Hundreds of Greek schools at all levels stand to benefit from the expansion of the “Marietta Giannakou” program for funding the improvement of primary and secondary education institutions that the country’s four systemic banks announced on Monday, constituting Greece’s greatest corporate social responsibility (CSR) action ever.

Alpha Bank, National Bank, Eurobank and Piraeus Bank have raised their equal contribution by 300 million euros between them from the original €100 million in 2024, taking the sum of the program to €500 million since its launch last year.

The program, named after a former education minister has already benefited a total of 431 nursery, primary and secondary schools across Greece. As announced, banks also intend to make a corresponding additional contribution for the years 2026 and 2027, depending on the progress of the implementation of the program, its needs and the prevailing economic conditions.

The expansion was made on the initiative of the president of the Hellenic Bank Association, Gikas Hardouvelis, and the managing directors of the four main banks – Vassilis Psaltis (Alpha), Pavlos Mylonas (National), Fokion Karavias (Eurobank) and Christos Megalou (Piraeus). This is, as noted in a statement, “the largest CSR initiative ever undertaken in Greece,” which was taken with a sense of responsibility at the invitation of the state and following a meeting they had with the prime minister on Monday at his office.

Piraeus CEO Megalou stated that this project proves the potential and efficiency of the partnership of the state with the public sector, for the benefit of society. His National counterpart, Mylonas, commented that the program “substantially helps the children to evolve and the teachers to continue their demanding work.”

Karavias, the Eurobank chief executive, said the renovation of school buildings around Greece highlights that lenders, besides their contribution to the economy and growth, totally fulfill their broader social mission too, taking the initiative and responding immediately to every need of the country and every emergence. Alpha CEO Psaltis added that “as an industry, we stand by society with consistency, transparency and accountability, so that every social investment we make is transformed into a tangible and lasting result.”

Source: Ekathimerini.com