BBVA has acted as the sole sustainability coordinator for Wood, the  UK-headquartered global engineering and consulting firm, in a new syndicated sustainability linked financing facility involving sixteen financial institutions. The $1.2 billion facility is the second sustainability-linked loan (SLL) arranged by Wood.

The popularity of electric bicycles has grown steadily in recent years. Not only do they make our lives easier, but they are a comfortable, portable, environmentally friendly means of transportation and, most importantly, they offer an alternative to traditional systems.

The bank was also recognized as the best investment bank of the year. Ebru Dildar Edin, Executive Vice President of Garanti BBVA, reaffirmed the bank's commitment to “continue to maintain its sustainability and investment objectives and to set more ambitious goals each year.”

According to the BBVA Chairman the upcoming Glasgow Climate Summit (COP26) is the most important one since Paris in 2015. For this reason, on Friday he called for “commitments and credible actions” by governments and the private sector to curb emissions by 45 percent by 2030. Carlos Torres Vila pointed out that “faced with the decarbonization challenge, emerging economies should be among those leading the race:” And, for this to be possible, developed countries "should support emerging countries in their journey to decarbonization with more financing" he said speaking at the annual meeting of the Institute for International Finance (IIF).

‘Seeds for the future’ was created to encourage people to reflect on the importance of preserving biodiversity and to warn of natural resource depletion. Through a documentary that will be released in November, it will inspire consumers to adopt responsible eating habits based on the principles of proximity, quality and buying local, protecting both our health and our cultural memory. The initiative aims to fulfill the mission of BBVA and El Celler de Can Roca’s ‘Sustainable Gastronomy’ project, which seeks to guide people and provide them with tools in their transition toward a more sustainable life.

BBVA has become the first financial institution to join the SME Climate Hub, a global initiative launched to help small and medium-sized companies to adopt sustainable measures as part of their activities to achieve the most ambitious target set in the Paris Agreement: Net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Through this alliance, BBVA, recognizing the pivotal role that small and medium-sized companies play in decarbonizing the planet, will support and finance these businesses in their eco-transition process.

La Linterna, the radio program directed by the renowned journalist Ángel Expósito, has been switched on from the headquarters of Bancamía, the BBVA Microfinance Foundation's entity in Colombia. The objective: to shed light on the reality of the most vulnerable populations in Latin America - those exposed to inequality, which, far from improving, has increased as a result of the pandemic.

Garanti BBVA, in collaboration with the TURMEPA association, has launched the Mavi Nefes project. An initiative aimed at raising awareness of waste disposal in the Sea of Marmara and cleaning up the waters so as to prevent marine pollution.

BBVA's Chairman called on the entrepreneurial community to “continue to be brave and invest in green technologies” during his participation in the South Summit, where he stressed the need to continue supporting innovation, especially in the field of digitization and sustainability. “We need to decarbonize in 50 years, and that is going to require a lot of investment and innovation in technologies that do not exist today,” insisted the BBVA Chairman at this conference dedicated to startups and whose opening ceremony was presided over by His Majesty the King.

The BBVA Center for Financial Education and Capability has published the 2021 EduFin Position Paper, a document that represents the Center’s position on the current state of financial education at a global level. This report highlights the role of financial education and its challenges in contributing to a more sustainable society in the post-COVID recovery phase. According to the study, digitization and financial inclusion will be key. Its publication coincides with Spain’s Financial Education Day, which is celebrated on October 4 with the slogan ‘Your finances, also sustainable.’

BBVA, together with over 600 businesses from across the globe, signs an open letter to G20 leaders demanding more mobilization and ambition in the “the path to sustainable economic growth and shared prosperity.” The letter also urges them to go all in to at least halve emissions of G20 member countries by 2030. They also recognize the “great opportunities to be harnessed through a carefully managed transition.”

The world is moving towards sustainable economic models which by 2030 could create economic opportunities worth $12 trillion a year. Through technologies such as advanced data analytics, blockchain or artificial intelligence, fintech can help companies to evaluate and reduce their environmental impact, and investors to channel their operations towards more sustainable assets.

BBVA has acted as global and sustainability coordinator and advisor for COFCO International, the overseas agriculture business platform of China-based COFCO Corporation, in a new syndicated sustainable facility. For a total of USD 700 million and a tenor of 3 years, this financing is the second sustainability-linked loan (SLL) arranged by COFCO International, the sector’s leading sustainability performer and one of the most active commodity traders in the sustainable loan market. Apart from the coordinator roles, BBVA has also been appointed facility agent among a syndicate of seven international and Chinese banks.

BBVA is one of the 30 founding institutions of the Principles for Responsible Banking. In the last two years, it has reinforced its commitment to them through multiple actions, accessions and alliances with supranational organizations. In addition, and after incorporating sustainability as one of its strategic priorities in 2020, the bank recently created a global area of sustainability to elevate this matter to the highest executive level of the organization.

The Latin American Federation of Banks (Felaban) organized its 2nd regulatory meeting in Madrid. The employers' association, which gathers the main banking associations in the region, participated in a working meeting with BBVA executives where they analyzed the outlook for Latin America post-pandemic.

Banking sector commitment to UN Principles of Responsible Banking gains firm and steady traction: two years after launch 240 institutions have already become signatories. We take a look at this project of United Nations Environment Program Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) and the progress achieved since it launched two years ago.

With increasing frequency, Governments and financial and non-financial organizations are relying on the so-called sustainable finance instruments to fund projects intended to create a positive impact on the environment - such as the development of eco-friendly energy sources - and promote social and inclusive growth. In Spain, sustainable finance mobilized a total of €33.03 billion in 2020, according to data from the Spanish Observatory for Sustainable Financing (OFISO).

Tolkido founder Can Yıldız took part in Garanti BBVA’s Film Gibi Girişimler program through an interview series dedicated to discussing the future with new entrepreneurs and promoting social innovation projects.

BBVA Asset Management signed the Principles for Responsible Investment supported by the United Nations (known as UN PRI), intended to reflect reflecting the increasing relevance of environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) issues to investment practices. The signing of these principles by BBVA Asset Management is global, which is why BBVA's asset managers in Europe, Mexico, Colombia, Peru and Argentina have also committed to these principles.

After debuting its loan offering for eco-friendly cars for individuals, Garanti BBVA announces Turkey’s first green car loan for businesses.

The BBVA unit thus becomes the first and only Turkish bank to join the Net-Zero Banking Alliance (NZBA), which was launched in April by the United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP-FI).

This September 1, BBVA has returned to the markets with a two-year floating rate senior preferred bond (FRN) issue. Investors’ interest in the bond issue was extraordinary, with demand reaching €4.75 billion, which allowed the bank to reduce the price to 15 basis points plus 3-month Euribor, which is 20 bps lower than the initial price talk (IPT). The social nature of the bond allowed the issue to close below the reasonable price assigned to the bond. “The market’s response has far exceeded expectations,” commented BBVA’s wholesale funding team in charge of the operation.

Global Finance magazine has announced the winners for the 2021 Best Digital Bank Awards. BBVA has become the only Spanish bank recognized by the publication in two categories: Best digital bank for SMEs, and best corporate mobile banking app in Western Europe.

BBVA has been recognized as the world's global leader in sustaining communities at the Global Finance Awards 2021, which recognize global and regional leaders in different categories. The publication has especially valued “the bank's support for entrepreneurs via the Microfinance Foundation.” BBVA, the only Spanish bank to receive recognition as a “global leader”, has also won five other regional awards in different categories related to sustainability.

The Turkish men’s wheelchair basketball team, the 12 Brave Hearts, will take part in the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, sponsored by Garanti BBVA. The players, who have already accumulated some important victories in European and World Championships, including Gold in 2017 and Bronze in 2019 at the European Championships, will once again represent Turkey at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, as they did in London 2012 and Rio 2016. This year, the Turkish team will compete in Group A and will play against South Korea on August 26. In addition to the Korean team, the group is made up of teams from Canada, Spain, Colombia and Japan, the host country.

BBVA and Windar Renovables, a leading global manufacturer of towers for onshore and offshore wind farms and foundations for offshore wind farms, have signed a sustainable invoice factoring line worth a total €50 million. The proceeds of the agreement will be used to finance a contract related to the Baltic Eagle offshore wind project, recently awarded to the company. This sustainable financing scheme, Windar Renovables’ first ever, will allow the company to, through the non-recourse sale of its invoices, muster the financial resources it needs to honor its contract obligations.

BBVA endorsed the Taskforce on Scaling Voluntary Carbon Market's (TSVCM) new report which defines a roadmap for implementing a voluntary market that guarantees the quality and integrity of carbon credits. BBVA is the only Spanish bank that is a member of this working group.

Of 8,300 known animal species, 8% are extinct and 22% are endangered. These United Nations figures place the planet on the brink of what some scientists now call "the sixth mass extinction." The impact of human action on ecosystems is causing many species to disappear, with irreversible harm to biodiversity and the environment.

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