Intesa Sanpaolo's ceiling for sustainable economy projects for SMEs is 500 million euro. On 25 and 26 July the Bank will present its own in Bari and Taranto “ESG Laboratory – Environmental Social Governance”. Created together with the Study and Research Center for the South, the Port Authorities of the Ionian Sea and the Southern Adriatic and Confindustria Puglia, the Laboratory will be based in Taranto. He will work for small industries across Italy to help them improve and plan their environmental sustainability goals. The scope of action remains the ecological transition with the extraordinary opportunities of the PNRR for the entire circular economy system. The 500 million euros, however, are intended for economic operators of Basilicata, Puglia and Molise, but without losing sight of the mega Motor Italy programme, which Intesa Sanpaolo has already been using for some time. To increase the value of the competitiveness of SMEs, good provisions have been made in the Bank's 2022 budget 8 billion for the circular economy. And for two years another 2 billion credit line has also been available for S-Loans, specific for loans that take the path of sustainable transition. The financial guarantee, in this case, is 80% from SACE Green. They are tools that the banking world conceives to self-feed an economic system that is less squandering of resources.
Southern SMEs need advice and information
The manufacturing system of the South needs these supports destined to transform themselves into accelerators of a "sustainable growth for the creation of collective social and environmental value". Studies and research - from those of Svimez to others - have ascertained that despite the government's commitments, the measures of the PNRR, the small companies in the southern regions, in order to compete, they need a lot of consultancy, information and guidance in investments. The time has passed when it was enough to have accumulated prestige and professionalism to compete on the markets. In this regard, the bank makes its supports available, such as Circularity, Nativa, CE LAB to optimize company internal processes, improve results and create lasting prosperity.
The laboratory will also help the Blue Economy of Basilicata, Puglia and Molise
With regard to the laboratory, we were talking about the collaboration of the port authorities. Basilicata, Puglia and Molise have sea outlets and thousands of companies linked to maritime activities. Intesa Sanpaolo is Main Partner of FAROS, the CDP National Accelerator Network program dedicated to port innovation and the Blue Economy. “ In the six ports of our system, in an itinerant and interpenetrating way, study, research, analysis and comparison courses will be developed ” he says Ugo Patroni Griffi, President of the Port System Authority of the Southern Adriatic Sea. The Bank strategically looks to the sea to attract new investments and create more value. The companies of the Blue Economy in Puglia alone there are almost 18.000, they employ around 72.400 people with a turnover of 3,2 billion euros. be they Italian or international” explains, in fact, Alberto Pedroli, Regional Director of Basilicata, Puglia and Molise of Intesa Sanpaolo .
Confindustria is also moving towards a new regional economic system
The good thing is also that the whole Confindustria system this year is leaving behind the problems created by the pandemic and wants to move towards a circular economy in all provinces. From the recent Festambiente in the province of Foggia, comforting ideas have come out. “ The necessary ecological transition and object of intervention and attention on the part of the continental and national governance - said Legambiente and Confindustria Puglia - needs an energy revolution that cannot fail to derive from the replacement of fossil fuels with renewable sources". The approach to the circular economy among the industrial chains is coveted, more than the regional and state bureaucracy do by slowing down projects and investments. Puglia in the last two years - together with Sicily - has attracted 70% of investments in renewables. It is clear that any public or private support it indicates winning tools, of analysis, can make the difference with the rest of Italy and Europe. This is what is needed at this particular moment in the life of the country.
