UBB won recognition as the Best Digital Bank in Bulgaria and the Best Bank in the ESG domain for Y2024 at the annual awards for exceptional achievements (Euromoney Awards for Excellence), organized by the high-rated British magazine Euromoney.

„I am proud that our efforts of contributing to the sustainable development of the Bulgarian economy and society have been appreciated and that we have won the Best ESG Bank prize for a second consecutive year. Our satisfaction is even greater, as we also add to it the Best Digital Bank award. The appreciation of Euromoney is yet another recognition for our Team Blue in Bulgaria and it emphasizes on the Bank’s leadership position not only with regard to the market, but also in such domains that are important to our customers and to the society, such as sustainable development and transformation, digitalization and innovations. For me this is also a recognition of the assiduous work and the dedication of all my colleagues at UBB.”, shared Mr. Peter Roebben, Chief Executive Officer of UBB and Country Manager of KBC Group for Bulgaria.

The Best Digital Bank award results from the impressive growth rates upon the use of UBB’s digital channels, which is a proof of the ever-growing customer confidence. The Bank has more than 830 000 digital customers, which is a growth by 65%, as compared to 2022. Every second new customer comes onboard in a fully digital way via the UBB Mobile app. More than 60% of all new current accounts and debit cards are opened in a fully digital way in UBB Mobile, while 97% of all payments are being made digitally. One user in UBB Mobile makes 22 logins in the app monthly, on average. In there the digital assistant Kate registers over 1.3 million conversations upon 67% autonomy of holding those. With more than 550 000 users and 71% satisfaction rate, Kate emerges as a preferred point of contact, by stimulating digital engagement through more than 95% interactions with customers, performed in a digital way.

UBB has won the ESG Bank-of-the-Year award for a second time in a row, and this achievement has been supported with fulfilled ESG commitments, such as the fact that 99% of the electricity purchased by the Bank is from renewable energy sources, UBB’s financing of a total of 305 projects for renewable energy worth BGN 457 million, the reduction of its own carbon emissions by 81%, as compared to 2015, as well as series of other projects and initiatives, engaging KBC Group’s customers and employees to the benefit of the society.

Euromoney Awards for Excellence are one of the most prestigious awards in the banking and financial sector that are being awarded for more than 30 years. Their organizer is the specialized British magazine Euromoney. The awards aim at distinguishing and giving well-deserved recognition to those banks and bankers, who set the standards, who are pioneers in various domains of banking and showcase impressive achievements in their activity. These awards are deemed the reference in the banking industry worldwide.