In order to help alleviate the effects of COVID-19 on the most vulnerable, BBVA will make a charitable contribution in Spain in replacement of the traditional gift given to shareholders for the Annual General Meeting. It will be the shareholders who vote on which of four causes they prefer for the donation from this gift: social inclusion, education, health and people with disabilities.

ESG criteria refer to environmental, social and corporate governance factors that are taken into account when investing in a company. Although their origin dates back several decades, they have become a reference for socially responsible investing in recent years.

Citizens, companies, city councils and institutions from all over the world will turn off the lights this Saturday, March 23 for Earth Hour to fight against climate change and the loss of biodiversity. BBVA participates for yet another year in this initiative organized since 2007 by the World Wildlife Fund, turning off a hundred headquarters, corporate buildings and branches spread throughout all the countries where the bank is present.

BBVA will reduce to zero its exposure to coal-related activities, stopping the financing of companies in this business by 2030 in developed countries, and by 2040 in the rest of the countries of its footprint. This decision, which is included in the updated BBVA's Environmental and Social Framework, is in line with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) proposal. This aims to limit the rise in temperatures to a maximum of 1.5ºC and achieve the ambition of a carbon neutral economy in 2050.

As part of its commitment to sustainability, BBVA has become the first institution in Argentina to launch recycled plastic cards, 85.5 percent made of PVC (polyvinyl chloride), produced from recycled plastic.

Both organizations have announced a global collaboration agreement to promote equality among girls and young people with a focus on female role-models. "We are convinced that we can curb the impact of gender stereotypes in a simple and effective way, by teaching girls about successful women that can help them become aware of all the opportunities within their reach", said BBVA global head of Talent and Culture Carlos Casas.

The appropriate design of a product can help reduce its environmental impact and make it last longer. More and more companies are turning to materials that are more durable and easier to recycle. One of the key aspects of product creation is predicting the possible repairs owner may have to make.

The European Commission has published its taxonomy for sustainable finance, a classification instrument to help financial players and companies determine which activities qualify as sustainable. Investments in projects and activities that pursue the European Union’s environmental goals contribute to the transition towards a low carbon economy.

On September 25, 2015, global leaders adopted the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to protect the planet, fight against, and attempt to eradicate poverty in order to build a more prosperous world for future generations. These goals were established as part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The rise in the global temperature has negative effects on the planet - effects that are difficult to revert in some cases. Increasing frequent heat waves, devasating fires - like the recent fires in California - and natural disasters like tropical cyclones, floods and droughts, have had an enormous impact on the environment and socioeconomic development.