A Short History of the World Savings Banks Institute
The International Savings Banks Institute was founded in 1924 in Milan at the occasion of the First International Thrift Congress. This congress had been organised by the Cassa di Risparmio delle Provincie Lombarde . In its resolutions, the Congress stated that the creation of a permanent International Savings Banks Institute would be
"advantageous and indispensable for the better mutual acquaintance of all Savings Banks and for the increased development and co-ordination of their activities."
The internal rules of the Institute were approved in Milan on 28 June 1925.
One of the first activities of the Institute was the organisation of an International Savings Banks Congress. The Institute also proclaimed 31 October as 'World Savings Day'.
Until the Second World War the headquarters of the International Savings Banks Institute remained in Milan. By the end of the War, Milan had suffered from heavy bombardments and in 1948 the Institute moved to Amsterdam. With a new structure comprising a range of committees and working groups, the International Savings Banks Institute was better placed to function according to its international character.
In 1969, the Institute was again relocated, this time to Geneva where it remained until 1994.
In 1994, the International Savings Banks Institute was dissolved. The newly created World Savings Banks Institute (WSBI) was established in Brussels on 9 June 1994 to be managed by a World Savings Banks Institute - European Savings Banks Group (WSBI-ESBG) common secretariat.
The European Savings Banks Group was founded in 1963 as the 'Savings Banks Group of the European Economic Community'. The association changed its name to European Savings Banks Group in 1988.
World Congresses
WSBI World Congresses have addressed global trends that affect both savings banks and their customers.
Important representatives from the worlds of finance, politics, philosophy and civil society and from international economic institutions, development organisations and the academia come together at this forum. They are invited to present their vision of the economy and of the society and confront the trends and challenges facing savings banks. These events provide a unique occasion to place savings banks’ activities in a global context and to help them develop a vision for future trends and opportunities.
There have been 21 WSBI World Congresses since the first event in 1924: 16 took place in Europe, 1 in the US, 1 in Latin America (Colombia) and 3 in Asia (Singapore and Japan).
Since World War II, WSBI World Congress have taken place once every three years.
Click here for the proceedings of the 21st World Congress
Click here for a preview of the 22nd Congress
Archives of the International Savings Banks Institute, 1924-1994
The WSBI-ESBG Joint Office safeguards the historical archives of the International Savings Banks Institute. The archives of the Institute are an important source for historical research on the evolution of the financial industry. Detailed requests for information can be addressed to: info@savings-banks.com