The social work of the former savings banks exceeded 1 billion euros for the first time last year. With this endowment, of which the "la Caixa" Foundation contributed 655 million, they enabled 92,000 activities to be carried out, benefiting almost 36 million people. The amount was specifically 1,004.92 million euros.

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.

The La Caixa Foundation is allocating €250 million to social investment this year, according to an agreement signed this Monday between the foundation's president, Isidre Fainé, and the president of the Generalitat (the Catalan government), Salvador Illa. The previous agreement was for €225 million, representing an increase of approximately 11%. Of the total amount, €99 million will be allocated to the foundation's social programs, especially those aimed at the most vulnerable groups. Funding is also included for cultural and research initiatives, as well as scholarships. The amount agreed upon with the Generalitat is part of the €655 million that La Caixa is allocating to social projects this year, the highest amount in its history. After signing the agreement, Fainé explained that the objective is "to strengthen the most transformative projects, dedicated to promoting equal opportunities." "Another strategic priority is the creation of the CaixaResearch Institute, whose building will be inaugurated in 2026. All these projects are focused on contributing to the progress of Catalonia and the well-being of Catalans in the short, medium, and long term," he stated.

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."

The president of the La Caixa Foundation and Criteria, Isidre Fainé, has encouraged financial institutions to increase their social investment. During his speech at the World Savings and Retail Banking Institute (WSBI) meeting in Washington, where he is president, he noted that the sector has increased its annual allocation to nearly $4 billion in social initiatives to reduce poverty and foster youth empowerment.

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.