With the direct antecedent of the Reial Companyia de Filats de Cotó del Principat de Catalunya in 1771, Foment del Treball and the industrialists that it represented led the incipient Industrial Revolution that throughout the 19th century marked Catalonia as a leading territory in Spain and in Mediterranean Europe.
Foment del Treball was also a pioneer institution in the training of professionals and technical cadres who, along with the business initiative, made possible the industrialization process that brought Catalonia to be approved by the most advanced societies at the time.
At the turn of the 20th century, Foment became what it is today: a point of reference for Catalan society and its economic life. The active participation in the most transcendental events of Catalonia and Spain at the end of the 19th century exemplified its decisive promotion of entities such as the Escola Industrial de Barcelona, the Zona Franca of Barcelona, the Chambers of Industry and Commerce, the Associació d’Enginyers Industrials, and la Caixa d’Estalvis i Pensions de Barcelona (“la Caixa”); all entities with important economic and social relevancy for the country.
In the 21st century, Foment has a young and prepared staff that responds to the representation and consultation needs of the associates from different areas and departments.
