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The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is supporting the expansion of fibre-optic internet technology in Poland, by lending PLN 450 million (€100 million) to Fiberhost and INEA, a wholesale fibre broadband operator and retail telecom services provider that together form a leading Polish telecommunications group owned by Macquarie Asset Management.
The EBRD loan, provided as part of a consortium of local and international lenders, will finance upgrades to Fiberhost’s fibre-to-the-home network, as well as the commercial development of INEA. The improvements are expected to contribute to the growth of the group, with a focus on developing the areas of technology and network services, as well as maintenance and modernisation, ultimately benefitting more than a million Polish households.
The financing is being provided as a sustainability-linked loan, with the interest rate tied to the achievement of specific sustainability targets, including a reduction in scope 1 and scope 2 carbon emissions and the delivery of in-person digital skills training. The group is committed to reaching its net zero target by 2040 and to digital inclusion. Its inclusion initiative aims to build digital awareness and competence among the Polish population.
The loan is the EBRD’s first sustainability-linked loan in the telecoms, media and technology sector.
Marta Wojciechowska, CEO of Fiberhost, said: “We are pleased to have received such significant support from the EBRD. The terms of the loan confirm our belief that sustainable development is not just a fashionable slogan but carries real action. This investment will not only allow us to develop our infrastructure and bring us closer to achieving our environmental goals. It will also help us make technology more accessible to the digitally excluded. Today, removing digital barriers is as important as expanding the network.”
Holger Muent, EBRD Head of Telecommunications, Media and Technology Investments, said: “Investing in telecommunications infrastructure is key to supporting the growth of economies in the digital era. We are delighted to strengthen our partnership with Fiberhost and INEA, not only a leading telecoms player in Poland, but also a champion of sustainability practices that mirror the EBRD’s own.”
Elisabetta Falcetti, EBRD Regional Director for Poland and the Baltic States, said: “Our investment is supporting two of the EBRD’s strategic priorities in Poland – to further its transition to a green, low-carbon economy, and to increase the digitalisation of businesses and services. We are delighted to work with Fiberhost and INEA to bridge the digital divide between rural and urban Poland, which benefits all of its residents.”
Fiberhost and INEA are subsidiaries of ODIN Holdings S.a.r.l, which is owned by Macquarie Infrastructure and Real Assets, part of Macquarie Asset Management. Fiberhost is a leading Polish wholesale broadband operator, providing access to backbone and distribution networks to internet services providers throughout Poland. INEA is a retail provider of broadband, television, mobile and fixed-line telephony services in Poland.
The EBRD is among the leading institutional investors in Poland. Since the start of its operations in the country in 1991, the Bank has invested more than €14.6 billion in 534 projects. In 2023, the Bank invested a record €1.3 billion in Poland. |
