EBRD invests €10 million in Romania’s first sustainability-linked bond: Car leasing and rental firm Autonom is raising finance for environmentally friendly growth By 2025, the company plans to cut operating fleet’s carbon emissions by 25 per cent The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is investing €10 million in a €48 million sustainability-linked bond issued by Autonom, a Romanian car leasing and rental company. This is Romania’s first sustainability-linked bond and the debut issuance under Autonom’s five-year €250 million corporate bond programme. Autonom’s services include car leasing, fleet management and short-term rental of vehicles. The company is raising finance to pursue environmentally friendly growth. It aims to expand the car fleet to meet increased demand from local business, while reducing its carbon footprint. In line with its sustainability strategy, by 2025, the company plans to cut the operating fleet’s carbon emissions by 25 per cent, and by 51 per cent by 2030. Mark Davis, EBRD Regional Director for Romania and Bulgaria, said: “Autonom’s sustainability-linked bond is a milestone for Romania as the first instrument of this type issued locally. By launching this programme, which underpins Autonom’s ambitious sustainability strategy, the company signals its commitment to significantly reducing its carbon footprint, which is consistent with decarbonisation objectives of European Union countries. We are proud to support Autonom in its sustainability journey.” Marius and Dan Stefan, the co-founders of Autonom, commented: "We believe that the future belongs to companies with valuable, transparent, and responsible business models. These criteria will become a benchmark for all and we believe that the Romanian capital markets will provide extraordinary opportunities for local companies that care about their impact in the society. We appreciate the thoughtful advice, the passion for excellence and the strong commitment of the EBRD. We are grateful for the Bank’s trust, dedication and support for our ambitious vision.” Founded in 2006 in Piatra Neamt by entrepreneurs Marius Stefan and Dan Stefan, Autonom has more than 500 employees and operates a fleet of over 9,000 cars. It is a member of the EBRD’s Blue Ribbon programme, which delivers tailor-made financing and sector-specific advice – covering operational, management and financial advisory – to high-growth small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) over the course of five years. The EBRD is a leading institutional investor in Romania and has invested €9.3 billion through 477 projects in the country to date, with 77 per cent of that in the private sector.
INVOLI, together with Vantage Towers Romania, proudly announces an enhanced strategic partnership aimed at transforming air traffic surveillance throughout Romania regional airports. This initiative marks a significant step in our joint commitment to advancing safety and operational efficiency across all levels of Romanian airspace. Partnership Overview Extended Collaboration: Building on the successful implementation of the […]
Emanuele Nicola Affaticati, a young boy of Romanian origin, will be given the recognition of "Alfiere della Repubblica" (Standard Bearer of the Republic) in Italy for preventing a murder. Emanuele lives in the town of Fiorenzuola D’Arda, in the Piacenza area. In December 2022, he foiled the plan of a man who intended to kill […]
The salaries in the local business services industry have seen a 4% increase in March 2024 compared to September 2023, according to the HR Barometer conducted by the Business Service Leaders Association (ABSL) and PwC Romania. Bucharest leads in salary increase levels at 4.7%, while the region of Banat - Transylvania witnessed an increase of only 2.1%. […]
Romania's Central Electoral Bureau recently published the definitive list of candidacies for the European Parliament elections. According to the BEC decision, 12 political formations and electoral alliances, as well as 4 independents, will participate in the European elections. The candidacies submitted by the Electoral Alliance of Social Democrats and Liberals (PSD-PNL), the United Right Alliance […]
Liberal (PNL) candidate for mayor of Bucharest, Sebastian Burduja, who recently presented his plan for the city, argued that the Romanian capital should strive to become a port on the Danube. The project was first envisioned roughly 170 years ago, in the 1850s, by the Romanian authorities at the time. "It's a project that I […]
Romania will host the third hydrogen bus roadshow this spring as part of the JIVE projects supported and funded by the Clean Hydrogen Partnership, followed by Greece, Bosnia Herzegovina, and Bulgaria. During the first JIVE project CEE roadshow, which ran between November 2022 and January 2023, the bus traveled across Slovenia, Croatia, Czechia, Slovakia, and […]
