Financial education has always been at the heart of the Cooperative Credit Banks' mission, a founding principle expressed in Article 2 of our banks' Articles of Association:

"“The Bank’s goal is to support its members and the members of the local communities...promoting the development of cooperation, savings and welfare educational programmes, social cohesion, responsible growth, and sustainable development of the local area in which it operates...”.

In a framework that is well-defined yet susceptible to significant improvement, the BCC Iccrea Group aims to support the development of the knowledge and expertise essential for strengthening the rights of active citizenship within its communities, with the belief that financial education:

• Cannot be separated from the objectives of the transition to sustainability and digital technology as a pillar for strengthening civil and informed awareness of the issues of greatest relevance, also in the light of the new landscape of the post-pandemic world.
• Is complementary to academic and school education, to bring students closer to the job market and to train a new breed of future shareholders, administrators and employees.
• Offers young men and women the best conditions to be able to make informed choices commensurate with their needs.;
• Facilitates inclusion, both financial and social.
• Bringing young people into the world of Cooperative Credit is strategic for a generational renewal of the system.
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The Foundation for Financial and Savings Education was set up under the direction of the ABI, becoming operational in November 2014, with the aim of promoting financial education as a core skill of the public indispensable for making informed, aware economic choices in life.

The Foundation collaborates with public entities such as regional governments, regional school offices, the Ministry of Education, Universities and Research and private entities, mainly banks, with a strong focus on partnerships, offering programmes for schools featuring an array of subjects:

• Economy and sustainability
• Economic legality
• Financial planning and savings
• Job and entrepreneurship guidance
• Electronic payments, fintech and sustainable finance

For its financial education project, the parent company decided to join FEduF as an ordinary participant, so as to give BCCs – already very active in their communities in the field of financial education – the opportunity to access FEduF's services and support:

• Training packets prepared by the Foundation and aimed at student classes of all levels, from primary school to the last years of high school.
• Work-study programmes.
• Educational initiatives for local communities.
  
  
  
  
  

"Epic Finance!", the cooperative and mutual financial education programme of the Tertio Millennio Foundation - ETS.

BCC Banca Iccrea participates together with other institutions of the Group in the Tertio Millennio international foundation - ETS.

The Foundation is a non-profit organisation set up within the area of Cooperative Credit in 2000 by a group of founding members, including BCC Banca Iccrea, linked to the world of cooperative entrepreneurship and Catholic associations.

In October 2020, the Foundation – an entity with legal personality – was transformed from a non-profit organisation into an ETS (Third-Sector Entity) in accordance with the law. About 60 banks of the BCC Iccrea Group are members of the Foundation.

According to its articles of association, the Foundation pursues the following purposes:

• The promotion of its founding values within Credito Cooperativo, according to the guiding principles of the Social Magisterium of the Church.
• The national and international dissemination of the practice and spirit of microfinance.
• Promotion and integration in the working world of young people in disadvantaged social, occupational and economic conditions.
• The undertaking of solidarity initiatives benefiting Credito Cooperativo’s employees and/or their families who occasionally find themselves in situations of serious hardship.
• The protection and promotion of nature and the environment.

One of the projects launched by the Tertio Millennio Foundation is Epic Finance! - cooperative and mutualistic financial education, an original financial education programme for secondary school students that integrates[1} {2]basic economic knowledge with the principles and values of cooperative finance (education in the responsible use of money, social participation, "geo-circular” finance, etc.).

"Epic Finance!" is the evolution of the "Saving my future" pilot project implemented for the 2022/2023 school year, which was expanded with new content with the start of the 2023/2024 school year.

The programme of the "Epic Finance!" cooperative and mutual financial education project of the Tertio Millennio Foundation has a number of modules and is divided into five lessons covering the following topics:

• Civil economy
• Savings and personal budget
• Community bank
• Circular economy
• Monetics and digital payments

The Foundation's teaching materials and, where needed, instructors can be used free of charge by the BCCs that are members of the Foundation, subject to the signing of the relevant terms and conditions.

For the BCC Iccrea Group, Financial Education is an important part of its sustainability strategy, as it is a tool to empower society and bring young people closer to the world of cooperative credit. For years, the BCCs belonging to the Group, each in its own area, have been promoting financial education for young people, shareholders, customers and communities in cooperation with schools, universities, associations and local authorities. We’re talking about hundreds of initiatives that take place every year all over the country. In this section, we will present just a few of the main Financial Education initiatives that our Group has been involved in.