Investment & Fund Management

UniCredit and the European Investment Fund (EIF) entered into a EUR 50 million agreement aimed at providing social impact financing loans to Italian social enterprises. These enterprises, which can be either profit or non-profit, must have a maximum annual turnover of EUR 30 million to qualify for loans of up to EUR 500,000. The initiative is supported by the EU Programme for Employment and Social Innovation (EaSI) and the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI), part of the Investment Plan for Europe.

The tailored solution addresses the specific needs of social enterprises in Italy by offering more affordable and discounted loans, thereby enhancing their access to finance. This agreement builds on a previous collaboration in April 2018, which provided a EUR 50 million portfolio guarantee benefiting 2,500 Italian micro enterprises. The focus of this financing is to support social initiatives that contribute to inclusive growth and social cohesion, aligning with the EU's objectives.

As a result of this partnership, UniCredit has developed a unique methodology for measuring social impact, which includes the collection of specific social key performance indicators (KPIs). This approach not only facilitates the loan application process but also ensures ongoing support for enterprises in tracking their social outcomes. In 2018 alone, UniCredit approved EUR 72.9 million in Social Impact Banking loans, with EUR 47.8 million disbursed, including 31 impact financing loans totaling EUR 32.6 million and 2,050 microcredit loans amounting to EUR 40.3 million. Over the last five years, the total resources allocated to SMEs in Italy through the EIB Group and UniCredit partnership reached approximately EUR 5 billion, demonstrating a significant impact on the Italian economy and society.