March 2003
This month sees the outset of Unidea, the Foundation of UniCredito Italiano: it is a private, non-banking, foundation, entirely financed by Group profits. This is a novelty for the Italian scenario, and it has been created as a humanitarian foundation whose objectives are to support solidarity, co-operation and human development through social and humanitarian work, by operating in the sectors of social assistance, health, education and the environment,
In respect of the Foundation and its objectives, Pier Luigi Celli, Head of Group Corporate Identity, has recently been interviewed by Ventiquattrore TV - the digital TV programme of the newspaper Il Sole-24 Ore, which we publish herebelow.

So, the Foundation of UniCredit has now started working...
Pier Luigi Celli: Well, in fact the idea arose some time ago. Even the first initiatives have been shaped for at least a year now, both the projects which concern work in areas of particular risk in Africa and those in Milan, with the financing of the "Casa della Carità" which is a centre for the homeless. This idea, therefore, already stands on its own two feet. Now it becomes formal at a moment when UniCredit, the most profitable and successful bank in Italy today, feels that one of its social responsibilities is to allocate a part of the resources forming its profits to initiatives aimed at relieving situations of hardship and in favour of disadvantaged persons.

Some of the Board members of this foundation work in the bank, others instead come from other sectors. Why is this?
Celli. It was a precise choice to have a board of directors where the majority of members were external to the bank, to represent a variety of different situations and social issues. Among the so-called "external" elements is the Chairman, whilst the "internal" include some staff representatives.

This initiative is also a reply to the many criticisms which the banking system receives in this period. Is it a problem of image? D'Amato says "Banks do not do enough for Southern Italy", but criticism of the banking system also arrives from other members of the government majority.
Celli. Well, how can I put it, this is a moment when heavy criticism also comes from where it shouldn't. I do not think it is possible to talk about all banks, we can talk about our bank. I think that a bank which produces profits and wealth is anyway doing it duty and it does so by not abandoning any of the segments which it is traditionally aimed at, and it does so above all by keeping well in mind the fact that small and medium sized businesses are the core of our system, also the credit side. So I think the much of the criticism is totally off-hand, with other interests, and probably refer to other logics which are rather more political than economical.

As head of corporate image for UniCredit what do you think is currently the point of force used to enhance the image of the bank and what instead do you think is a critical area?
Celli. I think that the objective is to create a bank which identifies itself in the new structure which have set out, so that the merger of the seven originating banks finds a natural convergence within the new Group and within the three national banks which have been established. If we work efficiently, if we feel we represent a corporate reality where things function well, I think that also the external image can gain positively. I wouldn’t worry about listening to all the voices or criticisms which arrive because this doesn't resolve anything. I think that the bank must be its own protagonist and afterwards be judged on the facts.