The Global Alliance for Banking on Values (GABV) is an independent association of 'values-based banks' with a shared mission to use finance to deliver environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) positive outcomes. [1] [2] The GABV consists of over 60 member banks, credit unions and microfinance institutions, [3] from a total of 44 countries. The group has 16 supporting partners. [4] Its headquarters are in Amsterdam, Netherlands.
Marcos Eguiguren from GABV said that values-based banking means putting "People before Profit" [5] These are banks that use money to deliver economic, social and environmental development. They set themselves apart from traditional banks based on where they put their customers' money, how they manage lending, such as by providing loans and services to sustainable projects, individuals, and entrepreneurs, and avoiding investing money in the pure financial and speculative economy, by support their local communities and the environment, and by how they treat their staff and customers.
The GABV was founded in 2009. [6] Its founding members were Triodos Bank, [7] ShoreBank, BRAC Bank, Mibanco Peru, Alternative Bank Switzerland, [8] Merkur Bank, [9] GLS Bank, [10] Banca Etica Adriatica, [11] New Resource Bank [12] and XacBank. [13] In 2010, the company had its first annual meeting in Bangladesh. [14]
The 2011 Lima Declaration demanded that value-based banks be recognized through appropriate regulation and not be adversely impacted by regulations intended to address issues related to mainstream banks. [15]
2013 resulted in the first International Banking on Values Day, the creation of the Europe and North America regional chapters, as well as the Berlin Declaration. [16]
In 2014, the GABV's scorecard, a set of common impact metrics, which allows banks to report their social impact of a bank through a harmonised method, was launched. [17]
The ninth summit was held in Kathmandu, Nepal in 2017. [18] This meeting concluded with the Kathmandu Declaration, a commitment to a long-term positive social impact towards renewing the whole banking system. [19]
In November 2022, BRAC Bank hosted the group's 13th in-person summit, in Dhaka, Bangladesh. [20] [21] [22]
Microfinance consists of financial services targeting individuals and small businesses (SMEs) who lack access to conventional banking and related services.
The G20 or Group of 20 is an intergovernmental forum comprising 19 sovereign countries, the European Union (EU), and the African Union (AU). It works to address major issues related to the global economy, such as international financial stability, climate change mitigation and sustainable development, through annual meetings of Heads of State and Heads of Government.
Triodos Bank N.V. is an ethical bank based in the Netherlands with many branches in Belgium, Germany, United Kingdom, and Spain. It was founded in 1980.
An ethical bank, also known as a social, alternative, civic, or sustainable bank, is a bank concerned with the social and environmental impacts of its investments and loans. The ethical banking movement includes: ethical investment, impact investment, socially responsible investment, corporate social responsibility, and is also related to such movements as the fair trade movement, ethical consumerism, and social enterprise.
GLS Bank is a German ethical bank that was founded in 1974 as an anthroposophical initiative by Wilhelm Ernst Barkhoff and Gisela Reuther. It was the first bank in Germany that operated with an ethical philosophy. According to GLS Bank, its focus is on cultural, social and ecological initiatives, initiated by people, and not anonymous interests seeking capital or maximum profit. The name stands for Gemeinschaftsbank für Leihen und Schenken which translates as Community bank for loaning and giving.
Westpac Banking Corporation, also known as Westpac, is an Australian multinational banking and financial services company headquartered at Westpac Place in Sydney, New South Wales.
BRAC Bank PLC is a private commercial bank in Bangladesh, founded in 2001. The bank is a subsidiary of BRAC, a leading development organization in the country. BRAC Bank is known for its focus on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
Vancouver City Savings Credit Union, commonly referred to as Vancity, is a member-owned financial co-operative headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. By asset size, Vancity is the largest community credit union in Canada as of 2019, with CA$28.2 billion in assets plus assets under administration, 60 branches and more than 543,000 members.
AccessBank is a bank headquartered in Baku, Azerbaijan, that operates as a financial institution within the banking sector of the country. It has a network of over 32 branches across Azerbaijan, offering various banking services to individuals and businesses.
New Resource Bank is a San Francisco, California-based bank which is a part of Amalgamated Bank.
Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria, S.A., better known by its initialism BBVA, is a Spanish multinational financial services company based in Bilbao, with operative offices in Madrid. It is one of the largest financial institutions in the world, and is present mainly in Spain, Portugal, Mexico, South America, Turkey, Italy and Romania.
Export Import Bank of Bangladesh PLC. commonly known as EXIM Bank is one of the private commercial banks in Bangladesh. The Bank came into operation as a commercial bank on 3 August 1999 as per rules and regulations of Bangladesh Bank. From its establishment the bank was known as BEXIM Bank Limited. But due to legal constraints, the bank was renamed as EXIM Bank, which stood for Export Import Bank of Bangladesh Limited.
Alternative Bank Switzerland (ABS) is a sustainability-oriented bank based in Olten, Canton of Solothurn, in Switzerland. Its headquarters are situated in the former building of the Walter Verlag.
City Bank PLC is a Bangladeshi private commercial bank headquartered in Dhaka. The bank provides products and services in retail banking, corporate finance, SME Banking, women banking, digital banking, asset management, equity brokerage, and security. It has 133 branches. The bank is a licensee to issue Visa and MasterCard Debit and Credit Cards and it is the sole licensee of American Express Cards in Bangladesh.
Selcom Microfinance Bank Tanzania (SMBT), previously known as Access Microfinance Bank Tanzania (AMBT), is a microfinance bank located in Tanzania. It is licensed by the Bank of Tanzania, the central bank and national banking regulator.
United Commercial Bank PLC (UCB) is a commercial bank in Bangladesh. It was established in 1983.
E-commerce in Bangladesh refers to the electronic commerce sector of Bangladesh business.
bKash is a mobile financial service (MFS) in Bangladesh operating under the authority of Bangladesh Bank as a subsidiary of BRAC Bank PLC. This mobile financial service company started as a joint venture between BRAC Bank Limited, and Money in Motion LLC.