No one left behind: Intesa Sanpaolo's commitment against inequality and poverty
Through the initiative "No one left behind. Growing together in a fairer country", Intesa Sanpaolo is addressing and exploring the issue of inequality in relation to its anti-poverty programme, which is the largest implemented by a private organisation in Italy.
With the occasion, Intesa Sanpaolo has announced that it will allocate €1.5 billion to initiatives and projects aimed at reducing inequality by 2027 (considering the amounts allocated to the initiatives and the costs of the structures supporting them), to contribute to the good of the community.
Intesa Sanpaolo is also setting up a new dedicated organisational unit, "Intesa Sanpaolo for Social Impact", based in Brescia and tasked with guiding and governing the Group's social activities.
Carlo Messina, Intesa Sanpaolo's CEO, commented:
“A large segment of Italy's population is excluded from enjoying the levels of individual well-being typical of an advanced economy. By allocating €1.5 billion to social impact by 2027, we are making a further strong commitment to shareholders, customers, and Society as a whole, to combat this situation. It is important to move beyond statements of principle and to translate our values into a daily, credible commitment that stems from a precise strategy, corporate policies, actions and customs that are attentive to the needs of communities."
Carlo Messina, CEO Intesa Sanpaolo
The event, held in Brescia on 26 October 2023 and now in its third edition, involved leading representatives of institutions and the third sector, academics, entrepreneurs and experts, with the aim of sharing reflections and plans of action in the following areas:
- combating poverty and inequalities as significant phenomena that require joint action and shared responsibility to ensure Italy's social resilience
- equality of opportunity in training, work and educational inclusion, from supporting and promoting schools as a means of social mobility, to offering social services to help those who wish to enter the workplace and efforts to promote women's employment
- building a sustainable demographic future, with countermeasures to population ageing in the form of a mix of economic support, services and gender equity policies
- support for the third sector, which in Italy represents the largest pool of non-profit organisations in the world, as an enabler for the country and the promotion of social cohesion
Those participating in the initiative included Sister Alessandra Smerilli, F.M.A., Secretary of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, who in her speech on "A more just and inclusive society for integral human development", shared a message from Pope Francis
The round tables that enlivened the event:
Absolute poverty in Italy has increased: it affects 2 million households or 5.6 million people. Joint action and shared responsibility between the private, public and third sector are needed to ensure Italy's social stability.
The Intesa Sanpaolo initiative Food and Shelter for the Needy is the largest programme to combat poverty and inequality promoted by a private entity in Italy, in which for-profit and non-profit organisations engage in dialogue and collaborate, overcoming the welfare approach, instead opting for shared planning and action in support of poverty with more than 28.1 million benefits provided: around 21.9 million meals, over 2.9 million beds, around 3.1 million medicines and over 278,400 items of clothing. Strategic partners include: Caritas, Banco Alimentare, Banco Farmaceutico, Dynamo Camp Onlus, Vidas, Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesù, Fondazione Together To Go - TOG, Fondazione San Gennaro, Comunità di Sant'Egidio and City Angels.
The Charitable Fund, under the Chairmanship of the Bank, is a philanthropic organisation that supports projects focusing on solidarity, social utility and the value of the individual, with €71 million disbursed over the last five years, 4,000 projects supported and resources of €20 million for 2023. Examples of project actions in favour of the social economy, principles and values: initiatives to combat child poverty and support emergency housing, with the promotion of at least 6,000 homes in social housing.
Participants:
- Giovanni Bruno, President Banco Alimentare Onlus Foundation
- Emma Marcegaglia, Chairman and CEO Marcegaglia Holding
- Don Marco Pagniello, Director of Caritas Italiana
- Livia Pomodoro, Intesa Sanpaolo Board Member
Social inequality in Italy affects access to education, work and the future. The school drop-out rate is 13.1%; there are 3 million NEETs – young people between ages 24 and 35 who do not have jobs or go to school; and there are more than 7 million inactive women between ages 30 and 69 – 43% of all women in this age group.
With its 2022-2025 Business Plan, Intesa Sanpaolo confirmed its commitment to and focus on young people and their right to education, training and access to the workplace. The company remains constantly committed to combating educational poverty by promoting education and research, which are central to Italy's growth, through precise lines of action such as the prevention of childhood hardships, inclusion and educational guidance, combating school drop-outs and the cultivation of merit and talent.
Since May 2012, the Intesa Sanpaolo Savings Museum has been developing educational and financial literacy projects that are at the forefront of the Italian and international scenario, and that have involved over 300,000 adults and young people in all Italian regions over the last ten years, meeting with very strong approval.
A network of strategic programmes such as Youth and Work provides free training courses to young people without jobs to gain the skills sought by companies and facilitate access to the job market. Over 3,500 students from all over Italy placed in the classroom, six subjects available, employment rate >80%, over 2,350 companies involved by the Bank.
With For Merit, low-interest loans for students to pay for undergraduate, master's or post-graduate courses, more than 30,000 students have been supported since the start of the programme with total financing of around €600 million.
More than 4,000 schools and universities have been involved in inclusive education programmes: WeBecome, Z. Lab, School4Life, the #All My Merit project, Theses at the Company, Generation4Universities, and Project Future.
Participants:
- Paolo Boccardelli, Tenured Professor Luiss University
- Andrea Morniroli, Co-coordinator Inequalities and Diversity Forum
- Mona Mourshed, Founding CEO of Generation
- Ruth Paserman, European Commission - Director DG Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion
Falling birth rates are a worldwide phenomenon. Population shrinkage and ageing are expected in Italy with 5 million fewer Italians and more than 30% of the population over 65 by 2050. Economic insecurity is delaying the choice to have children. In Italy there are 1.25 children per woman, though the desired number is over 2. An environment that limits the growth potential of the Italian economic system: -the labour force is expected to shrink by 8 million by 2050 and GDP by 15%. Population ageing makes it more difficult to find adequate professional skills for the economy and affects government debt for the social security and healthcare sectors, resulting in the need to find new solutions to care for and assist the most isolated and fragile. Solutions to these major challenges require a contribution from everyone. Intesa Sanpaolo has always been committed to supporting initiatives for families, parents, children and the elderly.
Some inclusion instruments promoted by Intesa Sanpaolo: MOM@WORK to reconcile maternity and work; Objective Pension, financing for missing contributions for those who have lost their jobs and are nearing retirement; Solution Tomorrow, insurance protection designed for "Senior" and "Caregiver" customers; 30 senior community hubs with dedicated social activities and health services; and daycare centres for employees, with facilities owned by Intesa Sanpaolo.
Participants:
- Gian Carlo Blangiardo, Professor Emeritus of Demographics, University of Milan-Bicocca
- Leonardo Palombi, Secretary, Commission for Health and Social Care Reform of the Elderly Population
The third sector in Italy represents the largest pool of non-profit organisations in the world: 363,000 non-profit institutions, 870,000 employees, 4.6 million volunteers, 5% of GDP, 37 million citizens served. More than half of Italians have made a donation. Over €6.7 billion donated, 52.3 million donations made through crowdfunding in 2022, of which 12.5 million (24%) on For Funding, Intesa Sanpaolo's social crowdfunding platform.
Intesa Sanpaolo has always been a bank of reference for the third sector and for religious organisations supporting the social economy. A specialised structure, the Impact Department, with a dedicated staff of 600 at 100 points of operation across the country, contributes to socio-economic sustainability and implements projects and synergies between the public and private sectors through credit support: €2.7 billion in outstanding loans and €300 million in new loans granted each year, 36.5% market share of loans, €8.7 billion in financial assets – with dedicated services for training, support in the use of NRRP funds and public tenders, digitalisation and networking.
With its new Business Plan, Intesa Sanpaolo renews its support for financial inclusion through social credit: €12 billion in new loans disbursed, representing 49% of the €25 billion target to 2025, ensuring disbursement of up to €1.5 billion in credit for "first excluded borrowers" with an Impact Fund of €300 million. A commitment that generates a measurable economic and social impact for communities, society and our future.
Participants:
- Giorgio De Rita, Secretary General CENSIS
- Letizia Moratti, Co-founder and President San Patrignano Foundation Guarantors Committee, President E4Impact Foundation
- Serena Porcari, Managing Director and CEO Fondazione Dynamo Camp
- Roberto Saini, General Manager Fenixs - Bollate Prison
Last updated 15 November 2023 at 17:16:31
