The European Investment Bank (EIB) and Poste Italiane announced the signing of a €450 million finance contract to explore ways to “boost service digitalisation and the creation of a more modern, efficient, and sustainable logistics and postal ecosystem.”
Apart from the enhancement of logistic processes, the contract or the loan also involves a green component.
The green aspect of the agreement between the two parties involves “direct investment in energy efficiency improvements and the electrification of the electrification of company’s vehicle fleet”.
All the enhancements facilitated by the funds will contribute to accelerating Poste Italiane’s transformation.
The funds will help the postal service transition from a conventional provider to a full logistics provider emphasizing economically and environmentally sustainable processes.
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The agreement was signed in Rome by EIB Vice-President Gelsomina Vigliotti and Poste Italiane CEO Matteo Del Fante.
EIB Vice-President Gelsomina Vigliotti said, “Our partnership with Poste Italiane is a concrete example of how financial institutions can work with large companies to promote innovation, sustainability, and energy efficiency.”
She added, “This loan is a key step in ensuring that Poste Italiane can continue to evolve and meet the requirements of a rapidly changing marketplace, offering ever-more efficient and sustainable services to individuals and businesses.”
The EIB has been working with Poste Italiane for around 25 years, with ten agreements signed totalling almost €3.3 billion, of which €1.273 billion (including the new loan, which has not yet been disbursed) is current exposure.
This partnership has contributed to the digitalisation of services, the development of IT and logistics infrastructure, sustainable mobility, and energy efficiency.