CaixaBank, Spain’s leading retail bank, will finalise its presidency of the Global Compact Network Spain (REPM in its Spanish acronym) on 8 July. Ángel Pes, president from 2012 until present, has accompanied the financial institution through completion of a cycle that has served to intensify the association's professionalisation in all fields of action.
The priority goals that CaixaBank established at the outset have been fulfilled, given that it has fostered the presence of the ten Principles of the Global Compact and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) in the Spanish business network. Similarly, it has managed to promote digitalisation in all the company's processes and services, while raising awareness around the Global Compact Network Spain in various socioeconomic sectors and forums in the country.
For Ángel Pes, president of the REPM as a representative of CaixaBank and deputy director of the financial institution, the overall balance for these years has been extremely positive. “CaixaBank's years in the presidency of the REPM have served to make it a benchmark for Spanish companies committed to social responsibility”, stated Pes.
One of the first decisions made by CaixaBank after taking up the presidency was to promote the digitalisation of processes conducted from REPM’s office. The flow of information and processes faced by the association required IT tools that could offer the members better resources and services. This process resulted in an improvement in user management and enabled the initiative to be ready for the major challenge posed by the approval of the 2030 Agenda in 2015.
As a result of this, it was able to address the major increase in members achieved during this time. In 2012, REPM had 256 members and at the close of May this year it now has 722, representing an almost threefold increase in members.
Partnerships with the national and international social and business fabric
Ángel Pes's arrival as a representative of CaixaBank also brought with it a significant rise in the visibility of the Global Compact Network Spain. In this period, the company has managed to foster projects and craft partnerships with various organisations and representatives of the country's social and business sectors such as CEOE, CEPYME, Chambers of Commerce, the General Council of Economists, as well as with the various central and autonomous governments. The purpose of most of these agreements has been to raise awareness around and boost the Sustainable Development Goals.
Among all the events held, the most prominent was that held at CaixaForum Madrid with the former Secretary-General of the United Nations, Ban Ki-moon, in October 2015. The Global Compact Network Spain is the only one of the 68 in existence that has held a meeting at the highest level with the Secretary-General of the United Nations and CEOs of companies subscribing to the Global Compact.
Internationally, the initiative has evolved towards a more resolute approach to its local networks, strengthening its brand image towards one that is more united under the name One Global Compact. For this new Global Compact strategic plan, REPM has been one of best positioned members as a result of being the network with highest number of signatories, and most prominent in its management: a leading position that it has upheld throughout this eight-year presidency.
As a result of this international leadership, Ángel Pes was able to attend the UN Global Compact Board as the sole representative of a local network, from June 2012 to September 2015. The United Nations Global Compact Board of Directors is a body solely comprising around thirty members from all over the world that it is chaired by the Secretary-General of the United Nations.
