Antoni Ballabriga
Global Head of Responsible Business, BBVA

Representing UNEP FI member: BBVA Group (Spain)

Connect with Antoni Ballabriga Torreguitart on LinkedIn

MOTIVATION STATEMENT

MY MOTIVATION

To create a positive impact in people’s lives at a large scale has always been a deep aspiration in my life purpose. Leading responsible business in a global financial institution has given me the huge opportunity to make it real.

This aspiration comes with a specific mind-set: (1) I don’t accept reality as it is, I want to transform it; (2) I thing big and see challenges with a holistic approach (3) I like to break silos, to engage with others and create kinetic inside and outside my organization.

This was what motivated me in 2008 when I was the first President of SPAINSIF to promote SRI with more than 32 different members including banks, asset managers, asset owners, trade unions, NGOs & analysts. This also explains why in 2013 I participated in the creation of the Spanish Association for CSR /Sustainability Professionals and its European Network.

I understand that part of my job is to share our learnings and promote collective endeavors to create new realities that improve our world and our companies.

Today we are living a sustainability inflection point. The way we create today will define the way we will live next years. UNEP FI has a crucial role on this. Forming part of its Global Steering Committee would mean a paramount challenge and responsibility for me.

MY VISION

UNEP FI must help financial institutions to create a better future for all. Two priorities. First, UNEP FI should play a more influential role among CEOs and C-suite members. Second, I totally agree with the proposal did by Christiana Figueres in last European Roundtable: as we have PRI or PSI, we should explore the definition of Principles for Responsible Banking. We already advocated for this in 2015 here.

 

BACKGROUND

WORK EXPERIENCE

Leading Responsible Business/Corporate Responsibility at BBVA since 2007. Annual budget of 60 EUR Mn and direct team of 150 people in 12 countries. CEO of Momentum since 2012 (impact investment fund for social enterprises). Founder & former President of DIRSE (Spanish Association of CSR/Sustainability Professionals, 2015-2017). Founder & former President of Spainsif (Spanish Social Investment Forum, 2008-2010). Professor at ESADE Business School.

EDUCATION

First Mover Fellow at the Aspen Institute. BA Grade & MBA ESADE Business School. CSR & strategy at Harvard Business School.

AREAS OF EXPERTISE

Financial inclusion. Green and social customer solutions for wholesale/retail banking, developed / emerging countries. Enviromental, social & reputational risk. Financial education. Social entrepreneurship & impact investment

MAIN PROJECTS ON SUSTAINABLE FINANCE

  • Sustainable Finance plan for CIB in 2016. Green & Social Bonds: (5,350 EUR Mn in 2016), Renewable energy (4,444 EUR Mn in 2016), Green loans (700 EUR Mn in 2017). (SDG 6, 7 and 13).
  • Supervision of BBVA Microfinance Foundation. 1.8 million microentrepreneurs in Latin America, 60% women. (SDG 1, 5 and 8).
  • Financial education programs in Spain, Latin America, US. 9 million people and 150.000 SMEs benefited since 2008. (SDG 4 and 12).
  • Social entrepreneurs program “Momentum” and impact investment fund. 178 social enterprises supported in Spain, Mexico, Colombia, US and Turkey. (Several SDGs).
  • Social housing program in Spain since 2011 with 7.000 houses. (SDG 1, 8 and 17).
  • Job creation support program for SMEs in Spain. 10.000 new jobs supported 2012-2015. (SDG 8 and 9).
  • Center for financial education & capabilities launched in 2017 supported by OECD, World Bank, IDB, GFLEC, IIF, EBF, Better Finance… (SDG 4, 12 and 17).
  • Advocacy for Sustainable Finance at Spanish Banking Association, Spanish Green Growth Group and EBF (SDG 17).

CONFERENCES

European Commission, OECD, IDB, IFC/World Bank, UNEP FI, Spanish Parliament, IOSCO, and more than 30 universities/ business schools

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