The members of the Worldwide Institute of Savings Banks and Banks Retailers (WSBI) have expanded until nearly 4,000 annual million dollars the resources that they allocate to social initiatives that they contribute to the reduction of the poverty, the empoderamiento young, the feminine enterprise, the care of older people and the environmental sustainability.

The chairman of Fundación “la Caixa ” and of the WSBI, Isidro Fainé, has chaired in Washington the 34th General Assembly of the organisation, that combines to the retail banking of the five continents, and its 4th Social Board and Philanthropic.

The chairman has thanked them its commitment and encouraged to follow expanding it: “Invest in the people, promote the confidence and act with intention are essential for an economically viable future and socially fair”.

The WSBI also has celebrated the first edition of its Prizes to recognise its members' initiatives to the banking inclusiva, sustainable and person in charge. 

During the Assembly, a new project to promote the women' rural employment has been presented in Nigeria boosted by the WSBI, the Fundación “la Caixa ” and the Fundación Visa International, and a strategic new partnership has been approved with the Organisation of the United Nations for the Diet and the Agriculture (FAO).

 

Washington DC, 17 October 2025.- The Worldwide Savings Banks Institute and Retail Banks (WSBI), chaired by Isidro Fainé, has celebrated this week in Washington its 34th General Assembly and its 4th Social Board and Philanthropic coinciding with the annual meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF). In the meetings of the WSBI have participated representatives of 82 retail and savings banks banks, of 59 countries all over the world.

In its opening remark of the General Assembly, the chairman of Fundación “la Caixa ”, CECA and of the WSBI has stated: “The international economic outlook actual characterised by a persistent volatility is had and constant reductions. The commercial tensions between the overall main actors, the geopolitical instability and the fundamental disequilibriums have created a complex environment and fragmented. The inflationary pressures, the disrupciones on the market energetic and the regulatory uncertainty continue putting on approval our economies' resilience.

“In the middle of these challenges”, has added Fainé, “also are witnessing some heartening advances: renewed cooperation efforts strategic, fiscal initiatives directed to maintain the growth, and technological innovation that strengthens the adaptabilidad and the competitiveness. The path for following will require a shared commitment with the opening, the institutional strength and the constructive dialogue. Only through the collaboration and strategies with vision of the future will be able to browse this transformer moment and build a stabler global economy, inclusiva and dynamic.”

Subsequently the regional President of working groups of the WSBI in Europe, the United States, Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean have explained the advances of each region, as well as the most relevant challenges.

4,000 annual million dollars for community project

The members of the WSBI have expanded until the nearly 4,000 annual million dollars the resources that they allocate to social initiatives that they contribute to the reduction of the poverty, the empoderamiento young, the feminine enterprise, the care of older people and the environmental sustainability.

Thus has been confirmed in the 4th Social and Philanthropic Board of the WSBI, that in this occasion concentrating on is had the empoderamiento of the youth, especially of the women young. This is, for the international retail banking, a broad and constant commitment that ranging from the promotion of the financial education and of habits of saving, until expanding the access to long-term opportunities and resilience. Other topics that have centred the Board have been the financial education, the creation of employment for disadvantaged groups and the promotion of alliances between members of the company and major actors of the overall philanthropy.

Isidro Fainé, chairman of the WSBI and of its Social and Philanthropic Board, has thanked the commitment of all members of the Board and it has encouraged them to follow expanding it: “In times of uncertainty, invest in the people, promote the confidence, and act with intention, are essential for a future not only economically viable, but also socially fair. When honing in on topics as the youth, are working together to forge a future more inclusivo and with great impact for the next generation ”.

The chairman has also emphasised that “The strengthening of the social cohesion is a strategic priority for the WSBI. Its members, ingrained in its communities and guided by the securities of inclusion and accountability, carry out a vital role in the support to the vulnerable groups and the promotion of the financial inclusion. These efforts are fundamental to build companies resilientes”.

Among others projects, the Camp of Social Innovation has been presented in the meeting of Junior Achievement Portugal, initiative of Bank Montepio. It is a bootcamp designed for empoderar to young especially women out of 15 and 18 years, cheering up them to develop social enterprise projects.

Similarly, a positive balance sheet of the Social Week has been done of the WSBI, an overall initiative carried out from 8 to 12 September of this year, that looked for visibilizar the social action of members of WSBI in a joint way.

The Social and Philanthropic Board is a body of the WSBI that embodies ingrained principles in the savings banks and the associated retail banks, as the social investment and the contribution to the philanthropy. In turn, serves as a platform so that the members exchange ideas and they share best practices, promoting investments to strengthen and empoderar to the most vulnerable people.

Project in Nigeria and strategic alliance with the FAO

Within the framework of the meetings held in Washington has been presented also a new project of the WSBI in Nigeria, initiated in July of this year. This project, whose objective is improve the living conditions of peasant farmers of the country African, takes place in collaboration with the Fundación Visa International and the Fundación ”la Caixa ” and in accordance with guidelines of the programme WE-Fi-Code» (Women Entrepreneurs Finance Iniciative Code) of the World Bank.  Currently is an one-year pilot project that you would be able to spread to other countries in the future.

The WSBI has also signed a collaboration agreement with the Organisation of the United Nations for the Diet and the Agriculture (FAO), and develops another strategic alliance with AFLATOUN, organisation that offers social and financial education to 10.5 million children and young all around the world.

Prizes to the banking inclusiva, sustainable and person in charge

The WSBI also has celebrated the first edition of its Prizes, gathering to members of the five continents to recognise its contribution to the banking inclusiva, sustainable and person in charge, with actual impact.

From financial products innovators until climatic financing solutions, digital and initiatives transformation that empoderan to women and young, the prizes showed specific examples of how the banks are driving the progress.

Were received nearly 100 candidacies in six categories. The Prizes reflect the members' shared commitment of the WSBI with the development of financial systems inclusivos, resilientes and ready for the future. The WSBI demonstrates with this initiative that the responsible banking goes beyond the financial performance, honing in on the creation of long-term value for the people, the company and the planet.