The Change the World list recognizes companies that are helping address some of society’s biggest challenges.

Santander is the highest bank in the ranking among the top 50 companies included in the list for 2023 thanks to its work over the past 27 years in supporting education, entrepreneurship and employability.

The bank has invested over €2.2 billion to date, helping over 1 million people and businesses – making Santander one of the largest private contributors to education in the world. The bank will invest an extra €400 million between 2023 and 2026.

Madrid, 27 September 2023.
Santander is one of the companies giving back the most to make the world a better place, according to Fortune Magazine's 2023 Change the World list. The list recognizes 50 companies each year that are helping address some of society’s biggest challenges. Santander is the highest bank in the ranking and is listed thanks to the support in the last 27 years to education, employability and entrepreneurship through its universities programme, one of the largest privately-sponsored education initiatives in the world.

Santander has invested over €2.2 billion in the programme since it was founded in 1996, helping over 1 million people achieve brighter career prospects through education, employability and entrepreneurship and making Santander one of the largest private contributors to education in the world. In 2022 alone, the bank dedicated €100 million and helped over 250,000 beneficiaries of scholarships, internships and entrepreneurship programmes. 

Banco Santander, which has been on the list in the past for sustainable finance and micro-entrepreneurship initiatives and is in the 14^th position this year, is firmly committed to progress and inclusive, sustainable growth, with long-standing dedication to education, employability and entrepreneurship that sets it apart from other organisations. The bank delivers it through two core platforms: Santander Scholarships, which helps people improve their employability through lifelong learning, offering grants and free training in professional skills for all ages; and Santander X, which offers opportunities for people who run their own business and helps those small companies to grow and create opportunities for their development.

During the 5^th Universia International Rectors Summit last May in Valencia (Spain), Ana Botín reaffirmed Banco Santander’s continued support “with a pledge to invest an extra 400 million euros between 2023 and 2026 in education, employability and entrepreneurship”. She added: “There is no better social investment than education. This is why Santander decided 27 years ago to focus our efforts on supporting universities.” The summit gathered nearly 700 rectors from 14 countries and represent 14 million students from Europe, the US, Latin America and the UK.

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