BBVA Donates €2 Million to Support Those Affected by the Earthquake in Colombia

“In an emergency of this scale, our priority is to be there for people. We are mobilizing resources to meet the most urgent needs and help the affected communities recover. We want to do this alongside organizations with the capacity to act on the ground, while also drawing on the solidarity of our employees and customers in Colombia and Spain,” said Carlos Torres Vila, Chair of BBVA.

The funds allocated to UNHCR will help provide shelter for families whose homes have been destroyed or damaged, distribute emergency supplies, and offer protection and assistance to the most vulnerable, among other measures.

UNICEF will step up its response for children and adolescents in particular, providing emergency support and rebuilding and repairing schools so that children can keep learning while the emergency lasts.

BBVA will also join ‘Empresas Unidas por Colombia’, the initiative led by ANDI and the ANDI Foundation that coordinates the Colombian business sector’s response. The initiative will support recovery and reconstruction work in the worst-hit areas, with a particular focus on school infrastructure.

A comprehensive response to the emergency

The €2 million contribution forms part of a comprehensive response that BBVA began rolling out in the wake of the earthquake, designed to support the affected communities, look after its employees and their families, mobilize support from customers and employees, and keep financial services running in the areas hit.

As an initial emergency measure, BBVA provided 3,500 food and hygiene kits, distributed through the food bank network, coordinated by the Bogotá Food Bank.

Customers, employees, and the wider public join in

BBVA Group has also launched a fundraising campaign among its customers and employees in both Colombia and Spain:

• In Colombia, the bank has launched a fundraising campaign in collaboration with Solidaridad por Colombia and has enabled its network of more than 1,400 ATMs so that customers and employees can make donations and join the relief effort (savings account: 0777001919).
• In Spain, anyone who would like to help can do so through the BBVA app by going to Bizum, selecting 'Charitable donations' ('Donaciones solidarias') and entering the code for the relevant NGO, or by transfer to either of the following accounts: UNICEF: ES03 0182 2370 4002 0170 3010 (Bizum code 05348); and UNHCR: ES18 0182 2325 0102 0800 2783 (Bizum code 09824). Donations can also be made in person at any BBVA branch.

BBVA in Spain has also temporarily waived fees and charges for individual customers on transfers sent and received between Spain and Colombia.

Support for employees and restoring services

Since the emergency began, BBVA in Colombia has closely monitored the situation of the 479 employees working in the affected areas and their families. Alongside ongoing assistance and psychosocial support, the bank has provided basic necessities such as food and hygiene products, and will assess the needs of affected employees and their families to determine what additional support to provide, particularly with housing.

BBVA teams have also mobilized to assess the damage to the bank’s facilities. So far, 25 of the bank’s 40 branches in the area are up and running. BBVA’s digital channels in Colombia have continued to operate normally throughout the emergency, keeping services available to customers while work continues to restore the branch network.

“Right from the outset, the entire BBVA team in Colombia has been fully committed to supporting our colleagues and their families, supporting communities, and making sure our customers are looked after. The emergency is not over, and we are committed to being there not just in these first few days, but throughout the recovery and reconstruction that lies ahead for the country,” said Mario Pardo, CEO and Country Manager of BBVA in Colombia.