'la Caixa' Foundation and CaixaBank Group are promoting a university chair dedicated to studying the improvement of the quality of life of older citizens, in collaboration with Esade, Comillas Pontifical University and Deusto University

• Tomás Muniesa, Chairman of CaixaBank; Josep Maria Coronas, General Director of 'la Caixa' Foundation; Jaume Guardiola, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Esade Foundation; Antonio Allende SJ, Rector of Comillas Pontifical University; Juan José Etxeberria, Rector of Deusto University; Jaume Masana, Head of Business at CaixaBank; Javier Valle, CEO of VidaCaixa; and Mar Vila, Vice Dean of Esade Business School, took part in the first working meeting for the signing of the initiative’s agreement

• The new 'Chair for Active and Healthy Longevity' aims to become a leading center in Spain for the study of the needs of an increasingly long-lived population: by 2030, one in four Spaniards will be over the age of 60

• CaixaBank is contributing to the creation of the chair as the leading financial institution in the senior segment, with over 4 million clients, a service model that prioritizes older citizens, and a new ecosystem of solutions, Generación+, designed to support clients after retirement

CaixaBank and “la Caixa” Foundation, in collaboration with Esade, Comillas Pontifical University and Deusto University, have launched the new Chair for Active and Healthy Longevity. Tomás Muniesa, Chairman of CaixaBank; Josep Maria Coronas, General Director of “la Caixa” Foundation; Jaume Guardiola, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Esade Foundation; Antonio Allende SJ, Rector of Comillas Pontifical University; Juan José Etxeberria, Rector of Deusto University; Jaume Masana, Head of Business at CaixaBank; Javier Valle, CEO of VidaCaixa; and Mar Vila, Vice Dean of Esade Business School, took part in the initiative’s first working meeting, during which the collaboration agreement between all participating institutions was signed.

The chair aims to become a leading center in Spain for the study of the needs of an increasingly long-lived population and to contribute to improving the quality of life of older citizens. The academic work developed within the framework of the project, focused on savings and financial planning, health and care, education, and the promotion of participation, will explore the challenges of demographic aging from an ethical perspective and help provide evidence for the creation of new socially impactful solutions.

In Spain, more than 12 million people are aged 60 or older, representing a significant segment of the population. By 2030, this group is expected to make up 23% of the population and hold 39% of the country’s net wealth. This is also a generation with a higher level of education than previous ones, a longer life expectancy, and a growing awareness of the importance of living well, requiring solutions for all stages of retirement.

During the signing of the collaboration agreement, Tomás Muniesa, Chairman of CaixaBank, emphasized the importance of this new initiative: “This chair is born as a space for reflection, research, education, and innovation, an example of the union of academic and institutional efforts with a clear goal: to build a future where aging with dignity is a guaranteed right for all”.

For his part, Josep Maria Coronas, General Director of “la Caixa” Foundation, explained: “Caring for older people is part of the Foundation’s DNA, from its origins with Francesc Moragas to the new Strategic Plan, which prioritizes longevity as a major social challenge. We will continue to respond to the new needs and opportunities of this group, as we currently do with a program involving more than 500,000 older people across Spain each year, promoting activities and support to improve their quality of life and prevent unwanted loneliness”.

Jaume Guardiola, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Esade Foundation, highlighted: “It is an honor to collaborate with the leading group in solutions for older citizens. Demographic evolution and aging are issues we must bring to the forefront of the debate and make visible. This chair is a valuable asset, and we must rise to the occasion”.

Next, Antonio Allende SJ, Rector of Comillas Pontifical University, pointed out: “We are facing a human, social, and economic challenge”. Allende has emphasized: “We fully embrace the commitment to act as a social thermometer and compass, focusing on comprehensive analysis with an honest and transformative perspective”.

Juan José Etxeberria, Rector of Deusto University, affirmed: “We are opening a door to the future, a future where longevity is no longer a feared challenge but a shared opportunity. A future where living longer also means living better”. “At Deusto, we believe that only a comprehensive, ethical, social, cultural, and spiritual approach will allow us to respond to this issue with humanity and wisdom”, the Rector added.

Jaume Masana, Head of Business at CaixaBank, took the opportunity to outline the pioneering measures that have positioned CaixaBank as a key player in this field: “We were the first institution to offer unrestricted teller hours, to advance monthly pension payments to the 24th of each month, to provide dedicated customer service lines and WhatsApp support with fully trained advisors and above all, to maintain our commitment to rural areas while expanding our presence in communities at risk of exclusion through mobile banking offices. These are all measures aimed at improving the quality of life of our more than 4 million senior clients”.

Javier Valle, CEO of VidaCaixa, stated: “We feel deeply connected to this chair because it’s not just theory for us, it’s a reality we live every day in our business”. Valle went a step further by stating: “Life expectancy has changed dramatically: we’ve gone from imagining 9 years after retirement to envisioning 25. This new stage, this second life within life, deserves to be lived fully, with purpose and quality. And through our commitment, we want to be there to support and respond to these new needs”.

Finally, Mar Vila, Vice Dean of Esade Business School, closed the event by thanking all the institutions for their commitment and joining “a project where we can achieve great results through private and academic collaboration aimed at improving people’s lives.”

Strategic and Multidisciplinary Collaboration

The project is supported by three prestigious universities, Esade, Comillas Pontifical University and Deusto University, located in Barcelona, Madrid, and Bilbao, respectively. These institutions will contribute their expertise in key areas such as leadership, health, technology and social innovation.

One of the key initiatives will be the launch of an interactive digital platform with public access, which will compile up-to-date data and metrics to support the development of targeted services and inclusive social policies. This tool will serve as the foundation for an annual report aimed at guiding institutions and companies in their decision-making processes.

The organizational structure of the chair will consist of an executive committee responsible for management and decision-making; an advisory board made up of strategic partners who will define the mission and objectives; and an academic council to ensure academic excellence and innovation.

Among the topics on the five-year agenda are: challenges facing the healthcare system and support for dependency, the sustainability of the pension system, public/private alternatives for long-term care funding, the legal framework for home equity release, corporate longevity support indexes, long-term savings strategies, senior employability, and the ethical dimensions of population aging, among others.

“la Caixa” Foundation

The budget of “la Caixa” Foundation for this year reaches €655 million, marking a record in the organization’s history. Over the past decade, the Foundation has allocated more than €5 billion to the development of social, research, educational, and cultural initiatives, with the aim of contributing to the betterment of society, especially its most vulnerable groups.

In 2024, the Foundation’s total budget was €600 million, meaning that the allocation for this year represents a 9% increase. Of the total investment planned for 2025, nearly 60%, more than €370 million, will be dedicated to the development of social transformation programs.

CaixaBank: Commitment to Generación+

CaixaBank’s contribution to the creation of the chair is part of its Generación+ initiatives, a value proposition designed to provide retirement planning, ongoing support, and improvements in quality of life during the aging process.

Through this initiative, the bank reinforces its purpose of accompanying clients throughout every stage of life with innovative solutions, including financial planning and protection services, as well as proposals related to assisted care, support for dependency, volunteering, leisure, and education.

Generación+ is one of the key lines of action outlined in the 2025–2027 Strategic Plan, under the objective of accelerating growth by improving customer service quality. As the leading financial institution in Spain and a benchmark in the senior segment, with more than 4 million clients over the age of 65 and a 34% share of pension payments, CaixaBank is developing a senior-focused ecosystem to provide comprehensive support to this demographic, reinforcing its long-standing commitment to prioritizing their needs.

Among the measures already implemented are: training all branch employees in specialized care for older clients, expanding rural coverage through mobile banking offices, launching an in-branch support plan for individuals with mobility challenges to reduce waiting times, and improving accessibility across digital channels and ATMs, including passbook modules in all machines.

Clients can also access teller services without time restrictions or contact their advisor via WhatsApp. They benefit from a dedicated phone line for seniors, and pension payments are consistently credited on the 24th of each month, regardless of weekends or holidays.

In addition, CaixaBank’s volunteer program, made up of current and former employees, clients, and their families, demonstrates the institution’s active commitment to supporting older people.