The FEBEA Annual Conference brings together experts in the field of Ethical Finance and Social Economy at European and international level. The FEBEA annual event is a unique opportunity to exchange on the challenges and opportunities faced by ethical finance actors with respect to the changing social and political context.
Annual Conference
18:00 – 19:30
Welcome event: Ethical finance building community beyond borders
In a Europe closing borders to refugees, ethical banks support NGOs rescuing and welcoming migrants along Mediterranean/Balkan routes. During the event we will hear from these organizations and financiers. This pre-event spotlights a welcoming Europe amid restrictive policies.
At Palazzo Pisani organized by Banca Etica and GLS Bank.
ITA-EN translation available.
17:50 – 18:00
Special opening by conservatory students
18:00 – 18:05
Introduction
by Moderator, journalist Eleonora Camilli
18:05 – 18:15
Opening remarks
18:15 – 18:40
The challenges of welcoming refugees: what organisations working on reception and integration do and what they need
18:40 – 19:15
How financial institutions can support reception and integration: what is needed to do more and do it better
19:15 – 19:30
Conclusions
Eleonora Camilli
19:30
Welcome reception
at Palazzo Pisani
8:45 – 9:00
Registration of participants
9:00 – 12:45
FEBEA General Assembly
Restricted for members and guests, by invitation only.
9:00 – 12:45
III Youth Encounter around Ethical Finance
In parallel with the General Assembly, the third edition of the Youth Encounter of the group European Youth for Ethical Finance (EYEF) will take place. Participants will focus on consolidating the network and developing a roadmap for future activities. This event is restricted to individuals under 35.
12:45 – 13:00
Preliminary insights of the EIB Market Study
European Investment Bank
13:00 – 14:30
Networking lunch
14:30 – 14:50
Workshop: Financial Opportunities [session 1] – EIB & SIFTA
Presentation of the ongoing pipeline of FEBEA members’ support requests submitted to SIFTA (both those under implementation, those pending approval and those implemented), along with the resources available through the end of the year, to encourage and inspire other members to apply for support.
– Open to the public
14:50 – 15:10
Workshop: Financial Opportunities [session 2] – CEB
Kristina Maslauskaite, Technical Advisor at the Council of Europe Development Bank (CEB), will lead an interactive discussion with FEBEA members on the role of the social economy in addressing social challenges across Europe. Participants will be invited to share their perspectives, priorities and expectations regarding the support that financial institutions can provide to the sector, as well as opportunities for future collaboration.
– Open to the public
15:10 – 16:00
Workshop: Financial Opportunities [session 3] – EIF
As the current EIF products are already well known by FEBEA members, this session will focus on an open conversation between FEBEA members and the EIF, to discuss current operations, future scenarios and to exchange on potential improvements in the collaboration. The workshop will be organised following a Start, Stop, Continue approach feedback from FEBEA members: what is working well in the collaboration with the EIF, what else should be introduced and what should change.
– Only for members and under invitation
16:20 – 17:30
Workshop: FEBEA Marketplace – only for members
FEBEA wants to facilitate structured discussions among its members, based on each member’s lending/investment capacity and the demand identified for internal financial cooperation, building on collaborations that already.
– Only for members
14:30 – 18:00
Workshop on Advocacy and Outreach: Strengthening Our Collective Voice
This workshop will introduce a practical guide to support advocacy work at national level and show how it connects to broader European efforts. Participants will share experiences, learn how to adapt strategies to their own context, and explore how to work together more effectively with support from the FEBEA team.
– Open to the public
14:30 – 18:00
Workshop on Participation in Ethical Finance
Is participation part of the identity of ethical finance, or is it simply a governance tool? Building on the experience of Banca Etica, the workshop is aimed at FEBEA members to discuss a key question for the future of ethical finance. Through an open and participatory dialogue, we will explore the meaning of participation, its role in defining strategies and in building the common good, whilst questioning the aims of ethical finance: what social, economic and environmental change do we want to bring about? Who should help define it? And can truly ethical finance exist without the active involvement of people and communities? An opportunity to share experiences, visions and practices from different European countries and to reflect together on the relationship between ethical finance, economic democracy and social transformation.
– Open to the public and organized by Banca Etica
14:30 – 18:00
Workshop: EYEF Exploring funding opportunities
This workshop is designed to strengthen the capacity of the FEBEA Youth Working Group by addressing the challenges of relying on voluntary work and limited resources. With support from experienced practitioners in EU funding and project facilitation, the session will introduce relevant European funding programs and explain how to navigate application platforms.
– Restricted to members of EYEF
18:00 – 20:00
Leisure activities
Tour around the Insane Asylum Museum in San Servolo – pre registration required.
Basketball game – come as a player os a cheering crowd.
20:00
Dinner
at San Servolo Island
Simultaneous interpretation EN – ITA
8:45 – 9:30
Registration of participants
9:30 – 9:50
Welcome by Presidents
Aldo Soldi, President of Banca Etica.
Pedro M. Sasia Santos, President of FEBEA
9:50 – 10:00
VIDEO by Nadia Calviño
President of the European Investment Bank
10:00 – 10:15
Ruth Paserman
Director at DG Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion at European Commission
10:15 – 10:30
Sandrine Gaudin
Vice-Governor for Financial Strategy at the Council of Europe Development Bank (CEB)
10:30 – 11:00
Alessandra Viola [Key note speech]
Science Communicator and Environmental Expert
11:00 – 11:30
Coffee Break
11:30 – 12:45
12:45 – 13:45
Moderated by Daniel Sorrosal, Secretary General of FEBEA
13:45 – 14:00
Closing remarks and presentation of the new President
14:00
Networking Lunch
Simultaneous interpretation ITA-EN will only be provided at the welcome event on the 23rd of September and the Public Conference on the 25th.
Access by Invitation Only
This event is open by invitation only to FEBEA and Banca Etica guests. To register, please make sure that you have received an invitation, and contact maria.elejalde@febea.org should you have any requests or questions regarding access.
San Servolo Island
Most activities described in this program will be held on San Servolo Island, a 20-minute boat ride from Venice city center. Please take this logistical detail into account when organizing your accommodation and travel.
Insane Asylum Museum tour
Those interested in joining the San Servolo museum tour should book their place by contacting gspiller@bancaetica.com. Please confirm your participation as soon as possible, as places are limited. Spaces will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.
Most events will take place at San Servolo Island, Venice.
Welcome event on the 23rd evening will take place at Palazzo Pisani.
The FEBEA 2026 Annual Conference will take place on San Servolo Island, which is easily accessible by boat departing near Piazza San Marco.
Please, if you will not be staying on the island, carefully check the boat departure and arrival timetable to plan your attendance at the events.
Accommodation is also available on San Servolo Island, allowing you to reach the meeting venues easily. The island is very small (less than 5 hectares), so all locations are within walking distance.
As you probably know Venice is affected by overtourism and we recommend you to book your accommodation as soon as possible.
For any enquiries contact maria.elejalde@febea.org or relazioni.istituzionali@bancaetica.com
The FEBEA Annual conference brings together practitioners and experts in the filed of ethical finance and social economy at European and international level. The FEBEA annual event is an unique opportunity to exchange on the challenges and opportunities faced by ethical finance actors with respect to the changing social and political context.
Founded in Brussels in 2001, FEBEA is the European Federation of Ethical and Alternative Banks and Financiers, uniting 34 financial institutions from 17 European countries to champion ethical and social finance across Europe. The Federation is dedicated to fostering a fairer, more sustainable, and inclusive society by:
Founded in 1998, Banca Etica is an italian-spanish transnational cooperative and ethical bank, dedicated to financing social and environmental projects that promote the common good. Operating transparently with participatory governance, it prioritizes sustainability, social justice, and democratic decision-making over profit maximization. While providing standard banking services like savings, loans, and investments, Banca Etica rigorously screens all operations to ensure they align with strong ethical principles, rejecting speculation, arms financing, and fossil fuels.
