euNetworks expands sustainability-linked loan framework with new network development and GRESB targets

European fiber infrastructure provider euNetworks has introduced two new environmental performance targets within its €1.26 billion ($1.46 billion) Sustainability-Linked Loan (SLL), deepening its commitment to lower-carbon network expansion across the region. The revised framework adds Network Development 'Impact by Design' Plans, which embed sustainability considerations into the earliest stages of major infrastructure projects, alongside a target tied to continuous improvement in the company's GRESB infrastructure benchmark score.

The new targets are designed to complement—rather than replace—euNetworks' existing commitments, including its goal of achieving Net Zero by 2040, a supplier engagement program, and investments in carbon measurement tools. The company also confirmed that its gender diversity target remains unchanged within the framework, which was originally established through a €760 million ($882 million) SLL signed in 2021 to support fiber network expansion across Europe. That facility was refinanced and expanded in 2024 to its current €1.26 billion ($1.46 billion) size, backed by a syndicate of infrastructure-focused lenders.

The Network Development 'Impact by Design' Plans will apply to major network construction projects, which represent a significant share of euNetworks' annual capital investment and account for roughly two-thirds of the company's current greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Under the new framework, euNetworks will work with construction partners during the design phase to evaluate lower-carbon materials and reduce the environmental footprint of these large-scale undertakings. The GRESB target, meanwhile, aligns the company's governance, environmental management, and operational performance with an internationally recognized benchmark specific to infrastructure.

"Our new SLL targets mark an important step in euNetworks' commitment to growing our business sustainably, focusing our efforts on the areas where we can deliver the greatest impact," said Marisa Trisolino, CEO of euNetworks. "The introduction of our NetDev Impact by Design Plans represents a significant evolution in how we approach major network development projects, embedding sustainability considerations from the very beginning of the design and planning process. This is complemented by our GRESB score improvement target, which provides a rigorous measure of ESG performance for organizations delivering infrastructure-led growth. Together, these targets will help us drive meaningful emissions reductions across euNetworks, for our customers and for our wider supply chain."

The company said the combined SLL targets and existing commitments are intended to drive practical actions that influence both suppliers and customers, while improving transparency and decision-making across the value chain. For the wider data center and network infrastructure sector, the move signals a growing trend among European infrastructure operators to tie financing costs directly to measurable environmental outcomes, particularly as demand for high-capacity fiber networks continues to rise in support of AI-driven workloads and cloud expansion.