What Happened
Banco General released its Responsible Banking Report 2025, detailing the institution’s environmental, social and governance performance over the past year. The publication marks the close of its 2023–2025 ASG Strategic Plan, a period focused on climate action, broader access to financial services and social investment in education.
The report frames sustainability as a core part of long-term banking strategy, linking responsible management with competitiveness, resilience and public trust in Panama’s financial system.
Climate Action and Environmental Management
On the environmental side, Banco General advanced its carbon footprint management by expanding emissions measurement across Scopes 1, 2 and 3. The bank also continued efficiency and mobility initiatives aimed at cutting operational emissions.
By the end of 2025, the institution had solar panels installed at 30 locations, with a total capacity of 1.89 MW. That setup supplied close to 20% of the energy used in its operations from renewable sources. The bank also operated a fully electric sedan fleet for the first time, reducing emissions tied to those vehicles by about 85%.
Those steps place Banco General among Panama’s financial institutions pushing harder toward lower-carbon operations. The bank said it has also been preparing the mechanisms needed to reach carbon neutrality in its operations in 2026.
Banco General additionally took part in the pilot phase of Panama’s Sustainable Finance Taxonomy, helping test technical criteria that could guide greener lending and investment practices across the financial sector.
Financial Inclusion and Digital Growth
Financial inclusion remained a central part of the bank’s social work in 2025. Banco General opened more than 194,600 first digital savings accounts, and 91% of those accounts went to people earning less than US$1,000 a month. It also granted more than 39,300 first loans to people without previous credit history, expanding formal access to banking for new customers.
Yappy continued to grow as one of Panama’s leading digital payment platforms, reaching 1.7 million affiliated clients and merchants while adding new banks to its ecosystem. The platform supports payments, transfers and other services in a way that has helped broaden everyday digital finance use in the country.
In financial education, the bank exceeded its three-year target by reaching more than 10,000 people between 2023 and 2025. For the first time, those activities also included primary school students.
Community Investment and Governance
Through the Sus Buenos Vecinos Foundation, Banco General invested more than US$11.3 million in social programs in 2025, benefiting 134 nonprofit organizations. More than 57% of that budget went to education-related efforts, including scholarships, schools and community projects.
The bank also made an extraordinary donation of more than US$1 million through its Tu Voto Cuenta initiative, which directed support to the organizations most voted for by 187,000 customers.
On governance, the report highlights updated internal rules, including revisions to the Code of Ethics and Conduct and the Anti-Corruption and Anti-Bribery Policy. It also says ASG criteria were integrated at the highest levels of decision-making.
KPMG externally verified the information in the report, underscoring the bank’s focus on accountability and transparency as sustainability expectations continue to rise in Panama’s banking sector.