Promote the growth and development of the entrepreneurial fabric of the area, one of the most dynamic and innovative areas at European level, supporting and promoting the financial stability of the companies that make it up, especially SMEs. It is the object at the basis of the agreement signed between Assolombarda and Intesa Sanpaolo aimed at accompanying companies in their growth paths, focusing mutual commitment on capitalization initiatives. According to a recent survey by the Intesa Sanpaolo Studies and Research Department, in fact, the most capitalized companies not only are they more resilient towards possible critical issues, but also present better performances in terms of innovation with positive effects on profitability.
Suffice it to say that the 25% of the companies with the highest capitalisation, compared to the 25% with the least capitalisation, register an average of six times more patents and foreign subsidiaries and three times more environmental certificates. And that the marginal EBITDA of these companies, in 2018 for example, it was double that of the less capitalized firms. “To be competitive, companies must invest in innovation, skills and financial resources. This applies, in particular, to SMEs for which capitalization becomes strategic in their development path - declared Carlo Bonomi, President of Assolombarda –. Indeed, it has been demonstrated that there is a direct relationship between capital investments and an increase in corporate profitability. The agreement signed with Intesa Sanpaolo goes precisely in this direction, that of supporting companies to increase their financial solidity in synergy with the banking system. On the one hand, Assolombarda helps companies in financial planning and dialogue with credit institutions and, on the other, Intesa Sanpaolo shares business development plans”.
Stephen Barrese, head of the Banca dei Territori Division of Intesa Sanpaolo, added: “SMEs are the backbone of the production system and the agreement with Assolombarda is part of our concrete actions aimed at supporting them even beyond credit by contributing, among to bring 15.000 businesses back to performing status in the first 9 months of 2019. Furthermore, with more than 32 billion euro disbursed to households and businesses in the same period, Intesa Sanpaolo is a factor in accelerating growth also thanks to an innovative method of banking based on the valorisation of qualitative factors. Innovation, internationalization and digitization are the guidelines along which our support for growth in size and assets is based, also with new initiatives such as “Intesa Sanpaolo Basket Bond” and a series of specific programs for SMEs, starting with the 660 supply chain contracts”.
Starting from the positive experience of integrated financial planning tools such as “Bancopass”, promoted by Assolombarda, and “Dialogo Industriale”, by Intesa Sanpaolo, therefore the consultancy aspect of the collaboration assumes ever greater importance. And, in this direction, the capitalization of companies, support in the analysis of their economic and financial situation and in the definition of development plans become essential elements for the growth of companies in a virtuous path also in line with the new legislation soon to be applied . That is, the entry into force of the new code for business crises, which requires companies, even small ones, to monitor and comply with certain budget indicators, under penalty of initiating the so-called alert procedure.
Furthermore, to make companies aware of the advantages of capitalisation, Assolombarda and Intesa Sanpaolo have set up a working table with the aim of analyzing every possible new form of intervention on companies with particular attention to the tax components, capable of favoring capitalization processes. And, in the logic of highlighting the importance of strengthening financial stability, a joint education action has already been planned in the areas of Milan, Monza Brianza and Lodi. Lastly, the agreement also represents a valuable laboratory in which the collaborative initiatives are launched and then become models that can be replicated in other agreements throughout the country.
