Sustainability

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.

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.

BBVA, as a founding member (and only bank), has joined the Coalition for Sustainable Procurement, a global alliance led by the United Nations Global Compact that seeks to mainstream sustainability into procurement processes and supply chains internationally.

Clean technologies, also known as 'cleantech', are technologies that contribute to sustainability and environmental protection. This includes innovative solutions for  both climate change adaptation and mitigation, ranging from emission reduction to biodiversity protection and water treatment.

The Global Head of Sustainability and Corporate and Investment Banking at BBVA, Javier Rodríguez Soler, underscored the enormous demand for electricity and energy expected in the U.S. in the coming years, and the need to have the greatest possible variety and quantity of energy sources. “In this sense, we see a growing potential to invest in clean energy in the U.S.,” he said at the ‘Latin America, the U.S. and Spain in the Global Economy Forum’ as part of New York Climate Week activities.

BBVA’s model to finance its clients’ decarbonization was honored by the World Economic Forum’s Alliance of CEO Climate Leaders during New York Climate Week. The jury recognized BBVA’s solutions for its clients as best practice in the Finance category. Together with three winners from other sectors, they “show how companies can move beyond incremental change to deliver the systemic shifts needed for a net-zero, resilient global economy.”

‘First-of-a-kind’ (FOAK) is a technological term that refers to the implementation of a ’cleantech,’ or clean technology, for the first time in real conditions and on a commercial scale. These projects mark the transition from experimental development to market adoption and are fundamental to promoting the energy transition and advancing decarbonization.

Public and private investment in clean technologies (‘cleantech’) in Spain and Portugal must increase by an additional €50 billion per year until 2030, beyond current levels, to reach the decarbonization targets in the Paris Agreement. This was stressed in the report, ‘Capital Cleantech in Iberia: Mapping the Landscape, Mobilising the Investments,’ which also encourages financial solutions to support the implementation of innovative, pioneering projects, as well as their scalability and commercialization.

Photograph created using artificial intelligence (Midjourney).

Climate Week NYC returns September 21-28, 2025, for its 17th edition. Operating under the banner "Power On," the event will host more than 900 activities and deliver an unequivocal message: the time has come to deploy solutions at scale. As COP30 in Brazil approaches, governments, businesses, and civil society will gather to transform promises into concrete action.

The new office houses an Energy and Cleantech Hub, bringing specialized advisory capabilities to help clients advance their decarbonization strategies. It also serves as a platform to accelerate the growth of Corporate & Investment Banking in the U.S., expand Global Wealth Advisory services, and reinforce support for BBVA Mexico clients through its long-standing Agency in Houston. In addition, BBVA is proud to participate as a sponsor of both Houston Energy & Climate Week and Houston Energy & Climate Startup Week taking place from September 14-19.

“The ‘First Movers Coalition’ will help foster investment in cleantech for industrial decarbonization,” said John Rutherford, the Head of Institutional Relations at BBVA, who attended the event where the Spanish government joined this World Economic Forum (WEF) alliance.

BBVA firmly believes in the role of hydrogen in the energy transition and the business opportunity it represents. To this end, it considers advice and financing essential for rolling out projects based on this clean technology. “We see a real appetite from the financial sector to invest in hydrogen assets,” said Dorian de Kermadec, Managing Director Low Carbon Advisory at BBVA, in an interview with bbva.com.

The bank published its latest ‘Green and Social Bond Report’ on fund allocation and the impact of its sustainable issuances through December 2024. BBVA allocated a total of €5.83 billion to environmental, social and governance (ESG) bonds through green initiatives, and €1 billion to projects with a social focus. This year, the amount of resources allocated to activities aligned with environmental criteria rose by 20 percent over the previous year.

Many European banks already have practices in place to detect, monitor, and manage climate risks, the second biggest concern for businesses. Frank Elderson, member of the Executive Board of the European Central Bank, acknowledges the progress made but also admits that there is still a lot to do.

BBVA's sustainable business continues to accelerate its growth. The bank has channeled approximately €63 billion into sustainable business during the first half of 2025, representing a 48% increase compared to the same period last year. At the same time, more than €30 billion was channeled in the second quarter, a new quarterly record.

Climate technologies are innovative solutions that aim to combat climate change by slashing emissions and capturing carbon from the atmosphere. According to experts, this industry could generate €600 billion in annual revenue by 2030.

Ami Vitale is an American photographer and filmmaker, and a National Geographic ambassador.She captures hopeful, inspiring stories about nature—and our connection to it. With multiple awards and a global following of over one million on Instagram, she is a leading voice in visual storytelling for sustainability.