Grand Slam titles, a Davis Cup, and an Olympic medal, standing out for his aggressive playing style, powerful volley, and unbreakable competitive spirit.

The financial institution was proclaimed the best bank in Spain and Türkiye in the sixth edition of the Sustainable Finance Awards. Global Finance also recognized BBVA as the best bank for green bonds and presented the bank the award for sustainable finance deal of the year for the agreement with Verdalia to build biomethane plants.

ALTÉRRA announces plans for a new $1.2bn climate co-investment vehicle with BBVA as proposed strategic LP. BBVA commits $250m¹ to the partnership reflecting the bank’s ambitions in the sustainable finance space and the expansion of its regional and international footprint. The initiative accelerates ALTÉRRA’s ambition to mobilize third-party capital at scale and expand its global network of institutional collaborators.

Since 2005, Garanti BBVA’s program has expanded women entrepreneurs’ access to finance —over 5 billion euros in the past five years— while redefining the role a bank can play in enabling their long-term business success. The project was created to serve an underserved segment in Türkiye and has established itself as a model capable of generating measurable impact and value for the business.

Sustainability is one of BBVA's strategic priorities. In 2025, the Group has carried out significant sustainable operations across its main geographies—Spain, Mexico, Türkiye, South America, and through BBVA Corporate & Investment Banking (BBVA CIB)—in line with its goal of supporting customers through their transition and generating new business opportunities around climate, natural capital, and social issues.

BBVA Consumer Finance continues making strides in its goal to promote sustainable transportation in Spain. Currently, one in ten sustainable vehicles financed by the bank is contracted through digital channels, underscoring the success of a service that combines advice, financing and a catalogue of ‘ECO’ and ‘CERO’ vehicles, sourced exclusively from official dealerships. The adoption of digital channels has surpassed initial expectations and confirms the growing interest among customers in solutions that facilitate the transition toward a more efficient mobility model.

The Business Network for LGBTI Diversity and Inclusion (REDI) named BBVA as one of the leading organizations in the ‘Top Líderes LGBTI+ 2025,’ officially held on December 10 to coincide with International Human Rights Day. This recognition underscores the bank’s contributions to creating inclusive, safe and respectful work environments, as well as its commitment to equal opportunities.

The green economy was worth more than five trillion dollars in 2024, according to the report Already a Multi-Trillion-Dollar Market: CEO Guide to Growth in the Green Economy by the Alliance of CEO Climate Leaders. It is the second fastest-growing sector, with only technology ahead, and this despite the complex geopolitical environment. Globally, China leads this green market.

BBVA Corporate & Investment Banking (CIB) leads the project finance market in Chile, with seven transactions and an estimated volume of approximately USD 500 million in 2025, according to LSEG Syndicated Loans data as of the end of September 2025. These deals, focused on energy transition and sustainable infrastructure projects, reflect the bank’s firm commitment to sustainable finance and the country’s development. Felipe Serani, Head of BBVA CIB in Chile, underscores that this progress signals “a paradigm shift in financing: from profitability to sustainability as a structural pillar of growth.”

The latest climate change summit recently held in Belém left a bittersweet taste in the mouth: while the final agreements were less ambitious than hoped, meaningful progress was made toward financing for climate mitigation and adaptation, as well as for a just transition.

“COP30 will put the world’s ability to turn promises into results to the test. The conference aims to move from climate ambition to effective implementation and measurable commitments,” according to BBVA Research. “Although climate research exists, it is not sufficient and must accelerate at COP30,” a recent report by the research service concluded.

BBVA has acted as one of the key banking partners in the financing of the second phase of the Northern Lights project, carried out in partnership with Shell, TotalEnergies and Equinor as a strategic initiative for industrial decarbonisation in Norway. This new phase will increase CO₂ storage capacity and marks a further step in scaling carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) solutions across Europe.

BBVA’s sustainable business continues to grow, now at a faster pace than ever. The bank channeled around €97 billion into sustainable business in the first three quarters of 2025 alone, representing a 48 percent¹ increase compared with the same period of the previous year and not far off the €99 billion channeled throughout all of 2024. Notably, in the third quarter alone, it mobilized upward of €34 billion, setting a new quarterly record.

The Fundación Universidad-Empresa (FUE) has honored the financial institution for its steadfast commitment to learning, training, and the professional development of interns in Spain.

At the 6th Mexico–European Union Forum, held in Mexico City on October 16 and 17, 2025, Javier Rodríguez Soler, BBVA’s Global Head of Sustainability and Corporate & Investment Banking, underscored the bank’s involvement in Plan Mexico, a key government initiative in the current administration. He also underscored the bank’s commitment to mobilizing resources to advance sustainability.

BBVA is backing the joint statement from global business leaders prior to COP30, which underscores the commercial viability of the decarbonization of the economy and the climate transition.The statement urges companies and political leaders to “scale the historic opportunity for returns, resilience and growth.” Chairs and CEOs from the World Economic Forum’s Alliance of CEO Climate Leaders, including BBVA Chair Carlos Torres Vila, signed the statement.

BBVA is the first financial institution to join Iberia’s Círculo SAF, a community dedicated to supporting the development of the sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) industry and promoting lower emissions into the atmosphere.

BBVA has received LEED Gold certification (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) for the sustainability of its office located at 389 9th Avenue in New York. This recognition, awarded by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), accredits the entity's commitment to energy efficiency, responsible use of resources and the creation of healthy spaces for its professionals and customers.

From January to August 2025, BBVA reached €3.1 billion in agrifood business, a 69 percent increase over the same period in 2024. Of this amount, €2.09 billion corresponded to sustainable business, with 82 percent YoY growth. BBVA announced these figures at Fruit Attraction, one of the world’s top fruit and vegetable trade fairs, held this week in Madrid.