The companies associated with CECA have destined from 2014 more than 7,800 million euros to different programmes directed to achieve a fairer and equitable company.
The role of the sector CECA (association that represents to CaixaBank, Kutxabank and Cajasur Bank, ABANCA, Unicaja, Ibercaja Bank, Caixa Ontinyent, Colonya Pollença, Cecabank and to more than thirty foundations) in our company emerges it merely economic and financial, and plays a big role from the philanthropic prism.
His Obra Social is vital as a catalyst for the social development, cultural and economic, putting the focus in the vulnerable groups. So much is thus, that the Obra Social of the companies associated with CECA is the first social investor private of Spain, a detail that guarantees its commitment with a fairer and equitable company.
The legal frame that consolidates the Obra Social
The Act 26/2013, of 27 December, of Banking Savings Banks and Foundations, supposed does more than a decade a promoter for a new era in the Obra Social and the foundations, that they contribute to help to million people with special needs and at risk of exclusion.
This new law brought with him a structural reform of the savings banks, making possible its integration in bigger and creditworthy groups. Thus, the above-mentioned frame legislative consolidated the continuity of the Obra Social as one seña of identity of the comprehensive companies of CECA. During these 10 years, the Obra Social has tackled repeatedly the needs of the company as a priority. A maximum one that is materialised via programmes directed to promote the improvement of the social welfare, promote the equal opportunities and the inclusion, mostly directed to the senior group, people at risk of social exclusion and for the Spain emptied.
Year after year, and stock after stock, the Obra Social has been consolidated as an essential tool to achieve a fairer company and inclusiva and still situates at the top of the private social investment in Spain, being a remarkable complement to policies of well-being.
The savings banks and more than thirty banking and ordinary foundations gathered in CECA take over of the Obra Social. And from the coming into force gives the Act 26/2023, its intention remains immutable: “contribute to the social advance through the project financing that believe opportunities of progress for the people, securing do everything the possible thing in favour of the financial inclusion, as an anteroom of the social inclusion, and with a special sensitivity towards the most vulnerable”groups. Thus Isidro stated it Fainé during the 117ª CECA's General Assembly on 9 April, in which went reelected as a chairman of the association.
More than 7,800 million euros set aside for the Obra Social
The Obra Social of the sector CECA has demonstrated be an essential actor as a lever for the social progress, cultural and economic. Shows of it is the investment of 851 million euros to Obra Social by the associated companies in 2023, with increase of 6.4% with respect to the previous year. Thanks to this investment, have been carried out more than 80,960 activities, with more than 30 million payees in 2023, with special focus in the vulnerable groups.
From the approval of the Act 26/2013, the Obra Social of companies of the sector CECA has invested more than 7,800 million euros and has carried out more than 930,000 activities. In the financial year of last year, attended an increase of 19.9% in the investment with respect to the financial year of 2014. This rise in the investment corroborates the sustainability of future of this social model, backed partly thanks to the refurbishment boosted by the aforementioned law.
In addition, this work has been possible thanks to the companies and human resources that in these years have followed professionalising and maintaining its commitment to society, with an enormous capacity of adjustment and flexibility in its programmes.
The areas of activity of the Obra Social
Specifically, are six the areas of activity that covers the Obra Social of CECA: Social Action, Education and Research, Culture and Assets, Local Development and Creation of Employment, Sport and Leisure and Environment.
The area of Social Action looks for improve the quality of life of people, especially of the more vulnerable ones or with special needs. Promotes the social development looking for a fairer company and inclusiva, via social programs and welfare, of health, well-being, integration, social and voluntary work dining room.
The area of Education and Research promotes the innovation with training programmes, education, scientific research and R&D. Similarly, support the financial inclusion and they drive the promotion of the financial culture providing thus the economic growth and the equal opportunities, adjustment and flexibility skills in its programmes.
Furthermore, the area of Culture and Assets supports the culture as element transformer of the company and promoter of the social cohesion, with special mention to Assets conservation projects.
As for the area of Local Development and Creation of Employment, its mission is contribute to the development and dynamisation of its activity areas, facing challenges as the employment, the training, the enterprise, the support to rural areas, SMEs, self-employed workers and trade local, among others.
The area of Sport and the Leisure tackles two inclusion disciplines as tool social, securities union and promotion necessary to the company. And, finally, the area of Environment backs the commitment with the sustainability.
The investment set aside for every area during 2023 is distributed as follows:
– Social Action: more than 312 million euros, translated in more than 28,000 activities and with more than 5.8 million payees. This is the sector that more investment received during 2023.
– Education and Research: more than 238 million euros, with more than 16,000 activities and 9 million payees.
– Culture and Assets: more than 179 million euros, with 21,000 activities and almost 12 million payees, being the area that with smaller investment arrives at more people.
– Local Development and Creation of Employment: more than 79 million euros, with 5,000 activities and more than 800,000 payees.
– Sport and Leisure: 29 million euros in 2023, with more than 6,000 activities and a million payees.
– Environment: more than 13 millions, with 2,000 activities and more than a million payees.
The overall progress in the target
Fits highlight that the Obra Social situates to the Agenda 2030 in the centre of its activity. In 2023, the investment has put the focus in the 17 Objectives of Sustainable Development and it has combined efforts to help to strengthen those whose matters required of a great attention by Spain as a health and well-being, industry, innovation and infrastructure, quality education, decent work and economic growth, sustainable cities and communities and end of the poverty.
In turn, CECA is active member of World Savings and Retail Banking Institute (WSBI) and European Savings and Retail Banking Group (ESBG), two international partnerships emphasise for a deep social meaning of responsibility and a model of business in which is granted priority to the financial inclusion and to the development of initiatives of Obra Social. This underlines its commitment towards a good change and sustainable, that helps to the people to face the overall main challenges of our time. The investment of WSBI ascends to 3,500 annual million dollars set aside for social programs all over the world, representing tangible stock that promote the overall progress.
In this line, with the intention of tackling the financial inequality that affects to the entrepreneurial women to overall level, and its consistent economic gap, the Worldwide Savings Banks Institute and Retail Banks – which is part CECA – sealed in October 2023 a new partnership with We-Fi, the Initiative of Financing for Entrepreneurial Women of the World Bank. This agreement represents a step more in the commitment of the WSBI with the improvement of the women' financial terms entrepreneurs to international level, strengthening the role of the institution as key force in the construction of a financial sector more inclusivo and sustainable all around the world.
With everything, the role of the Obra Social of CECA is erected as an axis vertebrador of a company with more opportunities of progress for the people, especially in social exclusion and inequality situation. In the future, the road map of the association will be follow rowing in favour of this objective, marking the difference and consolidating the Obra Social as a key part of its mission.
