Letter from the Chairman

Adding life to your days

"Leaving no-one behind". This is the motto of the 2015 United Nations resolution signed by over 200 world leaders. It contains three premises: to eradicate poverty, reduce inequality and look after the planet, which also form the basis of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) we are reporting on in this annual report.

It could well be said that "la Caixa" has been applying all these goals, body and soul, since it was founded 115 years ago, through the actions carried out by its Foundation. It was the philanthropic work of our founder, Francesc Moragas, that led him to build, in 1904 and within a very complex social situation, an organisation that, today, is fundamentally in line with the SDGs. These goals act as our compass.

They are also linked to the main lines of the Strategic Plan 2016-2019, which has guided the Foundation's work based on the premise "Changing the present, building the future". 2019 culminated with several goals having been achieved: some of the most notable being to focus our efforts particularly on social programmes, to multiply investment in research, maintain excellence in cultural and scientific awareness-raising activities and promote educational transformation.

The outcome of these past 365 days is more than 50,000 initiatives that have reached over 16 million beneficiaries; the result of collaboration among employees, volunteers, social organisations, schools and health centres, among others.

"Why do I find it so hard to read?". An important question, as dyslexia affects thousands of people. Finding a solution is the reason for one of the 79 projects of excellence which were supported by "la Caixa" Foundation in 2019. Investment in training, research and innovation has tripled over the past few years.

2019 culminated with several goals having been achieved: some of the most notable being to focus our efforts particularly on social programmes, to multiply investment in research, maintain excellence in cultural and scientific awareness-raising activities and promote educational transformation.

Miguel Ángel has fought hard to write his story. He was born in Polígono Sur, a depressed district in Seville. Thanks to the help he's received from CaixaProinfancia since he was a child, he's now completing a degree in Hispanic Philology, in addition to having received several literary awards and publishing his first book. Today the CaixaProinfancia programme represents a model for the complete development and social inclusion of children in poverty. In 2019 we achieved a target we had set ourselves 12 years ago: to be present in all the autonomous regions of Spain.

"Everything is much easier now: I have a job, I have enough to get by and I feel useful". These are the words of Rafaella, one of the beneficiaries of the Incorpora programme by "la Caixa" Foundation that helps vulnerable people to find employment. In this case, in Portugal. In fact, one of the institution's guiding principles is to take its social action to the places where CaixaBank carries out its financial business. Portugal's budget was increased to €20 million in 2019.

Humaniza is the version of the Programme for the Comprehensive Care of People with Advanced Diseases adapted to the Portuguese situation. In 2019 the programme celebrated its tenth anniversary in Spain. "When you can't add more days to life, you have to add more life to your days" are the words of a social worker who forms part of one of the teams made up of psychologists, spiritual guides and doctors who have accompanied 184,553 patients and 250,817 family members at one of the most fragile moments in their lives.

2019 also saw the 30th anniversary of CaixaForum Lleida, the 15th anniversary of CosmoCaixa and the 5th anniversary of CaixaForum Zaragoza. Establishing long-term agreements with the world's leading institutions, such as the Centre Pompidou and the British Museum, is one of the keys to the success of "la Caixa" Foundation's approach to raising awareness of culture and science through its centres, as well as the Contemporary Art Collection which was exhibited at the Whitechapel Gallery in London in 2019.

"Learning to be, learning to know, learning to do and learning to live together". This is what Jacques Delors wrote in Learning: The Treasure Within, the 1996 UNESCO report. Our ProFuturo project, which we started up in 2016 together with the Telefónica Foundation to reduce the educational divide through technology, has benefitted 10.3 million children throughout the world. For 2030 we have set ourselves a target: to reach 25 million children. This forms part of our contribution to the United Nations 2030 Agenda. Our goal: to leave no-one behind.

Isidro Fainé

Chairman of "la Caixa" Banking Foundation