Of Marcello Paris
QUARRATA – The 2023 financial statements of Banca Alta Toscana were unanimously approved, recording a profit of 18 million.
The ordinary and extraordinary meeting of the BCC took place this morning, Sunday 5 May. The first vote concerned the budget, the extraordinary one, the modification of the statute and the regulations.
The vote of the 1198 members, including attendance and proxies, took place unanimously, representing the bank’s 11 thousand members.
The net profit, the best in its history, which this year celebrates 120 years since its foundation, reached 18 million euros with a growth of 43% on the previous year, 4 of which were distributed throughout the territory. A profit that went well beyond the forecast of 5 million.
Net worth reached 120 million and 954 thousand euros, standing at 16.04% with a positive change of 2.79% on the previous year. The efficiency index measured in relation to employees was also good: average loans were 4444 euros and net collection 6386. All indicators which allowed the bank to obtain the letter “A” from the major rating companies, the maximum in scale of values.
Overall collection grew by 2.46%, exceeding 1 billion and 800 million (direct collection had a decrease of 41 million offset by indirect growth of 85 million); loans to customers reached 911 million while bad debts (non-collectible loans) amounted to just 0.08%.
Numbers proudly reeled off by the president Alberto Vasco Banci and the general director Tiziano Caporali which increase the financial solidity to which is added the growth of members and customers which in the last year have reached respectively: 11,000, plus 400 units, and 50,000. An economic and functional solidity certified by the parent company Iccrea Banca and confirmed by its own funds (capital endowment) which, as mentioned, amount to 121 million euros.
Going into more detail, the bank intervened promptly to help the population affected by the recent floods by immediately making available a ceiling of 30 million euros at zero interest without waiting for state guarantees, in accordance with the principles of cooperative credit.
In pursuit of traditional support for the territory, Banci and Caporali have highlighted the destination of funds for scholarships, baby bonuses, tax assistance, support for families for the purchase of school books without forgetting the collaboration with all schools.
In this panorama of assistance and solidarity, Banca Alta Toscana assists 160 voluntary associations and non-profit sports clubs to enable those activities that they could not support on their own.
Last but not least, the attention paid to customers in a historical moment in which there is talk of “banking desertification” or the closure of branches where the scarcity of residents, as in some areas of the mountains, would discourage their presence.
As regards the process of modernization and technological innovation, which no company can ignore, the automation of branches has not diminished the attention paid to those people who are not familiar with modern IT systems while maintaining dedicated staff within the agencies even if the employees, once fully active at the counter, carry out other tasks that enrich them professionally.
Another note concerned the completion of the incorporation of part of Vival Banca which strengthened the presence of Banca Alta Toscana in the Pistoia area.
The modification of 16 articles of the Statute was also approved to make it compliant with the new banking regulations which required the internal regulation to make it compatible.
The balance sheet ceremony of Banca Alta Toscana concluded with the awarding of “historic” members with 50,40, 30 years of membership.
Alongside the BCC budget, the budget of the newly formed Mutua Alta Toscana, a Third Sector Institution, which took over from the Foundation with mutualistic purposes in healthcare, sport, culture and social issues, was presented and approved. One year after its birth, the Mutua has around 2000 members with the prospect of rapid growth which means greater ability to provide assistance to its members.
