EIB and UniCredit Launch €56.5 Million Fund for Inclusive Hiring in Serbia

The capital is split between UniCredit Bank Serbia and UniCredit Leasing, with €50 million in loans bolstered by €6.5 million in grants. This structure forms part of the EIB’s social impact-incentive credit lines, which reward companies for meeting concrete diversity benchmarks rather than mere policy commitments. By integrating financial incentives with technical assistance, the program seeks to move beyond entry-level hiring to prioritize long-term career advancement for historically marginalized workers.

Richard Amor, EIB Director for Enlargement and Neighbourhood, noted that the initiative strengthens Serbia’s economic resilience and accelerates its integration into the EU market. For local firms, the partnership offers a bridge to growth while formalizing inclusion as a standard business practice. UniCredit CEO Nikola Vuletić highlighted that this expanded agreement builds on the success of previous collaborations, which have already funneled €240 million to over 1,000 Serbian companies. This fourth joint operation marks a significant shift in the local lending landscape, positioning equal opportunity as a core component of private-sector investment strategies.