PRESS RELEASE

INTESA SANPAOLO AND CONFARTIGIANATO IMPRESE WORK TOGETHER TO SUPPORT

TRADESMEN, MICRO AND SMALL BUSINESSES

 

·        The Motore Italia programme extends the duration of existing credit lines

·        Focus on investments in Transition 4.0, ESG, gender policies and welfare

·         New financing that promotes business initiatives by women: Intesa Sanpaolo Business Gemma, for businesses run by women and self-employed female entrepreneurs

Milan, 26 May 2021 - Intesa Sanpaolo and Confartigianato Imprese, the largest European network representing the interests and providing services for tradesmen and small businesses, are extending the agreement in support of the country's competitiveness, for which businesses spread across the territory are a model. The partnership focuses on liquidity support, relaunch of investments for Transition 4.0, sustainable growth, initiatives for female entrepreneurs, social inclusion and extraordinary finance projects, and includes the new tools provided by Motore Italia, the strategic programme launched by Intesa Sanpaolo for the relaunch of small and medium businesses through new development projects in line with the objectives of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP).

The agreement signed between the leading Italian banking group and Confartigianato Imprese renews the collaboration launched in the midst of the health crisis to integrate the extraordinary measures adopted by the Government with support actions implemented by the Bank, and to maximise the measures envisaged by the Superbonus mechanisms and other tax incentives introduced by the 2020 Relaunch Decree. As part of the agreement, Intesa Sanpaolo provides Confartigianato Imprese member companies with new solutions such as the extension of existing loans by up to 15 years, leveraging on the current regulatory framework that allows the use of Central Fund guarantees at 80% granted under the de minimis regulation and the management of working capital, through additional lines of credit over and above existing ones, with a duration of 18 months minus 1 day, including a 6-month grace period, in addition to what is expressly provided for by the Sostegni bis Decree, soon to be converted into law.

Intesa Sanpaolo proposes dedicated financial solutions and advisory support, to facilitate the technological renewal of member companies and leverage the advantages offered by the 2021 Budget Law’s Transition 4.0 plan. The proposals include tailor-made loans for the implementation of new projects or for projects that are linked to the expansion of production structures, with the possibility of drawing on the free of charge guarantee provided by the Guarantee Fund or SACE, in collaboration with specialised entities such as the National Council of Research, to stimulate cooperation between companies and research centres, identifying the priority technological development areas.

With the aim of promoting the dissemination of a new culture consistent with the adoption of ESG principles, the agreement foresees innovative tools such as S-Loans, Intesa Sanpaolo's loans to support investments in these areas including the possibility of also providing for indicators that reward gender equality. Among the opportunities envisaged in the agreement is access to 8 billion Euro in circular economy financing that Intesa Sanpaolo has allocated to transformation projects for SMEs inspired by the principles of the circular economy as well as the introduction of employee welfare programmes.

Intesa Sanpaolo's support for member companies in promoting gender equality and promoting the role of women is also reflected in incentive initiatives for female entrepreneurship, including Business Gemma, the medium and long-term loan for businesses run by women and self-employed women, designed to reconcile the idea of a new business with the daily needs of being a women, which envisages the possibility of suspending repayments up to one year in the case of maternity leave.

The programme also focuses on employees and their families, as part of the collaboration. In this context, in its capacity as an impact bank, Intesa Sanpaolo supports numerous social initiatives focused on those most in need, by making it easier for specific social segments, such as students, working mothers, and disadvantaged families, to obtain credit. In particular, the leading Italian banking group’s toolbox includes: The XME StudioStation, a zero-interest micro-loan of up to EUR 1,500 for families with an ISEE (equivalent financial status index) income of up to EUR 50,000, which covers the costs of a computer and connection for remote learning for 1 Euro per day; PerMerito, a loan designed for university students with long repayment times that requires no guarantees; and mamma@work, a loan with favourable terms that provides economic support to help reconcile family life and work in the early years of children's lives.

In line with the 'Motore Italia’ intervention areas, Intesa Sanpaolo shares its extraordinary finance consulting structures with Confartigianato, to help companies grow through acquisitions or integrations between companies. In particular, Intesa Sanpaolo provides its specialised desks in key sectors of the Italian economy such as tourism, mechanics, food and tobacco, energy, high tech and fashion to support companies in the assessment of investment projects; it also provides support in M&A operations and succession management, with assistance from Confartigianato local structures.

Marco Granelli, President of Confartigianato Imprese said:"Credit is the essential fuel that will drive our businesses forward and restart the economy. Through the partnership with Intesa Sanpaolo, the Confartigianato system will have a wide range of products and solutions with which to support companies in the recovery of investments including in terms of digitisation and sustainability, in line with the objectives of the NRR".

Stefano Barrese, Head of the Intesa Sanpaolo Banca dei Territori Division, said: "We renew our support for Confartigianato with a spirit of relaunching: extending today's agreement enables us to offer Confartigianato members an additional stimulus toward recovery as together we develop the areas underlying the NRRP. In other words, technological transition, economic and environmental sustainability, more efficient welfare services, and gender policies. During the year of the pandemic, we supported households and businesses with loan suspensions of over 100 billion euro while disbursing guaranteed loans of 38 billion euro: it is now time to regain the business momentum that characterises the Italian economy and Intesa Sanpaolo is able to accelerate the country's growth prospects".

 

 

 

Press information:

Confartigianato

Press office Tel. 06 70374410

Lorenza Manessi

lorenza.manessi@confartigianato.it

 

 

Intesa Sanpaolo

Banca dei Territori Media Relations and Local Media

stampa@intesasanpaolo.com

https://group.intesasanpaolo.com/it/sala-stampa/news