The European Investment Bank (EIB) to loan EUR 100 million to SG Equipment Leasing Polska aimed at green financing of SMEs in Poland

Poland: Supporting green investments by small and medium sized businesses – EIB and SG Equipment Leasing Poland (SGEF Poland) sign new agreement

• SG EQUIPMENT LEASING POLSKA (SGEF Poland) receives EIB financing of EUR 100m to support the development of SMEs and Midcaps in Poland.
• The loan will facilitate acceleration of pro-climate action, especially projects supporting greenhouse gases reduction and low-carbon emissions.

(PRESS RELEASE) LUXEMBOURG, 13-Dec-2022 — /EuropaWire/ — The European Investment Bank (EIB), the lending arm of the European Union, has announced it provided EUR 100 million to SG Equipment Leasing Polska, a major player on the financing of machinery and equipment market in the country, part of part of the Societe Generale group, aimed at SMEs and Midcaps in Poland. The loan will also facilitate the development of climate action projects, with a special focus on greenhouse gas reduction and low-carbon emissions. The financing includes support for sustainable mobility, low carbon vehicles, low-emission industrial and agricultural machinery and renewable energy projects. Essentially, 80% of the investments will boost economic development in Poland’s cohesion regions.

SGEF Poland and EIB co-operation dates back to 2010 with 9 agreements signed. SGEF Poland follows its parent company’s strategy focussing on pro-climate and energy transition investments. Within their Climate Action/Green investments’ programme the company has supported modernisation towards lower emissions from industrial vehicles and with current agreement this support will be continued and enhanced.

According to The EIB Investment Survey, the Polish SME sector has understood urgency to invest in activities mitigating climate change. 39% of Polish companies have already invested in actions preventing climate change, while half (48%) plan to do so within the next three years. In addition, more than one third (36%) of Polish companies have invested in measures to improve energy efficiency.

The European Investment Bank is one of the world’s main financiers of climate action and environmental sustainability globally. As the EU’s climate bank, the EIB is committed to support the European Green Deal, help Europe become the first carbon-neutral continent by 2050 and contribute to the achievement of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. In Poland, in 2021, EIB loans supporting the green transformation of the Polish economy reached 42% of the total lending of EUR €6.5 bn.

The SME sector in Poland represents 99.8% of enterprises and is responsible for 67.7% of employment. Supporting SME development is one of the key priorities for the EIB Group – in 2021 small and medium-sized businesses received funding from the EIB Group (which included the EIB and its subsidiary the European Investment Fund) of EUR 1.78 billion, of which around EUR 640 million was allocated specifically to ease the impact of COVID-19.

Vice-President of the European Investment Bank, prof. Teresa Czerwinska said: “Supporting the growth of SMEs and mid-caps is key to sustain economic growth in these challenging times. Companies in this sector, compared to large corporations, were particularly vulnerable to the negative effects of both the pandemic and the current crisis. Therefore, it is important to provide business with as many financing opportunities as possible so that companies can implement their green transformation plans. We are glad that we can tighten cooperation with SG Equipment Leasing Polska and provide Polish entrepreneurs with attractive financing for their ambitious projects. Supporting SMEs, mid-caps and climate action are top priorities for the EIB Group and we are proud to have such an experienced partner on our side.”

Background information

The European Investment Bank (EIB)  finances projects in four priority areas — infrastructure, innovation, climate and environment, and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

SG Equipment Leasing Poland (SGEF Poland) is part of the Societe Generale group headquartered in Paris. As one of the largest leasing group in Europe, our aim is to be “The worldwide partner for integrated equipment solutions creating sustainable and positive impact for the planet.” In Poland, SGEF focuses on the financing of machinery and equipment (financing in the form of leasing or loans) in 4 sectors: agriculture, transportation, industry and high technology (IT, medical and green energy).

Media contact:

Katarzyna Karpiuk
k.karpiuk@ext.eib.org
+352 4379 – 70611

Press Office
press@eib.org
+352 4379 – 21000

SOURCE: European Investment Bank