Microcredit projects and social lending

Our commitment for the social growth of the communities where Intesa Sanpaolo operates resulted in numerous microfinance projects and initiatives aimed at the prevention of usury, in partnership with Shareholders’ foundations and local Onlus associations. 

In 2021 the Group disbursed about 112 million euro in microfinance or anti-usury projects, in Italy and abroad.

Initiatives both of a social nature, to support the income of families, and of an entrepreneurial nature, for the creation of micro and small businesses, with a catchment area essentially in the Milan area, see Intesa Sanpaolo as a partner of the Lombarda Antiusura Foundation and the Welfare Foundation Ambrosiano.
There are also other agreements for the credit inclusion of disadvantaged individuals or small businesses and for anti-usury initiatives, active with shareholder foundations, other foundations, local non-profit organizations and non-profit organizations (e.g. Adiconsum, Exodus 94, Fondazione San Nicola Medici, etc.).

In addition, the Bank makes available the entrepreneurial micro-credit loan, dedicated to micro-enterprises in the start-up phase of a new business or when investing in growth projects, offering them the possibility of accessing credit even without collateral.

Particularly important, in many projects launched, is the collaboration with VoBIS (Banking Volunteers for Social Initiatives), a national non-profit association of former bankers who put their skills at the service of citizens and non-profit organizations, carrying out accompanying and tutoring of applicants.

Even in the Group's foreign banks, attention is paid to the weakest groups. In particular, Bank of Alexandria has developed over the years various products dedicated to non-bankable subjects to improve living and working conditions in the poorest areas of the country. The bank aims to position itself as a reference for financial inclusion, economic empowerment and income support for small businesses and non-banked customers, with a greater focus on small farmers and artisans. In 2021, the Bank disbursed over 43,600 loans for a total of approximately € 87 million, also providing customers with advisory services aimed at increasing their financial education, in collaboration with various strategic partners, including the World Food Program (WFP) .