Megatrend

Since 2017 we are transforming Poste from a traditional mail focused operator into an omni-channel platform company positioning the business for sustainable growth and profitability.

Evolving client behaviors demand an integrated, omnichannel approach, Poste Italiane is playing a key role in supporting Post Offices together with the physical points of Third-party Networks in engaging customers and managing their daily needs.

The development of the SuperApp, aims to create the technological infrastructure on which all Poste Italiane services will converge to offer customers a single point of access. The app adapts to the behaviour, digital channel usage habits and needs of the individual client thanks to a high degree of customisation, also supported by Artificial Intelligence, and is based on customisation logics such as dedicated functionalities, relational model, content and visual identity, as well as on a multitude of elements that can be combined together.

The evolution of global megatrends is driving targeted transformation across the Group’s operations.

Artificial Intelligence is a transformative force reshaping economies and operating models across sectors. AI supports productivity gains, cost optimization, and new value creation, particularly through hyper-personalization and real-time decision-making. As AI systems become more accessible, they are also instrumental in bridging digital divides and driving inclusive innovation.

AI is rapidly becoming a critical enabler of transformation — from finance and risk management to supply chain optimization and customer service. Its ability to extract actionable insights from unstructured data improves decision accuracy and operational agility. As regulatory frameworks begin to define standards for ethical and responsible AI use, companies that invest early in governance and transparency will gain a strategic edge in stakeholder trust and compliance readiness.

In recent years, Poste Italiane has embarked on a path of profound technological and digital transformation by investing heavily in technological intensity, the ability to adopt exponential technologies, in its infrastructure and organisation as quickly as possible.

Thanks to the significant technological investments made over the years (e.g.: Cloud and Edge Computing), to date the Group has the largest technology infrastructure in Italy distributed throughout the country. This infrastructure is the basis for the huge omnichannel service and relationship platform that has enabled over 27 million daily customer interactions through physical channels (Post Offices, postmen, third-party physical networks) or digital channels (apps and web) and, by leveraging its extensive coverage throughout the country, aims to make artificial intelligence inclusive by ensuring it reaches its people, its customers, and the country system.

To make Artificial Intelligence fully scalable and sustainable, Poste Italiane has embarked on a path towards an advanced technological platform, based on three fundamental pillars:

• The first pillar concerns the evolution of the Digital Core, namely investment in the digital modernisation of technological infrastructure;
• The second pillar concerns the creation of the Corporate Knowledge Digital Twin, aimed at establishing a structured and easily accessible digital twin of the company’s semantic assets (data, processes, procedures);
• The third pillar involves the implementation of an Agentic AI framework, which enables the transition from passive models to fully autonomous agents capable of reasoning, planning and acting proactively.

Poste Italiane also pays special attention to social issues related to the use of AI and has carried out a project to draw up an Artificial Intelligence Ethics Manifesto, on the assumption that ethics is the key to moving from innovation to sustainable development.

Another area of application is advanced voice interaction enabled by generative AI; in order to ensure maximum accessibility and inclusiveness for all customers, an AI-supported telephone booking service was created that allows anyone to have a conversation in a natural way and easily make an appointment. The aim is to extend this technological asset to other areas to process requests such as tracking a parcel or requesting the blocking of a payment card.

Finally, in marketing, the use of AI aims to ensure the best customer experience based on the individual’s characteristics and context, both reactively (e.g. assistance) and proactively (e.g. application of behavioural triggers) and, in this context, generative AI algorithms are being integrated to hyper-personalise the experience on the SuperApp.

The Group has adopted policies to manage impacts, risks and opportunities related to climate change mitigation, adaptation and energy consumption. To this end, the Group has adopted an Environmental Sustainability Policy, which formalises Poste Italiane’s commitment to promoting environmental protection throughout its value chain.

With the aim of consolidating the European Union’s commitment to the issues of environmental and social sustainability, in June 2020, EU Regulation no. 2020/852 (Taxonomy Regulation) was published in the Official Journal of the European Union, which establishes the criteria through which it is possible to determine whether an economic activity can be considered environmentally sustainable.

In 2025, the Poste Italiane Group also maintained the certification of its Environmental Management System, adopted and certified in accordance with ISO 14001, for all sites in Italy with an applied number of employees greater than 300. The main Group companies have also adopted and obtained third-party certification of their own Environmental Management System, certified according to ISO 14001, which includes procedures and operating instructions to establishing guidelines and operational processes for managing identified environmental aspects and impacts. The objectives identified and their achievement are periodically verified and defined in the management systems review, as well as in periodic monitoring and control activities.

The approach adopted by the Poste Italiane Group to environmental sustainability is inspired by these principles:

• efficiency in the use of resources necessary to carry out business activities, whether on its own or through suppliers and business partners;
• innovation to support a low-carbon economy, through dematerialisation of processes, products and services;
• prevention and reduction of the impact on the environment, including through the analysis of potential environmental risks that are important for Poste Italiane, as well as through the reduction of waste produced and the elimination of waste, with a view to approaching the principle of circular economy;
• promotion of environmental culture, both through its own corporate volunteer network, encouraging employees, partners and, in general, all counterparts to adopt virtuous behaviour and collaborating with nationally recognised environmental associations, supporting targeted projects that can constitute reference practices.

The process of ageing population is a phenomenon that is already clearly visible in the economies of the Eurozone and is destined to become more accentuated in the coming decades, with a reduction in the working-age population compared with the older population, which will instead tend to increase.

Social trends, including increased digital literacy and evolving lifestyles, are driving demand for more personalized, accessible, and hybrid service models. These dynamics challenge traditional delivery frameworks and require adaptive strategies to ensure inclusion and resilience.

In advanced economies, ageing populations are increasing demand for accessible services and pension solutions, while in emerging regions, younger populations are fueling consumption and digital engagement. This divergence calls for differentiated market strategies and social investment approaches.

Aware of the opportunities linked to the ageing of the population and considering the strong impact of demographic trends on its services, the Group has developed specific products for segments of the population with evolving needs such as, for example tailored retirement, insurance, and wealth preservation offerings, leveraging the trust in Poste.

The ongoing demographic and social transformations offer the Group a range of strategic opportunities, enabling it to respond to evolving consumer needs, strengthen its value proposition, and enhance its social and territorial impact:

• increased business opportunities due to changes in consumer needs, based on meeting the needs of the more mature population;
• increased demand for life and P&C; insurance products;
• possibility of implementing staff welfare and well-being plans (e.g. promoting active parenthood) in order to increase labour market attractiveness;
• possibility of accessing funds and contributions for the realisation of initiatives benefiting peripheral urban areas, also taking advantage of the widespread presence in Italy that allows for visibility of the products and services offered throughout the country.

The payments industry is undergoing major changes related to the advent of new technologies and the development of Artificial Intelligence, as well as the proliferation of relevant legislation and regulations (e.g. the European Payment Services Directive - PSD2).

The rise of contactless, mobile, and instant payment solutions reflects a move toward frictionless, secure, and data-rich transactions. This megatrend fosters financial inclusion, enhances transaction efficiency, and opens new opportunities for innovation in financial services and beyond.

Moreover, the shift toward cashless economies enables stronger anti-money laundering compliance, real-time data monetization, and the development of embedded finance models. Payment infrastructure is becoming a strategic asset in the broader platform economy.

During 2025, numerous functionalities were introduced and consolidated to make payment and financial transactions through digital channels easier, faster and safer:

• introduction of instant and free permanent and deferred bank transfers, with the option of changing maximum amounts and automatic verification of correspondence between IBAN and beneficiary, in line with European legislation that came into force on 9 October 2025;
• sending push notifications and in-app alerts to remind of recurring payments due on financial statements;
• contact directory optimisation to support bank transfers, postal orders, in-app top-ups, and tax deduction transfers, with advance viewing of IBAN and bank (or card) number, automatic suggestions, and assisted compilation;
• extension of cardless withdrawals to LIS points of sale;
• activation of international money transfers using the Western Union feature;
• enabling the payment of the passport payment slip, starting from December 2025.

The Italian payment cards market in the first nine months of 2025 show a total domestic value of card transactions of approximately €360 billion, up 7.4% compared to the first nine months of 2024 and confirming the continued expansion of digital payments  in Italy.

The number of transactions grew by 13.2% over the first nine months of 2024 to €8.9 billion, a sign of an increasingly consolidated daily use of cards, also thanks to more widespread use of digital payments by merchants (e-commerce and contactless  Debit card payments).

Mail, Parcel & Distribution

The postal market continues to undergo a period of change linked to the digital transformation, which, on the one hand, leads to a continuous structural decline in traditional mail volumes, stimulating the emergence and development of new digital communication markets (e-substitution), and, on the other hand, to an increase in the volume of parcels sent thanks to the growth of e-commerce, also enabling synergies for the proposal of end-to-end solutions within Contract Logistics.

Financial Services

Escalating international geopolitical tensions, with particular reference to developments in the Middle East involving the United States, Israel and Iran, contributed to increased volatility in the financial markets. In accordance with ESMA communications, the Group has analysed the effects of these developments on its financial position, profit or loss and cash flows, as well as on the main estimates and assumptions used in preparing the financial statements. Based on the analyses carried out, there are currently no significant impacts or evidence of impairment of the assets recognised in this Report.

The evolution of the macroeconomic environment and financial markets will continue to be monitored, assessing any prospective effects that may arise in future reporting periods.

Insurance Services

In Insurance Services, Poste Italiane aims to establish itself as an insurance operator capable of serving all customers’ investment and protection needs.

Postepay Services

During 2026, the Group will be engaged in reorganising its businesses. Within BancoPosta, a “Financial Hub” will be set up, which will include the payments business, aimed at strengthening the customer-centric strategy, providing a single, integrated platform designed to meet customer needs through a wide and coordinated range of financial products and services.

The reorganisation is aimed at strengthening the Group’s two ecosystems, dedicating the PostePay brand to all customers’ everyday needs (current accounts, prepaid cards, loans) and maintaining BancoPosta’s current role for long-term wealth management needs (postal savings, asset management, insurance products).