Case study: How BBVA identifies and works on strategic business opportunities to increase positive and reduce negative impacts

BBVA is a worldwide banking group driven by a customer-focused approach, distinguished by its pioneering leadership in digital transformation, innovation, and sustainability. It serves 77.2 million active clients and employs 125,916 people. BBVA operates in over 25 countries, holds a dominant position in the Spanish market, is the largest financial institution in Mexico, and maintains leading franchises across South America and Turkey. By 2024, BBVA’s assets exceed 772 billion euros, supported by a network of 5,749 branches. Its core activities primarily target retail banking, business banking and corporate and investment banking. BBVA is a signatory of the Principles for Responsible Banking (PRB) and is, accordingly, identifying and working on strategic business opportunities to increase positive and reduce negative impacts. Tweet This!
This case study is based on the 2024 Annual Report by BBVA prepared in relation to its implementation of the PRB, that can be found at this link. Through all case studies we aim to demonstrate what ESG/ sustainability reporting done responsibly means. Essentially, it means: a) identifying a company’s most important impacts on the environment, economy and society, and b) measuring, managing and changing.
Which Principles for Responsible Banking have been addressed?
The Principles for Responsible Banking addressed in this case are:
- Principle 3: Clients and Customers
- Principle 4: Stakeholders
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- How BBVA proceeded with stakeholder identification and consultation, and
- How BBVA identified and worked on strategic business opportunities to increase positive and reduce negative impacts
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Stakeholder identification and consultation
Please describe which stakeholders (or groups/ types of stakeholders) you have identified, consulted, engaged, collaborated or partnered with for the purpose of implementing the Principles and improving your bank’s impacts. This should include a high-level overview of how your bank has identified relevant stakeholders, what issues were addressed/results achieved and how they fed into the action planning process.
In accordance with the General Sustainability Policy, BBVA incorporates the concerns of its stakeholders—including customers, employees, shareholders and investors, suppliers, regulators and supervisors, and society at large—into its small business operations and activities. These concerns encompass social issues, environmental impact, diversity, fiscal responsibility, human rights, and the prevention of corruption and other illegal practices.
Throughout its Annual Report, BBVA highlights the progress and outcomes related to each of these stakeholder groups, as well as specific engagement actions undertaken—such as regular surveys of clients, non-clients, employees, and suppliers; inquiries and feedback from analysts and investors; civil society consultations; and human rights due diligence processes.
For over 20 years, BBVA has actively participated in various international initiatives, working closely with all stakeholders. These efforts focus on key areas such as universal reference frameworks, market standards, transparency, and financial regulation.
How did BBVA identify and work on strategic business opportunities to increase positive and reduce negative impacts?
In its 2024 Annual Report BBVA reports that it identified and worked on strategic business opportunities to increase positive and reduce negative impacts as follows:
Sustainability serves as a key driver of growth for BBVA, adopting a comprehensive approach centred on climate action and inclusive development, encompassing all customer segments. To seize this opportunity, BBVA is progressing along five strategic growth lines outlined in the relevant sections of its annual report. From 2018 to 2024, BBVA allocated a total of €304.361 billion to sustainable business. In 2024, BBVA introduced various solutions and specialized products aimed at fostering financial inclusion and expanding individual banking access in the regions where the Group operates, successfully directing approximately €99 billion toward these efforts.
UN Principles for Responsible Banking: Accelerating a positive global transition for people and the planet
With over 300 signatory banks representing almost half of the global banking industry, the Principles for Responsible Banking are the world’s foremost sustainable banking framework. Through these Principles, the banking community takes action to align core strategies, decision-making, lending and investment with the UN Sustainable Development Goals and international agreements such as the Paris Climate Agreement.
FBRH Principles for Responsible Banking (PRB) Assurance:
First class PRB assurance services: The result of solid, hands-on ESG/ Sustainability experience
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- FBRH is a GRI Certified Training Partner (Global), ISEP Training Centre and a member of CPD.
- FBRH builds trust. Over 200 reviews from top professionals from around the world demonstrate our ability to build strong, trusting business relationships.
- FBRH possesses a unique skill set that combines ESG/sustainability certified training, experience in advisory services and report preparation, and ESG/sustainability report assurance.
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The combination of all the above empowers FBRH to provide first class Principles for Responsible Banking (PRB) assurance services.
References:
This case study is based on published information by BBVA, located at the link below. For the sake of readability, we did not use brackets or ellipses. However, we made sure that the extra or missing words did not change the report’s meaning. If you would like to quote these written sources from the original please revert to the following link:
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