BAI Announces 2021 Global Innovation Award Winners

- Winners reflect a focus on evolving customer needs & enhanced digital experiences -

CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Today, BAI announced the 2021 winners for the BAI Global Innovation Awards, the industry’s most prestigious awards program, highlighting transformative solutions in financial services worldwide.

This year’s winners were selected by the Innovation Circle, a panel of distinguished judges and advisors from around the world who are at the forefront of innovation. Together with BAI, they identified award finalists from an impressive list of submissions and eventually selected the winners and honorable mentions.

Every year, BAI adjusts the award categories to align with the dynamic nature of the industry. A new category for 2021, Innovation in Digital Transformation, received the most nominations, reflecting the priority financial services leaders have placed on digital technology and improving the customer experience.

“The commitment to innovation in the financial services industry increased again this year, with an even sharper focus on the customer,” said Debbie Bianucci, president and CEO of BAI and Innovation Circle Judge. “In addition to strategically developing a culture of innovation, the organizations with the most impactful innovation start with an outside-in approach. This customer-centric focus is the foundation of all planning and execution, and it appears to be one of the most powerful drivers of results and impact of innovation initiatives.”

The 2021 BAI Innovation Award Winners are:

Innovation in Consumer Products or Services
Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Australia: CommBank Benefits Finder

Innovation in Digital Transformation
Deutsche Bank, Germany: Deutsche Bank API Program Embedded Finance Initiative

Innovation in Human Capital
Payactiv, United States: Livelihood Employee Experience

Innovation in Internal Process Improvements
PKO Bank Polski, Poland: Road to Paperless Banking Empowered by Blockchain Technology

Innovation in Small Business Products or Services
Santander Bank, N.A., United States: Santander Treasury Fusion for Where You Do Business

2021 Honorable Mentions:

Innovation in Compliance and Risk Management
Hummingbird, United States: Hummingbird Platform

Innovation in Societal Impact
Wintrust Financial Corporation, United States: Wintrust PPP Resource Centers

Congratulations to all the winners of the 2021 BAI Global Innovation Awards. To learn more about this year’s finalists and winners visit: https://www.bai.org/globalinnovations/.