Correos and CaixaBank have signed a partnership agreement to expand access to cash throughout Spain. This bilateral arrangement is part of the partnership agreement signed between Correos and the Spanish Confederation of Savings Banks (CECA) and other professional associations of the financial sector (AEB and Unacc) to make it easy to withdraw cash in all of Spain.
The goal is to give everyone, regardless of age and place of residence, access to cash as close to their homes as possible. To this end, the partnership protocol plans to make it possible for CaixaBank customers to request a cash delivery to their home, up to 500 euros, to be delivered by a rural postal carrier. Similarly, the agreement includes the option of letting CaixaBank customers deposit and withdraw cash wherever Correos provides customer service.
Present at the signing of the agreement were Juan Manuel Serrano, the president of Correos; Gonzalo Gortázar, CaixaBank's CEO; and Jaume Masana, the bank's Business Director. Juan Manuel Serrano, the president of Correos, noted that “Correos is making available to CaixaBank the connectivity and full territorial coverage of our network of offices and rural services, to contribute to financial inclusion throughout Spain and guarantee access to cash to everyone, including in rural areas".
For his part, Gonzalo Gortázar mentioned how the agreement strengthens the bank's service model: “CaixaBank, which is present in over 2,200 municipalities, is the Spanish bank with the largest network of branches, and with the most coverage in rural areas; 40% of our branches are located in towns with fewer than 10,000 inhabitants. Not only are we firmly committed to remaining in all the localities where we are currently present, but we also provide services to a further 628 municipalities through mobile branches. In this context, combining our efforts with Correos helps us reinforce the service we provide in every geographic area”.
A broad geographical presence across Spain
According to CaixaBank's estimate, around 900,000 people currently live in a town with no branches or ATMs of any bank, and on top of this, many of them are senior citizens.
The agreement with Correos will allow the bank to make cash accessible to its customers throughout Spain. Correos is making its network of 2,389 offices and its nearly 6,000 rural mail carriers available to CaixaBank, meaning CaixaBank customers who have problems travelling to a branch due to mobility problems, or because they live in towns where the bank does not have a branch, will be able to rely on a reinforced service that gives them better access to cash.
The agreement will be implemented in the next few months through a specific protocol that will tailor the services offered by Correos to the characteristics of CaixaBank's service model for rural areas. To explore the best way to collaborate, a joint multidisciplinary team was created to implement access to the new services for CaixaBank customers in a way that prioritises said access for people of any age, without the need to have an Internet connection or a smartphone.
Commitment to financial inclusion in all of Spain
Correos is thus contributing to financial inclusion throughout Spain, and helping ensure that everyone - both those living in rural areas and those most affected by the digital divide - has access to cash, which will also have a positive effect on the economic development of these areas.
Correos will continue offering its services to businesses, institutions and administrations to promote and develop the activity of its office network, an asset that guarantees everyone's access to this public service and contributes to the territorial cohesion and to the economic growth of people and companies, in both urban and rural areas of Spain.
About Correos:
Correos was founded over 300 years ago and, following a process of constant adaptation to the market, is today the leading operator in this sector in Spain. Currently, the company's strategy is focused on internationalisation, sustainability and the digital transformation. With more than 48,000 professionals, the company provides services to the public through its network of 2,389 offices, making nearly 6.6 million daily deliveries. The Correos Group has 3 subsidiaries: Correos Express, dedicated to urgent parcels; Nexea, specialising in multi-channel solutions for mass corporate communications; and Correos Telecom, which manages and markets telecommunication infrastructures. Part of the SEPI Group, it is part of a business holding company that spans a total of 15 state-owned companies.
About CaixaBank:
CaixaBank is the top financial group in Spain, with over 590 billion euros in assets, and one of Europe's leading banks. Furthermore, CaixaBank has a strong presence in Portugal, where it fully controls BPI. The group has more than 20 million customers, the largest network of branches and ATMs in Spain and Portugal, and is a leader in digital banking, with more than 11 million digital customers.
CaixaBank is currently present in more than 2,200 municipalities in Spain. In addition, through its mobile branch service, it provides financial coverage to a further 628 towns not only to CaixaBank customers, but to anyone in need of basic financial services.
The company is fully committed to maintaining a presence in rural areas, and is relying on this network to engage with its customers and promote the financial inclusion of the entire population, regardless of where they live.
