Poste Italiane was among the protagonists of the works of the UN Global Compact, the initiative that encourages companies worldwide to promote sustainable policies. A commitment that comes at a very special time for Poste, which is celebrating 160 years during which it has always accompanied the country in its development. The Group represents in fact a network that has connected the country for over a century and a half with 12,800 post offices, 121,000 employees, over half of which are women, EUR 586 billion in financial assets and EUR 3.1 billion of planned investments in strategic assets. Through its leadership in the logistics, financial, insurance and payment services sectors, Poste Italiane plays a key role in creating economic value for both the stakeholders directly impacted by its business activities and the country as a whole. For Poste Italiane, being sustainable means acting responsibly and following the rules, paths and principles shared with all stakeholders involved to contribute to achieving a green and fair future for all.
Responsible growth
This is why sustainability is the focal point, the core of every action of the Group, as we learn from its goal to ‘grow responsibly through the decisive contribution of its people to the sustainable success, innovation, digitisation and social cohesion of the country’. Sustainability is the main theme of the ‘Sustain & Innovate 24’ Strategic Plan and of the update of the Business Plan itself, called ‘Sustain & Innovate 24 Plus’, where the aim is to achieve a low-carbon, inclusive economy that protects the people and communities in which Poste operates, while maintaining a constant dialogue and cooperation with them over time.
Concrete projects
Poste Italiane is a unique enterprise in terms of size, recognisability and extensiveness: as mentioned, the Group’s activities generate significant impacts throughout the territory, maintaining the focus on achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). A few examples may be useful to better understand how the goals are pursued: when it comes to SDG 5 on gender equality, Poste supported more than 10 dedicated projects, created institutional awareness-raising messages on gender-based violence (on the screens of Postamat ATMs), fully financed the ‘Autonomia abitativa donne vittime di violenza’ project (Housing autonomy for women victims of violence) and participated, with 700 employees, in the digital programme to strengthen parenting skills. In the area of sustainable and modern energy (which relates to SDG 7), approximately 98% of the Group’s electricity requirements have been implemented – in 2021 through the acquisition by Europa Gestioni Immobiliari – 100% of which comes from renewable sources certified through Guarantees of Origin. Finally, in order to promote SDG 9 on building resilient infrastructure, inclusive and sustainable industrialisation, and fostering innovation, Poste Italiane has embarked on a complete renewal of its vehicle fleet, going from 11% green vehicles in 2016 to 15% in 2021. The goal is to replace the entire fleet with low emissions vehicles by 2022.
Shared value
Among the specific pillars of Poste’s strategy, we also find ‘Creating Value for the Country’ which expresses the commitment to generate and deliver shared value for Italy and local communities. Progetto Pilota Green in Liguria, which includes new planting and a green plan to renew the fleet, and participation in the Cresco Awards Sustainable Cities, where Poste chose three projects from small municipalities that stood out for their sustainable development, are an example of this. Then there is the Smart Letter Box initiative, with 57 letter boxes with screens in Rome, Milan and Turin.
