Mustafa Tiftikcioğlu, Garanti BBVA: Sustainability moved to the top of the agenda for most organizations and industries

As climate change and its large-scale negative effects are no longer just presumptions but a reality we are all facing on a daily basis, every member of society, including those in the business environment, must behave and do business in a more sustainable way. Business Review talked to representatives of large companies in Romania and highlighted several solutions that can ensure a greener and safer future for the coming generations. Implementing sustainable urban development, water management, and farming, supporting businesses with green finance, and finding ways to lower carbon emissions in all our activities are among the actions that could be part of the solution.

Mustafa Tiftikcioğlu, CEO at Garanti BBVA: “Sustainability moved to the top of the agenda for most organizations and industries, with financial investors, consumers and regulators becoming more aware and interested in how business adhere to it.

We are part of a group which is at the forefront in this area: BBVA Group is a global leader in sustainable finance, no. 1 European bank and 3rd worldwide as per Dow Jones Sustainability Index.

Sustainability is one of Garanti BBVA’s Romania strategic priorities set as such a few years ago already. By this we mean that our role as a financial group goes beyond creating economic value: for an effective and sustainable performance, we integrate this principle in our daily activity by considering the environmental and social impact of our business.

In this sense, we took concrete steps to become carbon neutral and environment caring in the way we operate as an economic actor. We put constant efforts into greening our credit portfolio by continuously innovating our product range to mobilize capital for fighting climate change and driving sustainable development. Recent examples of green products are the Casa Eco green mortgage loan; the green loans for residential developers certified by the Romania Building Council; we are always interested in financing projects aimed to support the green transition such as renewables, energy efficiency, clean transportation, ecological agriculture, prevention and control of pollution, circular economy etc. Our banking offer is complemented with a wide range of green consumer finance products for electrical vehicles, solar panels or other energy efficient heating solutions.

By providing guidance, assessing the green transition strategic impact on their businesses and supporting transformation initiatives, we strive to be a reliable partner for our clients in their transition to more sustainable business models.”