The footballer Iñaki Williams, the engineer Javier Martínez, the environmental entrepreneur Antonio Barba, and Dr. Carlos Simón... award-winning philanthropists

What do such different profiles as Iñaki, Javier, Antonio, and Carlos have in common? All four have been recognized this year for their philanthropy projects and social commitment.

(From left to right) Iñaki Williams, Carlos Simón, Javier Martínez and Antonio Barba.

But what is philanthropy? It is a great unknown, although it has always been essential in social development. The word philanthropy derives from the Greek words "philos" and "anthropos," which translate to "love" and "man," meaning "love for humanity." The term was coined in the 4th century, but it remains highly relevant today.

Throughout history, philanthropy has been a driving force in society, promoting the well-being and development of communities through generosity and commitment. With specific traits in each era and geographical context, a philanthropic vocation, formal or informal, arises from personal experience, knowledge of a field that allows identifying challenges or opportunities, or feeling compelled by a particular situation. It is therefore diverse, and its contribution plays a crucial role in society.

The most popular areas for donations include education, health, scientific research, and the fight against poverty. These areas are seen as fundamental for the development and well-being of society. In the field of education, for example, philanthropic initiatives have funded the construction of schools and educational programs that have improved the quality of life for thousands of young people. In the health sector, donations have enabled advances in medical research and access to treatments for serious diseases.

Among this year's national award winners in the CaixaBank Private Banking Philanthropy Awards, we highlight very diverse areas:

Iñaki Williams, along with his brother Nico, has focused on education, creating a school, the Lead International School in Pokuase, located in Greater Accra, the administrative region of Ghana, where their parents were born.

The school offers academic programs designed to provide a comprehensive and high-quality education, including primary education, secondary education, and extracurricular programs. The Williams brothers have also acquired several buses so that students living in remote areas can attend the center, and they cover the education of children whose families cannot afford the tuition through a scholarship system.

In the field of health, the projects of Javier Martínez and the Carlos Simón Foundation have been recognized. In the case of Javier Martínez, after losing his wife in 2012 to cancer, he decided, along with his three children and siblings, to promote the Mari Paz Jiménez Foundation, aimed at funding research on sarcoma cancer and training professionals. Years later, in 2022, determined to save the family home from collapse and give it a second life, Javier Martínez, an engineer by profession, promoted the creation of a meeting center for groups and neighbors in the Quintana neighborhood of the Ciudad Lineal district in Madrid. Today, the center is a meeting point for development, dialogue, education, learning, dissemination, help for disadvantaged groups, associative fabric, and entertainment.

For his part, Dr. Carlos Simón has dedicated his career to reproductive medicine, contributing to the advancement of the sector by changing practice. After leading the launch of Igenomix as a Valencian start-up to become a world-leading multinational in genetic services, since 2022, he has become a philanthropist focused on the social projection of scientific advances in the field. The Carlos Simón Foundation is focused on biomedical research in the field of reproductive medicine and women's health, aimed at clinical translation and education. Its main objective is to improve health, quality of life, and the quality of care services in this field.

In the field of sustainability and protection of the most disadvantaged, the project of Antonio Barba stands out, who has accompanied and advised the Espigoladors Foundation from its inception, an entity that emerged within his family through his daughter Mireia Barba. The Espigoladors Foundation fights against food waste and the right to healthy and sustainable food in an innovative, transformative, and inclusive way, while empowering vulnerable groups. Concerned about food waste, the entity has reached agreements with producers and collects fruits and vegetables that are discarded from the circuit and channels them to free distribution points, recovering nearly three million kilos of fruit and vegetables.

Who are the philanthropists in Spain?

The study "Personal Philanthropy Profiles in Spain" prepared by CaixaBank Private Banking and the IE Foundation (2021) provides a detailed view of the trends and impact of philanthropy in Spain. The report also reveals different profiles of philanthropists in Spain, classifying them into three clearly differentiated types:

• Emotional: Motivated by personal experiences and emotions, seeks to help causes that are close to them.
• Generational: Inherits the family philanthropic tradition and continues the legacy of their ancestors.
• Strategic: Plans their donations with a focus on efficiency and long-term impact.

What motivates them?

The main motivations for giving include the desire to help others, personal satisfaction, and social responsibility. Many donors also seek to leave a legacy and contribute to causes they are passionate about.

Among the latest trends, the report highlights strategic philanthropy, where donors plan their contributions to maximize impact. There is also an increase in unconditional donations, where donors trust organizations to decide how to use the funds most effectively.

CaixaBank Private Banking Philanthropy Service

CaixaBank Private Banking is a pioneer in this field with its Philanthropy service. This service offers personalized advice to its clients, helping them define effective philanthropic strategies. In this way, it acts as a mediator and activator, connecting clients with specialized entities and promoting collaboration and knowledge exchange. CaixaBank offers a selection of charitable causes that guarantee quality, rigor, and transparency, allowing donors to ensure that their resources are used to address specific problems.

The service focuses on:

• Identifying challenges and trusting specialized entities.
• Creating reference spaces to share and learn about leaders in the chosen fields.
• Offering personalized advice to start or improve philanthropic initiatives.

CaixaBank Private Banking Philanthropy Awards

Additionally, the CaixaBank Philanthropy service promotes the culture of philanthropy through meetings, academic studies, and guides that analyze and highlight the context and best philanthropic practices. Within this framework are the Philanthropy Awards, which in 2024 celebrated their seventh edition, highlighting projects that stand out for their altruism, solidarity, and positive impact on society. In the 2024 edition, 210 applications were received, of which, in addition to the four national winners mentioned, seven territorial winners were selected: PRODE Foundation, Othman Ktiri Foundation, Canary Islands Reforestation Foundation, Atrio Cáceres Foundation, Áurea Juárez, Júlia Jové and Enrique García-Chillón.

Promoting philanthropy

But how to promote philanthropy to go beyond individual aid? Here are three recommendations:

• Promote Philanthropic Education: Increase awareness and education about philanthropy to motivate more people to give.
• Facilitate the Connection between Donors and Organizations: Create platforms and networks that connect donors with organizations that need support.
• Encourage Transparency and Accountability: Ensure that beneficiary organizations are transparent and accountable for the use of received funds.