Intesa Sanpaolo renews its partnership with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and strengthens its commitment to the circular economy
Intesa Sanpaolo and the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, a leading global promoter of the transition to the circular economy, renew the Strategic Partnership launched in 2016: the collaboration reaches its ten-year milestone and continues with the signing of a new four-year agreement
The Intesa Sanpaolo - Ellen MacArthur Foundation strategic partnership has been renewed, confirming Intesa Sanpaolo’s position as the first bank in the world to have translated the circular economy into concrete financial instruments. The collaboration with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, of which the Group has been the first network financial services Strategic Partner since 2016, has contributed to defining the validation criteria for credit lines dedicated to the circular economy. Thanks to these instruments, under the 2022–2025 Business Plan, the Intesa Sanpaolo Group has disbursed €15.9 billion in financing to support the transformation of production models from linear—based on the take-make-waste approach—to circular; resources that add to the €7.7 billion disbursed under the 2018–2021 Plan. The new 2026–2029 Plan confirms the commitment to the circular economy within the broader scope of sustainable lending, amounting to 30% of new medium- to long-term lending.
A 360-degree collaboration, with the Innovation Center as a key player
Over these ten years, the partnership, thanks also to the contribution of Intesa Sanpaolo Innovation Center, has further strengthened strategic relationships with European institutions and international organizations, contributed to the debate on national and European industrial and financial policies, and promoted ecosystems of innovation and collaboration among companies, startups, universities, and research centers to accelerate the transition, fostering the integration of circular economy principles in the Italian and international financial sector.
Intesa Sanpaolo Innovation Center will continue to manage the partnership as the Intesa Sanpaolo Group’s center of expertise on the circular economy, a strategic lever to steer innovation, investment, and value creation. The renewal includes new international initiatives to strengthen dialogue with Italian and European regulators and policymakers, contribute to the debate on the implementation of the European Commission’s Circular Economy Act and other regulatory initiatives, as well as promote training and awareness activities on the circular economy in Italy and abroad, activating concrete initiatives to support the circular transition. In particular, the European Commission is expected to adopt the new CE Act in the autumn, a legislative proposal aimed at establishing common rules for circular solutions across the entire European single market, increasing supply and stimulating demand for high-quality recycled materials, refurbished products, and other circular solutions throughout the bloc.
For European policymakers, this is a crucial opportunity to strengthen competitiveness, promote industrial decarbonization, and build economic resilience.
The circular economic-production model decouples economic and social development from the use of finite natural resources and is universally recognized as a strategic factor for industrial competitiveness, resource security, and economic resilience. The circular economy reduces dependence on virgin raw materials and mitigates exposure to commodity price shocks, a strategic issue in a context marked by energy volatility and geopolitical tensions. International research, including that promoted by Intesa Sanpaolo Innovation Center and Bocconi University, shows how circular business models can contribute to reducing companies’ financial risk and improving the risk-return profile of investments. The European Union has also identified the circular economy as a key element of its industrial and sustainability policies, with the aim of becoming a global circular leader by 2030.
“Over the past ten years, we have demonstrated that the circular economy is a transformative paradigm for the economic system, a driver of innovation, investment, competitiveness and growth,” said Paola Angeletti, Chief Sustainability Officer of Intesa Sanpaolo and Chair of the Intesa Sanpaolo Innovation Center. “Our commitment has been tangible, translating into financial instruments and open innovation initiatives supporting a large number of companies engaged in the transition. We will continue to work alongside the Ellen MacArthur Foundation to accelerate change, including through joint initiatives to develop a supportive regulatory framework, starting with the forthcoming European Circular Economy Act.”
