Social Impact Banking is UniCredit’s commitment to building a fairer and more inclusive society. Its aim is to identify, finance and promote people and enterprises that can have a positive social impact.

As well as continuously providing credit to projects and organisations that are generally excluded from traditional banking products and services, SIB allows UniCredit to share its financial and business knowhow through educational initiatives dedicated to micro-entrepreneurs, social enterprises and vulnerable or disadvantaged groups, including young people, the elderly and others at risk of social exclusion.

The engagement of UniCredit’s employees is a key driving force behind the training and support activities provided through SIB, which help build valuable networks within the communities where the Bank operates, bringing people together to share positive experiences and raising awareness of relevant projects to increase their potential societal impact.

SIB also has a strong focus on monitoring and the measurement of outcomes, which is essential for ensuring the sustainable growth of both the sponsored projects and the Bank’s investment returns. The aim is to measure not only the direct, but also the indirect positive impacts generated by the projects backed in terms of social and economic well-being within UniCredit’s communities.

Following the success of SIB in Italy since launch in December 2017, UniCredit has extended the programme in 10 other countries of the Group in 2019.