CaixaBank has been named among the world's best listed banks in terms of sustainability by the 2019 Dow Jones Sustainability Indices (DJSI) for the eighth consecutive year. DJSI, which is the world's leading benchmark that assesses the performance of companies using environmental, social and governance (ESG) criteria, has named CaixaBank among the top 25 outstanding banks, out of 248 candidates. DJSI features 318 companies, selected from a total of 3,517 assessed, originating from 47 countries globally.
CaixaBank has obtained the top score (100 points) in the areas of privacy protection, social action and philanthropy, and financial inclusion. The DJSI analysts have also commended the bank’s performance in areas such as risk management, anti-corruption and money-laundering prevention policies, information security, climate change strategy and the development of human capital.
Jordi Gual, CaixaBank's Chairman, commented: “Since its establishment, the company has always been guided by the values of quality, trust and social commitment, ensuring that we contribute to our customers' financial well-being and to the progress of society as a whole”. For the Chairman of CaixaBank, “the Dow Jones Index has acknowledged, yet again, CaixaBank's commitment to the people and to responsible management, creating value for all the stakeholders: customers, employees, shareholders and society. We cannot engage in financial activity without being firmly committed to society.”
Furthermore, the CEO, Gonzalo Gortázar, emphasised that “our ongoing presence on the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices reinforces our status in socially responsible banking, which is a key priority in our 2019-2021 Strategic Plan”. Gonzalo Gortázar has recognised that "transferring social and environmental commitment to our business decisions enables us to increase the creation of value for our customers, shareholders, employees and the wider society”.
Due to its commitment to a long-term sustainable management model, CaixaBank has been included in the leading global sustainability indices and is regularly assessed by sustainability analysts. It has been included in the MSCI Global Sustainability Indexes, Stoxx Global ESG Leaders Index, Euronext Vigeo Eurozone 120 and Vigeo Europe 120 indices, the Ethibel Sustainability Index (ESI) Excellence Europe, and the FTSE4Good Index.
Commitment to sustainability
CaixaBank has integrated its commitment to sustainability into all its financial activity. The company is active of green business (green loans, eco-financing facilities, green property development, etc.), and last year it participated in the green loans market with deal value of USD 1.44 billion. In addition, CaixaBank collaborates with the European Investment Bank to finance projects aimed at combating climate change.
Similarly, the company has featured in major developments in the field of ESG and climate risk management. It has done so by creating an environmental risk management division integrated in the Directorate General for Risk and through the approval of its Environmental Risk Management Policy. Since 2007, it has been part of the group of financial institutions associated with the Equator Principles to guarantee that the projects to which it provides funding and consultancy are carried out in a socially responsible way.
As for the social aspect, CaixaBank is commitment to financial inclusion and is the only bank present in 100% of towns in Spain with more than 10,000 inhabitants, and 94% of those with more than 5,000 inhabitants. It is also the only bank that offers microloans to people with no guarantees or sureties, through MicroBank, to help them drive their personal and professional projects.
CaixaBank has also joined the United Nations Environment Programme - Finance Initiative (UNEP FI), which has three main goals: commitment to sustainable development, sustainability management and public awareness.
