BBVA Sets €700 Billion Sustainable Business Goal

BBVA has unveiled a ambitious new goal of investing €700 billion in sustainable business activities between 2025 and 2029, more than doubling its earlier target. The pledge comes after the bank successfully met its previous €300 billion target in December 2024, one year earlier than planned. The much higher ambition is a sign of BBVA's heightened commitment to accelerating sustainability at a faster rate, highlighting the urgency of global environmental and social issues.

Javier Rodríguez Soler, BBVA's Global Head of Sustainability and Corporate and Investment Banking, reiterated the bank's commitment saying, "At BBVA, we continue to consider sustainability a strategic priority and a differential growth driver.". We are convinced that the second half of the decade business opportunity will be fueled by good investment in infrastructure and by the maturity of some new clean technologies, which will render them—many of those not yet so—profitable.

A Strategy Rooted in Climate Action and Inclusive Growth

BBVA's new sustainability approach focuses on two priority areas: climate action and inclusive social development. The bank wants to empower clients with targeted financing and advisory solutions, and investment should be directed into strategic sectors that contribute to sustainable long-term development.

Within the climate action and natural capital pillar, BBVA will be funding initiatives that tackle urgent environmental concerns such as water preservation, sustainable farming, and the circular economy. Such endeavors are in line with international efforts to mitigate climate change, ensure sustainable use of resources, and improve biodiversity conservation. The bank also intends to fund companies and technologies that power the shift towards a low-carbon economy with a focus on renewable energy, efficient energy, and sustainable mobility.

Apart from its environmental initiatives, BBVA also ensures inclusive growth. Its investments will go into social infrastructure initiatives in education and health, promoting greater access to these basic services. The bank will also support entrepreneurs and small and medium-sized enterprises, especially in disadvantaged communities, to further boost financial inclusion and economic prospects. By placing equal emphasis on social equity and environmental sustainability, BBVA seeks to help create a more stable and balanced global economy.

A Record of Success and Expansion

BBVA's new pledge is the culmination of a record of ambitious sustainability goals. The bank initially established a sustainable finance target of €100 billion in 2018, subsequently increasing it to €300 billion as demand for sustainable investment grew. Reaching this milestone a year earlier than planned shows BBVA's capacity to mobilize capital efficiently and reinforces its leadership in sustainable finance.

As a key strategic focus area since 2019, the bank has deployed 78% of its sustainable funds into climate action and natural capital projects and 22% into inclusive growth projects. The Corporate and Investment Banking unit at BBVA has been at the forefront of championing sustainable deals, with a 59% share of total volume. Companies have contributed 27%, retail clients 14%.

The Road Ahead

BBVA's €700 billion target not only represents a higher level of financial investment but also an acknowledgment of the changing sustainability environment. With clean technologies becoming more mature and infrastructure investment gaining momentum, the bank perceives huge growth and transformation opportunities. The five-year shorter timeline for meeting this target indicates a sense of urgency to help clients make their sustainability transitions and make a meaningful contribution to international environmental and social goals.

By further integrating sustainability into its business strategy, BBVA takes a leadership role in the financial sector's evolution toward responsible investment. It will be the bank's capacity to expand sustainable financing that will play a pivotal role in tackling climate change, safeguarding natural capital, and promoting inclusive economic growth.

As BBVA commences this new chapter in its sustainability journey, its long-term commitment is even clearer: bringing sustainable finance on at speed to create a better, more robust, more equitable, and environmentally conscious future.