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A study by the Chair of Social Economy analyses the situation of cooperative banking

June 27, 2025

The report, entitled "Cooperative banking in the face of contemporary challenges: an identity based on competitiveness, sustainability, ethics and values ​​as a guarantee of the future", was presented by Professor Eloi Serrano at the event "Social economy in action: reflections on cooperative and traditional banking", which took place at the Ateneu Barcelonès.

Caixa Enginyers presents a study on cooperative banking prepared by the Chair of Social Economy at TecnoCampus-UPF

On Tuesday, June 17, the event "Social economy in action: reflections on cooperative and traditional banking" took place at the Ateneu Barcelonès, organized by Caixa Enginyers, which served to present the study "Cooperative banking in the face of contemporary challenges: an identity based on competitiveness, sustainability, ethics and values ​​as a guarantee of the future." 

The report, prepared by the Chair of Social Economy at TecnoCampus through a commission from Caixa Enginyers itself, was presented by Professor Eloi Serrano, director of the Chair. The event was opened by the Minister of Economy and Finance of the Generalitat de Catalunya, Alícia Romero, and the general director of Caixa Enginyers, Juanjo Llopis. 

Amparo Merino, Secretary of State for Social Economy, also addressed the audience via video. Next, it was Eloi Serrano's turn to explain the main lines of the study that he has prepared together with another TecnoCampus professor, Miguel Guillén. Serrano reviewed the general panorama of European cooperative banking, which currently has a market share of 22% in deposits and 23% in loans. 

In Spain this figure drops to 10% for deposits and 9,5% for loans, with 3,5 million users. The leading country in cooperative banking on our continent is France, where the market share reaches 63% for deposits and 64% for loans, and serves 29,7 million users. 

Serrano also explained that, while the big banks had to be bailed out with more than 66.000 billion euros after the Great Recession, cooperative banking in Spain not only withstood the rate, but also fared better without receiving public aid. That is, these entities did not close branches or lay off workers en masse and, in addition, they won much more business compared to the rest of the sector. 

After Eloi Serrano's speech, a round table was held in which, in addition to Serrano, Maria Teixidor, general director of the Clade Group, participated; Anna Saltavella, director of the Business Area of ​​Caixa Enginyers; Vanessa Servera, CEO of the Catalan Institute of Finance (ICF); and Cristina Freijanes, general secretary of the National Union of Credit Cooperatives (UNACC). During the round table, led by presenter Ana Boadas, the current situation of cooperative banking and, in general, the social economy was discussed. 

The event ended with a few words from David Bonvehí, general director of Social and Solidarity Economy and Cooperativism of the Generalitat de Catalunya, and Félix Masjuan, president of the Caixa Enginyers Group.

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