Sustainability

At a recent meeting of the Spanish Green Growth Group, key players in the cleantech ecosystem praised the new Industry Law as a catalyst for transforming Spain into Europe’s next industrial hub for clean technologies. Speakers pointed to the challenge of achieving net-zero emissions as an opportunity for the country.

BBVA Group opened a new office in Houston with the aim of leading the financing of the energy transition in the United States. This move to support its sustainability is spurred by the BBVA´s Group´s plans for growth in the country and forms part of its Corporate & Investment Banking (CIB) operations in the United States.

Cleantech, or new clean technologies, are all those technologies that will allow us, or at least should allow us, to achieve the EU’s overarching goal of becoming net zero in emissions by 2050. They are innovative solutions, in many cases disruptive and predicated on innovation and technology. Many of them are still in an embryonic stage. Other more mature proposals need funding to grow and, above all, to make them profitable and scalable for industrial applications.

We’re here to talk about all this with Alberto Toril Castro, energy sector manager at Breakthrough Energy, a platform featuring various climate funds and founded by Bill Gates. As an advocate of affordable green energy, he firmly believes that “electrification is the future of the economy.” He calls for more public-private partnerships in the cleantech ecosystem and proclaims that “financial institutions play a key role when it comes to decarbonization.”

As is customary each year, BBVA has been joining in the LGTBIQ+ Pride celebrations in a bid to spread the word among employees about the importance of creating safe spaces for everyone. Shining the spotlight on LGTBIQ+ role models has been working wonders by raising awareness in the countries in which the bank operates. “At BBVA we want to be an even more inclusive and open company, with more role models, more stories and more safe spaces,” remarks Cristina Gabriel, Head of Diversity at BBVA.

The natural world possesses deep value that economic systems have been shunning for centuries. However, understanding and harnessing this natural capital is key to finding solutions to climate change. New Zealand is a prime example of how countries can integrate this concept within their business community and public institutions. In BBVA’s monographic study titled ‘Natural capital, curbing climate change’, you can learn more about the benefits and rewards of using natural capital as a means of improving social well-being.

Garanti BBVA has been honored as Türkiye’s "Best Private Bank for Sustainable Finance" at the Global Sustainable Finance Awards, organized by The Digital Banker magazine, a globally trusted news, business intelligence, research and awards body, servicing the worldwide financial services sector.

BBVA is reinforcing its commitment to the agricultural sector, working with four out of every ten agricultural co-ops in spain. This support is particularly significant in the food and agriculture sector - one of the most dynamic in the Spanish economy, and a real opportunity to launch new business ventures. In addition, it is a fundamental sector to tackle the demographic challenge, the fight against depopulation and the preservation of local biodiversity.

BBVA channelled €26 billion in sustainable business in the second quarter of 2024, a new quarterly record for the Group. Furthermore, the total amount mobilized in the first half of 2024 reached €46 billion, 37 percent more than the same period of 2023.

Storing electricity to use up to eight days later - electricity that comes from renewable sources. This is the milestone being marked by Malta, the U.S. company dedicated to clean technologies. Its Managing Director in Spain, Michael Geyer, sees the Iberian Peninsula as a strategic region to deploy these new technologies, or ‘cleantech’. “The Iberian Peninsula is in a privileged position to host innovative solutions for energy storage based on cleantech,” he explained in an interview with bbva.com.

BBVA has earned a rating of EE (“strong compliance”), making it the highest-rated bank in Spain and tied for second place worldwide with other entities, according to the latest update of the Standard Ethics Rating (SER). This assessment covers the ESG scores of Europe's 40 largest banks by market capitalization.

Clean technologies, also known as 'cleantech', are technologies that contribute to sustainability and care for the environment. This includes emissions reduction, biodiversity protection and water treatment.

The Iberian Peninsula is on the cutting edge of Europe’s cleantech revolution. It is believed that the industry will create some 2.65 million new jobs and mobilize €150 billion in investment across the region by 2030. These impressive figures are revealed in a new report headed up by BBVA and Cleantech for Iberia, a coalition set up to drive the potential of Spain and Portugal as a clean energy hub in the European Union.

Six young students from Colombia and Peru, the children of vulnerable entrepreneurs served by the BBVA Microfinance Foundation, met with the Queen of Spain after winning the college scholarships granted by the foundation and BBVA in Colombia. These scholarships cover tuition and academic costs for the young students until they finish their studies. It is an opportunity for them to have a better future for themselves and their families.

Javier Rodríguez Soler has been heading up BBVA’s global Sustainability area since 2021 and in July 2023 he was also named global head of Corporate & Investment Banking (CIB), the wholesale banking area that serves the biggest clients (corporations, institutions, and the like). Combining growth and sustainability is one of its mantras. According to Javier, it is possible to grow and decarbonize at the same time, and BBVA is living proof of this. More precisely, he believes that “sectoral specialization is key to successfully managing decarbonization while supporting our clients.”

At the 2nd BBVA Mexico Sustainability Summit recently held in Mexico City, all the companies participating in the event were urged to press ahead with their energy transition processes. The participants agreed that banks are the key enablers in this process through the funding and expert advice they provide, allowing businesses to transition toward an emission-free economy that embraces all industries and segments of society.

BBVA Chair Carlos Torres Vila stated that in the fight against climate change, "Mexico is at an advantage as it is one of the countries with the most potential  in the world in wind and solar power." He also emphasized the Group's commitment to the country's energy transition.  “We must do more to support emerging markets. They have the most natural resources and are therefore a key part of the solution," he proclaimed at the opening of the 2nd BBVA Mexico Sustainability Summit held in Mexico City.

What if, instead of throwing them in the trash, we transform leftovers of meat, fish, vegetables, and many other foods into tasty bites? Croquettes, arepas, and tacu-tacu are the most well-known options, but there are other recipes that expand the flavors and textures in zero-waste cuisine.

Seray İmer, Head of Sustainability at Garanti BBVA, recently took part in a ‘Sustainable Future’ show on Bloomberg HT TV, where she outlined Garanti BBVA’s key commitments and targets for a less polluted world.

The Age Friendly Institute has recognized the bank as a 50+ friendly company for its talent management policies and practices.

“BBVA is a great ally for Spanish companies as they take on their sustainable transition and international expansion,” remarked Javier Rodríguez Soler, Global Head of Sustainability and CIB at BBVA. His presentation was part of the 41st Seminar organized by Spanish financial press association APIE and titled ‘The role of businesses in the new economy’, being held in Santander. “At BBVA, we support and accompany our clients, and not only multinational firms, but also those companies that need more specific advice to help them continue to grow,” he said.

Garanti BBVA announced the renewal of its sustainable syndicated loan. The bank plans to use the loan to finance foreign trade, for general corporate purposes, and to further its commitment to finance investments that support the transition to a low carbon economy.   Indexed to sustainable criteria, Garanti BBVA was the first bank in the world to launch a syndicated sustainable loan in 2020.

BBVA will issue a total amount of $50 million and the resources will be used to  finance projects focusing on reforestation, the regeneration of natural forests on degraded land, mangrove conservation or restoration, climate-smart agriculture, and wildlife habitat restoration, among others.

BBVA has received the 'Alcance 3.0' award for the 'Best Comprehensive Scope 3 Emissions Reduction Strategy'. This award, presented by the CPOnet Group, recognizes the efforts of organizations that help reduce emissions in their value chain: suppliers, customers, employees, partners, shareholders and society.

The challenge of diversity is one of the key transformation pillars for any company. In the case of BBVA, ensuring a diverse workplace, in the broadest sense of the term, allows the company to better address the needs of its diverse customer base and offer a more comprehensive service.

BBVA is expanding its intermediate emission reduction targets for 2030 to two new sectors: the real estate sector in Spain and the global aluminum industry. They join the list of targets for eight emission-intensive sectors previously set by the bank (oil & gas; power generation; automobile; steel; cement; coal; aviation and shipping).

BBVA's decarbonization targets: What do they mean and what is their scope?