The doubts have vanished. Isidre Fainé (Manresa, 1942) has been re-elected president of the La Caixa Foundation for another four years. At the same time, Javier Godó (publisher of) has been reappointed as vice president. The VanguardJosé María Álvarez-Pallete (former president of Telefónica), Luis Carreras (lawyer and vice president of the Red Cross in Barcelona), Isabel Estapé (notary), María Isabel Gabarró (notary), Eugeni Gay (lawyer), and Francesc Homs (president of In and president of Nestlé) will continue as board members. In all cases, the re-election approved by the board this Monday is for the statutory four-year term. Furthermore, the 2026 budget for social work increases by more than 8%, to 710 million euros.

A shift in priorities. Criteria, La Caixa's investment arm, plans to have an investment capacity of up to €8 billion in companies and funds and will make up to €4 billion in dividends available to its parent company, the La Caixa Foundation, for social programs, research, scholarships, and culture between now and 2030. These are the pillars of Criteria, which holds the largest portfolio of corporate holdings in Spain, valued at over €37 billion. The company, chaired by Isidre Fainé, like the foundation, "will focus its investments on projects centered on obtaining recurring, sustainable, and responsible returns. It will also promote value creation in its portfolio companies with a long-term vision." The holding company's priority, which will maintain a 30% stake in CaixaBank, is "to preserve and increase the Foundation's assets."

Criteria will distribute a new dividend of 125 million euros, as agreed by the board of trustees of the La Caixa Foundation, its sole shareholder. The amount will be paid within two months of its approval. This remuneration will be added to the 360 million euros distributed this year, bringing the figure to 485 million.

A "prodigious" history. This is how the general director of the La Caixa Foundation, Josep Maria Coronas (Tarragona, 1959), described the institution during a conversation held at the Círculo de Economía with the outgoing president, Jaume Guardiola. This was one of his first public appearances since taking office on January 1st. This state lawyer, a disciple of his father and experienced in both the public and private sectors, defended the foundation's social role. "There is growing inequality and a progressively shrinking middle class. State transfers redistribute wealth, without which poverty would reach 50%, but they don't reach everyone, and a foundation like La Caixa can contribute a drop of water to reduce inequality," he explained.

The La Caixa Foundation plans to increase its social work budget to €800 million by 2030, up from €655 million in the current year, and invest a total of €4 billion over the next five years, according to the new 2025-2030 strategic plan unveiled today. This roadmap aims to "drive social transformation and respond to the challenges of the coming years" under the motto Believe to transformThe entity will focus its activities on three pillars: social, research and scholarship, and culture. In this new phase, the explicit mandate is for the foundation and its investment arm, Criteria, to act "in a coherent and coordinated manner," even strengthening "shared governance" after a change in management.

A new phase for Criteria, the investment arm of the La Caixa Foundation. The holding company has reviewed some of its latest investments, including the Catalan frozen dough manufacturer Europastry, according to a statement released by the company. The Confidential and sources close to the entity confirmed to ARA. This decision comes in the new era of Criteria with Francisco Reynés as first vice president, who took office a few weeks ago after the departure of Àngel Simón as CEO.

Criteria will distribute €140 million in dividends to its sole shareholder, the La Caixa Foundation. This dividend, which will be paid over the next two months, is in addition to the dividends paid so far this year. In total, it will have distributed €360 million.

In January of this year, Banco de Sabadell decided to return its headquarters to its hometown, from which it has always carried its name. A few weeks later, the La Caixa Foundation and its asset arm, Criteria, followed in the footsteps of the financial institution from Vallecas. The first assessment that must be made is obvious: this is good news, a positive step. There will always be opposing voices, but the majority of the population applauds this type of decision. And they wish there were more, in the same direction.