No ribbons or hampers: CIC (Switzerland) is turning its traditional end-of-year present into support for academic talent. A gesture that is in line with the institution's mutualist DNA and a particular understanding of banking responsibility. An interview with CEO Livia Moretti.

 

Livia Moretti, this year CIC (Switzerland) is doing away with Christmas presents for clients and commercial partners for the first time. Why is that?

Because times are changing, and so is our sense of responsibility. For a long time we used to give material presents at the end of the year, as is traditional. But this year we thought it would be more consistent with our identity if we were to devote these resources to an educational project with a public benefit, rather than ephemeral things. So doing away with traditional presents is making a statement about who we are today; a bank that supports the development of society in the broadest sense.

This year we have turned our presents into an investment in education by supporting the Swiss Study Foundation, an association that assists outstanding and committed students to provide them with the best possible conditions for developing new ideas and taking responsibility in society.

Why did you pick this foundation in particular?

Because it stands for everything we want to encourage: talent, curiosity, creativity, effort, diversity of background. The Swiss Study Foundation assists students whose personality, creativity and intellectual interests suggest exceptional future performance in any area (science, arts, engineering, medicine, philosophy, economics, etc.). This choice reflects what we want to be: an institution that invests in the future, rather than in ephemeral things. What we are offering this year is a gift that will keep on giving and add value for the whole of society.

 

 

It's a gesture that aligns with your heritage, a history you are keen to emphasise.

Absolutely, we need to remind people of it. Our major shareholder is the French group Crédit Mutuel Alliance Fédérale, a direct descendant of the mutual credit unions launched by Friedrich Wilhelm Raiffeisen at the end of the 19th century. For him and his successors, a bank only makes sense if it improves people's lives and becomes a tool for them to develop the economy in the area where they live. This idea shaped a banking model that never separates business performance from social benefit. This is the model we have in our genes. It is part of our DNA. So it's entirely natural that this year our presents are turning into an investment in education. By supporting the talented young people of tomorrow we are staying true to this founding spirit. It's a much more meaningful gesture than giving someone a hamper or a bottle of champagne.

 

«What we are offering this year is a gift that will keep on giving and add value for the whole of society.» -Livia Moretti

 

How has the choice gone down inside the bank?

Very positively. The money that used to go on presents is being redirected in full to the Swiss Study Foundation. Our employees are taking part in a project of national importance. That is very motivating. Let me repeat, this gesture says something simple; by supporting academic studies we want to contribute to educating the people who will be inventing the Switzerland of tomorrow.

When you decided you wanted to “give in a different way”, what was the philosophy behind that choice?

The apple didn't fall far from the tree (laughs). By way of evidence, two years ago our group was the first in France to establish a “social dividend” equivalent to 15% of net profit for the year, coming to more than half a billion euros in 2024. This amount goes to environmental, social and regional projects. These range from agriculture to supporting female victims of violence, and include access to care for the most vulnerable, renewable energy and countless local initiatives reflecting the reality on the ground. This social dividend to which we contribute as a group subsidiary is reinventing how value is shared.

Our decision to support education rather than give presents is fully in line with this. We are also following in the footsteps laid down by the businesspeople of Basel and Alsace at the end of the 19th century, when CIC (Switzerland) was founded; we are a bank at the service of the economic development of our region. This is no abstract concept. It's a pattern of behaviour that drives us to ask this question whenever we do something: “What are we giving back to the society that places its trust in us?”. That's how we move ahead, day by day.

You seem to be defending the idea that a bank's impact is not just measured in figures, but in actions firmly rooted in reality.

Precisely. Banks aren’t just about balance sheets, lending and investing. They are institutions that can guide collective trends. At our level, we choose to act in a way that is consistent, tangible and sustainable. When finance takes root in society, when it serves people, companies and communities, it becomes a formidable driver of progress. A bank can accelerate projects, provide stability in periods of uncertainty and act as a life partner for both families and entrepreneurs. In the complex geopolitical context we currently find ourselves in, this responsibility is all the more crucial. People expect much more from us than products; they are looking for meaning, coherence and confidence. So supporting education as we are today is about participating directly in our country's future. It means allowing our young people to develop their potential. It also means strengthening the economy, research and cultural creativity. It's a virtuous circle.

 

«When finance takes root in society, when it serves people, companies and communities, it becomes a formidable driver of progress.» -Livia Moretti

 

Will this be a one-off gesture? Can we expect this approach to permanently replace standard business practices?

I believe in being consistent over the long term. What we are doing this year is laying the foundations for a fundamental shift. We will continue to look for useful ways of investing the fruits of our labour in the service of Swiss society. It may take the form of commitments to education, like now, or it could also be innovation, sustainability, culture or inclusion. Anywhere our action is relevant and creates value for the largest number of people.

Can you sum up this first Christmas without tangible presents in a single sentence?

I'd just say: we don't have any shiny wrapping paper under our Christmas tree this year - what we have is a promise for the future tucked inside an envelope.

Any words to finish the interview?

Happy Christmas! And above all, thank you. Thank you to our clients and partners. Your trust is what motivates us to pursue this path. Both today and tomorrow, we want to be a bank that acts for the people who will make the Switzerland of tomorrow.