Milano, 8th February 2023 – Fondazione Milano Cortina 2026 and Eni announce they signed an agreement intended to support the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026.
For Eni, sport is a universal language and a meeting point between different cultures, a tool for social integration, and a symbol of passion and perseverance in achieving goals. The Olympics and Paralympics are the highest expression of sport and its values, and Eni has chosen to support them, recognizing their strategic role for the whole of Italy and sharing their pluralistic vision, focused on diversity and inclusion.
Eni aims to be the energy transition leader and has set its goal of achieving net zero GHG emission from industrial processes and products by 2050 through a detailed decarbonization strategy. Eni already offers a variety of decarbonized products, services and solutions that the company will make available to the Foundation. The Milan Cortina 2026 Games will embrace different territories and cultures over an arc of 22 thousand square kilometers. With a view to sustainability, the Olympic and Paralympics Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 will use 93% of existing facilities and will be an edition close to full gender balance, with a record number of women's events.
All these values are synergic with those of Eni which, through this partnership with the biggest event hosted by Italy in the next 20 years, wants to confirm its commitment to the future of the country and to a more sustainable energy system, through a fair transition that creates long-term value and allows everyone access to reliable and cleaner energy, thus contributing to greater environmental protection.
"The 2026 Winter Olympics, with three years to go, already sport several firsts," stated Giuseppe Ricci, Eni’s Energy Evolution Chief Operating Officer, "and they are all in line with the values we are inspired by. From the circular economy, which inspires the decision to reuse mostly existing venues, to the use of our biofuels and our approach to gender diversity and inclusion. Our support will be geared towards making the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Games more sustainable."
"We are delighted," said Giovanni Malagò, President of the Milano Cortina 2026 Foundation and CONI, "that a player like Eni has decided to accompany the Milano Cortina 2026 Foundation in embracing the ambitious challenge of organizing a faultless edition of the Games. Three years away from 6th February 2026, the opening day of the Olympics, here is another valuable addition to our team and a boost of energy on the path to an event that will put us at the centre of the world's attention."
For Andrea Varnier, CEO of the Milano Cortina 2026 Foundation, "Having a partner like Eni beside us represents, for the Organizing Committee and for the entire country, a testament to the great interest and anticipation felt by all Italians for the upcoming Games. We are proud to team up with a great company, which fully shares our values and invests according to the principles of decarbonization and promoting the national interest. It is a perfect match of intents while striving towards the same goal."
