The Global Alliance for Banking on Values (GABV) is an international network of frontrunner organisations and leaders in the banking industry that use finance to serve people and the planet. Our collective goal is to make the banking system more transparent and support positive economic, social and environmental change.

Collectively we serve 60 million customers, hold over USD 200 billion of combined assets under management, and are supported by 80,000 co-workers. From Bangladesh to Bolivia, and Uganda to the United States our members range from banks focused on inclusive finance in the rural areas of emerging markets to banks serving customers and communities in some of the world’s most mature urban economies. Integrity, human dignity and the protection of the environment are at the core of our member’s work. By setting an example, we want to lead the transformation of banking and finance in our respective communities, countries and regions and expand our reach and impact by supporting others on the way to change.

While environmental, social and economic impact are very closely connected, we are at the cutting edge of bank’s efforts to safeguard the environment. Our members offer green finance products and directly finance environmental businesses, such as renewable energy projects and regenerative agriculture; some have set the most ambitious net zero targets in the world; many have signed up to global environmental action for change such as the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty; the GABV takes a stand to promote positive policy changes; we have developed a Climate Change Commitment whose signatories have the explicit intention to align their portfolios with the Paris Climate Goals; and we work closely with the Partnership for Carbon Accounting Financials (PCAF) – an industry-leading methodology to assess carbon emissions – to encourage widespread positive change in the banking system.

For a global movement like the GABV, spending time together in person to discuss and collaborate is irreplaceable. But it comes with an environmental cost. So when the GABV and Banca Etica, Italy’s ethical bank, collaborated to deliver the GABV’s annual meeting in 2024, we partnered with a technical partner, Etifor, to quantify the emissions of the annual meeting and offset any that could not be avoided (especially those related to travel). These emissions were offset with a project certified with the highest responsible forestry standards, verified by independent third party auditors and brought to us by WOWnature. A contribution from each participant’s fee, as well as responsible procurement and environmentally responsible behaviour from the attendees at the meeting, helped to make this possible.