Provides ethical financing for socially beneficial projects.
Banca Etica is an Italian bank dedicated to ethical finance, operating since 1999. Its main goal is to provide credit to economically reliable enterprises that demonstrate attention to social utility, environmental conservation, and human rights. The bank focuses on several areas, including social cooperation, international solidarity, environmental conservation, culture, and responsible tourism. It finances projects that contribute to collective well-being and supports organizations and individuals who share these values. Banca Etica has a network of 21 regional branches in Italy and operates in Spain through offices in major cities. It manages over €2.5 billion in savings and has provided loans of over €1.2 billion to various initiatives. The bank uses a unique evaluation system, the VARI model, to assess the social and environmental impact of the enterprises it finances. This model considers both economic and ethical criteria to determine the eligibility of projects for funding. Recently, Banca Etica partnered with the European Investment Bank (EIB) to provide over €165 million in financing for projects in southern Italy, focusing on gender equality, refugee inclusion, and economic development. This partnership aims to support women-led small businesses, improve services for refugees, and strengthen the economy in cohesion regions.