20_02_19_IEH

BBVA's Open Innovation headquarters in Madrid hosted the workshop BBVA organized by the high school business y Humanismo (IEH) of the University of Navarra and the bank. National and international experts from public and private institutions discussed strategies, projects and actions to move towards a more competitive, productive, sustainable and inclusive society and Economics .

 

The president of the IEH, Ricardo Martí Fluxà IEH Ricardo Martí Fluxà, highlighted at the beginning of the workshop that the economic development is not possible if it is not sustainable. Likewise, the importance of involving all actors, the business, the university, the State and civil society, was one of the ideas that was maintained in both panels. María Abascal, Global Director of Institutional Relations at BBVA, also emphasized that sustainability is a relevant topic in the public, private and social agendas.

The first panel discussion focused on the relationship between sustainability and the public sector. Federico Buyolo, former Director General of the High Commissioner of the diary 2030; Isidoro Tapia, Energy Specialist, European Investment Bank and Concepción Aisa, Climate Change and Environment Finance Specialist at the World Bank participated in it. The second, more focused on the role of private sector activity, was attended by Toni Ballabriga, Director Global Business manager at BBVA; Inés Ruiz de Arana, General Manager Sustainability at Gestamp; Maya Hennerkes, Corporate Governance and Environmental and Social Safeguards at EBRD; and Valentín Alfaya, Director Corporate Health and Safety, Quality and Environment at Ferrovial.

The ten most relevant points, collected by Jaume Aurell, Director of high school of business and Humanism, at the end of the workshop, were the following: sustainability is a global problem that challenges us all; transversal to the extent that it is not only an economic or ecological problem, but also a social one; therefore, it is essential to work as a team integrated by all states. The diary of sustainability requires coordination between the public and private sectors; it is an effort that must be designed in intergenerational terms; which, in turn, must get the investment right, hence the importance of accountability and measurement of results. Along the same lines, it is necessary to strengthen actions that promote equality. Citizens must be made aware of their fundamental role; innovation must take place in a collaborative manner between companies, states and universities. Finally, it is important to promote technical and scientific careers, but also humanistic ones.