Banca Etica financial services

Banca Etica (Banca Popolare Etica) is a pioneering Italian cooperative bank dedicated entirely to ethical finance. Founded in 1999, the institution was born from the collaboration of various third-sector organizations, including NGOs, environmental groups, and social cooperatives, with the aim of creating a credit system focused on social and environmental impact rather than purely financial gain.

Operating primarily in Italy and Spain (under the Fiare Banca Etica brand), the bank provides a full suite of banking services, including savings accounts, ethical bonds, and loans specifically targeted at social innovation, international cooperation, and environmental protection. Unlike traditional commercial banks, Banca Etica operates under a cooperative model where each member has one vote regardless of their share capital, ensuring a democratic and transparent governance structure.

The organization is the parent company of the Banca Etica Group, which includes Etica Sgr (responsible asset management), Cresud (microfinance in the Global South), and Fondazione Finanza Etica. It remains independently owned by its thousands of individual and organizational shareholders, maintaining its commitment to transparency by publishing all corporate loans on its website.