More human finances based on trust

Trust is the essential and indispensable element for weaving human and commercial relationships, and it is achieved with transparency, commitment, and with organizations capable of generating value with a direct impact on society. In this context, cooperativism is a real and key alternative: it is a way of understanding economic activity that responds, more than ever, to the challenges of the present with an eye on the future.

Every first Saturday of July, International Cooperatives Day is celebrated, a date that, as a cooperative banking entity, invites us to reflect on a business model that often goes unnoticed despite its contribution to economic and social development. It is a model that has demonstrated, especially in times of uncertainty, a great capacity for resilience thanks to a long-term vision, participatory governance, and a firm commitment focused on people.

In Europe, this reality is clearly visible, as there are more than 2,400 cooperative banks, representing 23% of the financial market and bringing together more than 228 million members. In countries like France, this model accounts for nearly 60% of the market, while in Austria it exceeds 30%. These data show that cooperative banking is a relevant player in the most developed economies.

In Spain, however, it represents only 10% of the financial market. This difference highlights that there is still a great opportunity for growth. The entry into force this year of the Comprehensive Law for the Promotion of the Social Economy precisely reinforces the role that cooperatives can play in building a more sustainable, competitive, and inclusive economy.

"In Europe, cooperative banking represents 23% of the financial market"

The uniqueness of the cooperative model does not lie solely in its legal structure, but rather, above all, in its way of making decisions. When clients are also owners of the entity, as in the case of Caixa Enginyers members, priorities change. Decisions do not respond solely to obtaining good economic results that go directly to their shareholders, but to the creation of shared value, the sustainability of the project, and the trust built with each future relationship.

This approach also transforms the way service is understood. Proximity, personalized advice, quality, and the willingness to accompany people throughout their lives by covering their financial needs cease to be a differentiating element to become the very essence of the model.

In fact, this commitment to proximity and excellence in service also has a measurable translation. In an increasingly competitive financial environment, trust is built in every interaction, and service quality has become a key differentiating factor. In 2025, Caixa Enginyers has been recognized as the first financial institution in Spain for service quality according to the IQUOS ranking prepared by STIGA, a milestone that fills us with pride. With a score of 8.93 out of 10 (well above the sector average (7.84)), this recognition and leadership applies to both investment advice and financing for home acquisition, endorsing a model based on proximity, trust, personalized advice, and continuous improvement.

At Caixa Enginyers, we experience it every day. We were born almost sixty years ago with the desire to humanize finance and demonstrate that it is possible to combine solvency, growth, and profitability with a strong local presence and real social commitment. Today, more than 220,000 members are part of this collective project, which in 2025 achieved the best economic results in its history. This growth is not an end in itself; it is the consequence of remaining faithful to the principles that have defined us since our origins.

But cooperativism goes far beyond the entities that represent it. It is a way of understanding business based on collaboration, co-responsibility, and the desire to generate a positive impact in the territories where it operates. At a time when concepts such as sustainability, inclusion, and responsible governance occupy a central place on the business agenda, cooperatives have been working under these same principles for decades.

It is true that there is still a long way to go. We must continue to give visibility to the model, bring it closer to new generations and demonstrate that it is perfectly compatible with innovation, digitalization and growth. Cooperatives do not compete against transformation, but rather contribute to it by providing a different perspective on how to create value.

Perhaps the question is no longer whether cooperativism has a future. The question is what future we want to build. If we aspire to a closer, more responsible, more resilient and more human economy, cooperativism not only has a place, it has much to contribute and a long way to go.