Fondazione Compagnia di San Paolo

Compagnia di San Paolo was founded in Turin in 1563 as a charitable lay brotherhood by seven citizens who decided their mission was to help the poor. Throughout its long history, it has supported a range of charitable activities in the fields of health, education and social welfare. In 1992, it was transformed into a foundation as a consequence of the restructuring of the San Paolo Bank Group. After the privatisation of the San Paolo Bank, the Compagnia di San Paolo no longer holds the controlling shares in the bank.

Mission

To support works of public interest and social well-being, particularly in the fields of scientific, economic and legal research, education, art and culture, and health; and to provide assistance to, and protection of less-privileged social groups.

Geographic Focus

Italy and international

Programme Areas

The areas in which Compagnia acts are:

• Research and higher education
• Cultural heritage
• Cultural activities
• Health
• Welfare policy

Research and higher education
In terms of research, Compagnia focuses on strengthening and aggregating already existing structures, and on getting mid-term agreements and partnerships started, instead of supporting individual initiatives. In the field of higher education, Compagnia is committed to supporting graduate, post-graduate, and masters’ programs, as well as specialisation schools. These activities largely involve the dedication of the Compagnia’s instrumental bodies.

Cultural heritage
Supports culture as an answer to people’s intellectual and spiritual needs, as well as an irreplaceable factor for the advancement of research and knowledge. Within this, Compagnia supports the following areas:

• Architectural, historical and artistic, archaeological and landscape heritage
• Civil heritage
• Religious heritage
• The heritage in the territory

Cultural activities
Promotes and supports activities that have a substantial cultural interest as a separate programme area to cultural heritage. Within this area, Compagnia supports the following:

• Archival heritage
• Bibliographical heritage
• Cultural institutions
• Music, theater, dance, cinema, books
• Museums

Health
Finances the acquisition of innovative equipment for research, diagnosis, and cures, and also supports new management models in the area of heath care. In addition, Compagnia offers smaller contributions in areas of specialisation (neurosurgery, transplants, emergency medicine) and in the fight against socially relevant pathologies.

Welfare policy
Compagnia di San Paolo’s Social Policies are aimed at supporting, accompanying and creating new opportunities for improving the situation of people and families in need. Particular areas include:

• Paths to social autonomy
• Support to youth
• Home care system
• Public space
• Cooperation for development
• Promotion of local philanthropy and of community foundations

The Compagnia, like the other foundations of banking origin, is also involved in special funds for voluntary work.