Intesa Sanpaolo and ACEA have signed the first national agreement focused on the protection and sustainable management of water in corporate production processes, aligning with the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP), which allocates approximately €4.4 billion for water resource protection. As Italy’s leading bank and national water operator, they aim to foster systemic initiatives with innovative solutions for efficient water use, incorporating technological advisory services and investments for the reuse of purified water within “water communities.” This initiative aims to have positive impacts on the environment, local areas, and companies by stabilizing their water supply.
Intesa Sanpaolo has committed €20 billion to support water supply chain initiatives, part of the broader €410 billion financing announced by CEO Carlo Messina to support NRRP initiatives.
The agreement was unveiled in Rome, attended by Fabrizio Palermo, CEO of ACEA, Stefano Barrese, Chief of Intesa Sanpaolo’s Banca dei Territori Division, and Mauro Micillo, Chief of Intesa Sanpaolo’s IMI Corporate & Investment Banking Division. Laura Campanini, Head of Local Public Finance Research Department at Intesa Sanpaolo, and Alessandro Leto, senior advisor of ACEA, presented the joint study “The Opportunity of Reusing Purified Wastewater.” Marco Pastorello, Head of ACEA’s CEO Office, discussed the collaboration’s principles aimed at promoting sustainable practices, with a closing speech by Emanuele Orsini, President of Confindustria, highlighting the importance of responsible water use for business competitiveness.
The agreement sets out several objectives for Intesa Sanpaolo and ACEA, leveraging their expertise and resources:
- Support Investments: Offering dedicated services and products like the S-Loan Green Projects financial solution to enhance water management models, including sustainable infrastructure for clean water production, modernization of wastewater treatment facilities, and climate change mitigation interventions.
- Advisory Services: Providing advisory services for companies interested in infrastructural interventions and technologies for efficient water resource utilization, especially in agriculture and industry.
- Supply Chain Development: Supporting sustainable management projects for the entire water supply chain through Intesa Sanpaolo’s Supply Chain Development Programme, mapping strategic players, priorities, and needs to support investments and innovation projects effectively.
- Access to Funding: Facilitating access to European and national calls for tenders, especially NRRP-related, through the free “Incent Now” platform.
- Research and Training: Promoting a culture of sustainable water use through research, training, and structured dissemination activities, including publishing an Observatory on the water sector.
- Professional Development: Supporting the development of expertise in the “water economy” and fostering the creation of adequate professionals.
- Water Recovery: Promoting “water communities” for efficient water reuse and developing a local distribution network to supply purified water to nearby agricultural and industrial districts, ensuring proper utilization of treated water resources.
The first issue of the ACEA and Intesa Sanpaolo Water Sector Observatory, presented today, focuses on reusing purified wastewater to reduce water stress. The report analyzes current constraints and potential for wider dissemination, with future issues addressing other major infrastructural, regulatory, and cultural challenges to achieving Water Security.