CaixaBank has been recognised as the ‘World's Best Consumer Bank 2022' at the World’s Best Bank Awards, which the American magazine Global Finance has been giving out for 29 years.
The jury at the magazine, which consisted of editors at the journal and which was advised by analysts, consultants and executives from the banking sector all over the world, looked at nominations from banks in over 150 countries to select those which stood out for their leadership, commitment to their customers and other aspects. This year, the magazine placed additional importance on those banks that, at times of market instability, were able to shore up their balance sheets while standing by their customers at all times, thus laying the foundations for a sustainable future.
The jury awarded a prize to CaixaBank, chaired by José Ignacio Goirigolzarri and directed by Gonzalo Gortázar, for its leadership in consumer banking after its merger with Bankia, the best in the history of Spain's banking sector and which reinforced the bank's role as a leader in the sector in Europe, with 20.4 million customers in Spain and Portugal, over 700 billion in assets, and solid market shares in its main areas of business. The company is also a leader in digital banking thanks to its unique omnichannel distribution platform and a multi-product capacity that is constantly evolving to stay ahead of customer needs and preferences with the aim of offering the best experience and service.
The publication also underscored the bank's leadership in the area of innovation by remaining firmly committed to the digital transformation through the creation of pioneering financial solutions thanks to the development of new technologies, such as artificial intelligence, machine learning and quantum computing, with numerous projects in recent months.
The bank was further lauded for its commitment to sustainable financing to help support families and companies through the ecological transition. In 2021, the company mobilised more than 31.3 billion euros in sustainable financing, 150% more than in the previous year, a figure that made CaixaBank a worthy recipient of the ‘Best Bank in Sustainable Financing in Spain 2022’ prize, also presented by Global Finance magazine.
In terms of social responsibility, the company remains committed to customers and society by encouraging financial inclusion through its presence in over 2,000 municipalities, support of employment through internal programmes like Dualiza, an extensive programme of corporate volunteering, and socially meaningful solutions for vulnerable groups, with more than 345,000 customers with social accounts, over 12,100 subsidised homes, and 50 million euros invested in 2022 to provide services to seniors (closing figures for June 2022). Finally, Global Finance also took into account the role of MicroBank, CaixaBank's social bank and a leader in microloans in Europe, which in 2021 lent over 950 million euros - 5.8% more than in the previous year - to projects with a positive effect on society.
The award comes three months after CaixaBank presented its new 2022-2024 Strategic Plan, the strategic priorities of which include boosting the growth of the business; evolving the service model to bring it much closer to customer needs and expectations; and consolidating the bank's position as a sustainability benchmark in Europe.
Global Finance magazine will present the awards in October at a ceremony in the city of Washington, D.C., where representatives from the world's leading banks will gather. Global Finance is a monthly magazine that was founded in 1987, with headquarters in New York and offices all around the world. It has a print run of over 50,000 units (BPA) and readers in more than 190 countries.
International accolades for CaixaBank
CaixaBank has been named 'World's Best Consumer Bank' three times in the last five years: 2018, 2020 and 2022. This award continues a banner year of international recognitions for CaixaBank. The same American publication selected the bank as the 'Best Bank in Spain' and 'Best Bank in Western Europe' for the eighth and fourth consecutive year, respectively, as well as the 'Best Bank in Sustainable Financing in Spain 2022' and the 'Most Innovative Bank in Western Europe 2022'.
