Credito Artigiano and Ente Nazionale Sordomuti (ENS, a national organization for deaf and non-speaking people) break down barriers in bank-customer communication. The first branch office for the hard of hearing is in the works.

Milan, June 30, 2006 - Virgilio Castelnuovo, President of ENS, and Luciano Camagni, General Director of Credito Artigiano, recently signed a new agreement that allows for the opening of the first branch office for the hard of hearing, as well as important improvements on bank products.

The branch office, operating within the offices in Piazza S. Fedele, in Milan, will be managed by a hard of hearing employee already working for Credito Artigiano, who will be able to understand customers' needs and propose financial services offered by the bank in a clear and accurate way, thus eliminating communication barriers that currently exist.

Credito Artigiano, maintains its commitment to being socially responsible and, once again, shows how a private company can apply the principles of corporate social responsibility through actions that benefit the public good.

The Milan branch's experience will serve as a preliminary step towards the opening of similar branch offices in the other 23 provinces where the Credito Valtellinese Bank Group operates.

Aside from Credito Artigiano, which oversees business in Milan and the surrounding province, Tuscany, and Lazio, with more than 100 branch offices, the Group includes: Credito Valtellinese, Credito Siciliano, and Banca dell'Artigianato e dell'Industria.

For further information, contact:

Roberto Mattoni
335 655 22 39

Roberto Grazioli
335 599 63 04