Since 202 the bank led by Charles Messina evaluates the impact of credits granted to non-profit organizations with a model that measures the effects and benefits of the projects and the contribution of the Third Sector to the Italian economy.
"Measure the real impact of a social project It is essential to concretely demonstrate how our activities produce measurable benefits for the communities in which we operate – he declares Andrew Lecce, responsible for Impact directionMeasuring its impact rigorously is essential to make support increasingly effective and widespread. The Impact Directorate, which operates within the Territorial Bank Division, led by Stefano Barrese, coordinates support activities for the Third Sector and local communities. "Thanks to our expertise and synergies with the Banca dei Territori, we launch virtuous projects with the mission of transforming the principles of inclusion, accessibility, and sustainability into everyday practice. In this way, we support projects that create jobs, generate social value, and address the needs of the most vulnerable," he explains. Andrew Lecce.
Intesa Sanpaolo: Over €3 in social benefits for every €1 invested.
According to the Annual Impact Assessment Report di Intesa Sanpaolo, In collaboration with Promethea, every euro intended for projects with high social value has generated un return greater than triple of the amount paid. The evaluation concerned 664 initiatives funded for a total value of 155 million euro, with a social return on investment (SROI) of 3,3, for an impact estimated total of 511 million of euros. The direct effect on people is also significant: approximately 5.000 workers have maintained or found stable employment (3.000 confirmed, 2.000 new positions), while overall the beneficiaries are over 3 millions of people, of which 520 thousand new beneficiaries.
Social impact: areas and skills
Behind the numbers are tangible stories of work, training, and social reintegration. In Turin, Coffee break, a cooperative founded in 2004 from an international project with coffee producers in Guatemala, uses fair trade as a lever for the social reintegration of Italian prisoners. The cooperative combines training, stable employment, and a focus on local and sustainable supply chains. The goal is ambitious: to transform a commercial activity into a tool for social and environmental inclusion.
In Pisa, the Mercy of Buti It opened a new social center and health center, providing 3.000 specialist medical visits and 1.300 medical transports a year. The benefits aren't just physical: less stress for those caring for the most vulnerable and a reduced impact on public services, highlighting how a targeted intervention can have a cascade effect.
Naples tells another challenge: the Street Masters Onlus, with the "Being in the Neighborhood" project, has supported 98 young people between the ages of 13 and 25 experiencing marginalization. The training programs offer concrete tools to improve their economic and psychological conditions and reduce the pressure on public institutions.
In Padua, Giotto Social Cooperative It has included 152 disadvantaged individuals, including prisoners, former prisoners, and people with disabilities, in a variety of activities: green space management, contact centers, workshops, and museum services. In this case, inclusion becomes a daily practice, impacting both individual dignity and public welfare.
These are just some of the examples of the value of impact financing and the social benefits it brings to communities and territories.
The Impact Management
The Impact Department operates as a structured presence in the territory, with approximately 100 branches dedicated and 600 specialists which every year support more than 100 thousand Third Sector entities. Approximately 300 million subsidized credit is allocated each year to projects for vulnerable groups in society, promoting inclusion, access to basic needs, and job placement. The Board, led by Andrea Lecce, also "promotes the dialogue between profit and non-profit companies on topics of high economic and social value and organizes in-depth sessions dedicated to the social economy. Recently, together with Aiccon, he presented il XIV Third Sector Finance Observatory, outlining guidelines and future priorities for the Italian Third Sector.
The operating model for the Third Sector: giving and doing
The of the Impact Management moves on two fronts. “Our commitment moves on two complementary levels: the first is the 'give', with social cohesion programs that directly support primary needs such as housing, food, health and clothing; the second is the 'Do'Through the daily work of our Impact Department, we support associations, cooperatives, and third sector organizations with dedicated financial tools and innovative solutions. It's this combination of direct support and inclusive banking that makes us a reliable partner for addressing the most pressing social challenges," explains Lecce.
Innovative tools and initiatives
Among the main tools are MOM@WORK, a subsidized loan that has supported hundreds of mothers with over 8 million euros to reconcile motherhood and work, and for-Merit, an honorary loan of up to 75 euros that has allowed over 45 students to continue their studies, with 800 million euros disbursed overall.
Alongside credit, the digital crowdfunding platform For Funding has raised €60 million for 350 organizations, supporting over 500 projects since 2017 and €5,3 million during the pandemic. With the program FormulaIntesa Sanpaolo contributes directly to the campaigns by donating €2 for every Bank product purchased by customers online, amplifying the impact and visibility of the projects thanks to the involvement of the Regional Directorates within the Banca dei Territori Division.
An integrated and sustainable approach
The integration of subsidized credit, impact assessment, and crowdfunding demonstrates that finance can do much more than provide funds: it can provide concrete tools, data, and operational support, generating real and measurable change. Every euro invested produces tangible results and paves the way for a structural change e durable, putting at the center inclusion, accessibility e sustainability". concludes Lecce. "Being the go-to bank for social and real growth means providing financial tools and expertise so that everyone can have the same opportunities for well-being and development, no one excluded. The Third Sector wants and must be a leader in social change that the bank supports and promotes."
