Letter from the Managing Director

In Spain, 2024 unfolded amid the inevitable effects of political changes and global geopolitical events, alongside a favourable performance of the domestic economy. Thanks mainly to the strength of tourism, exports, public consumption and industrial resilience, Spain has maintained GDP growth above that of the Eurozone and achieved gradual disinflation.

These factors have had a positive impact on the labour market, which ended 2024 with an average of 21.3 million people registered with Social Security, and the lowest unemployment rate for 17 years, since December 2007, according to data from the Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migrations.

In this context, during the last year Mutua Universal increased its covered workers by 3.13%, reaching 1,766,244 workers (1,483,459 employed and 282,785 self-employed), with 159,095 member companies. This is reflected in a 6.9% increase in social security contribution revenues, which totalled €1,779 million.

This, together with the positive trend in the rate of work-related injuries and occupational illnesses – which fell by 3.3% in 2024 compared to the previous year – partly offset the rise in benefit payments in this category.

However, in terms of non-occupational illness or injury, absenteeism due to temporary incapacity continues to worsen year after year. The lack of adequate and necessary funding led to a 7.3% increase in benefits paid by the organisation in 2024 in response to these cases. Mutua Universal, along with the wider sector of mutual societies collaborating with the Social Security system, will continue to work closely with the public administration, offering our full commitment and resources to help reverse this trend, which hampers business productivity, workers’ wellbeing and the competitiveness of the Spanish economy.

Nonetheless, Mutua Universal closes the year with a positive balance in the main solvency and liquidity indicators, returning €15.18 million in payments to the General Treasury of Social Security. This undeniably contributes to the welfare state through the work that defines us – which now encompasses much more than just workplace accidents. We have once again shown this by administering the extraordinary benefits set up to support workers and businesses affected by the DANA weather phenomenon, supporting economic and social recovery efforts in the affected areas. May I take this opportunity to express our deepest condolences and solidarity with the families and loved ones of those impacted by the storm.

During the last year, Mutua Universal invested €9.1 million in refurbishing and maintaining facilities and equipment. Our network consists of 133 centres, two hospital control areas in Madrid and Barcelona, and two inter-mutual hospitals in Bilbao and Valencia. Supported by advanced remote digital services such as Clínica Online – our proprietary telemedicine solution with over two decades of experience – tele-rehabilitation, eConsultation for quick medical consultations and virtual reality applied to psychological therapies, among other innovations, we managed to provide more than 1.3 million primary care visits, over 500,000 rehabilitation sessions and more than 6,000 hospital admissions in 2024.

This achievement, which ensures universal and equitable access to specialised and hospital care, is made possible by a team of 2,059 highly qualified professionals who, driven by a strong service ethos, deliver professional, person-centred, holistic and responsible care, with innovation consistently placed at the service of people.

This vision has been promoted by the 2021–24 Strategic Plan, “The People’s Mutual. Collaborating through Innovation”, which guided the organisation’s work over the past four years by placing people at the centre of all actions with the aim of humanising healthcare and fostering collaboration and digitalisation. This vision is now fully embedded within the organisation through the implementation of the new 2025–27 Strategic Plan, “Innovation in the Service of People.”

The new plan, which will guide the future of Mutua Universal in an increasingly complex environment, is inspired by the roll-out of the entity’s Cibeles programme – an ambitious initiative already addressing the challenges of tomorrow. Because we have the responsibility to look beyond the present and prepare for the challenges ahead. This ambition, looking 10 to 15 years ahead, marks the start of a major transformation across all our areas of operation and collaboration with the Administration and the sector. For this reason, under the motto “Innovation in the Service of People”, the 2025–27 Strategic Plan is structured around three strategic pillars: developing innovative and personalised solutions applied to health and services; efficiency and intelligent data management; and organisational agility and internal talent. Always keeping people front and centre, true to our purpose of protecting and caring for their health and wellbeing.

I would like to extend my thanks to Mutua Universal’s professionals who, through their daily dedication and professionalism, enable our member companies and covered workers to benefit from this innovative, agile and inclusive ecosystem – one that supports people’s health, strengthens business competitiveness and contributes to the sustainability of the welfare state. They embody the values of integrity, a people-centred approach, professionalism, responsibility and innovation with which the organisation provides its services.

Thanks also to all the companies, workers and collaborating entities that place their trust in our organisation. Our achievements are shared with you.

Finally, I would like to thank the members of Mutua Universal’s Board of Directors for their continued commitment to promoting the forward-looking vision that our organisation requires, for endorsing our strategic direction, and for their excellent work representing the mutual society. I would also like to express my appreciation to our Chairman, Jaime Aguirre de Cárcer y Moreno, whose outstanding leadership has been recognised through his appointment as Vice-Chair of the Association of Mutual Insurance Societies for Workplace Accidents (AMAT) for the next four years.

Thank you very much.