Bank of Valletta has upped its investment in its scan and digitisation project by investing in a newly relocated Digital Operations Unit. The Bank is gaining momentum in its project to scan and digitise documentation, with the main aim of improving data security while supporting the Bank’s efforts in its transition to a more environmentally friendly bank. Since November 2022, the Digital Operations Unit has scanned over 46 million pages of documents that were located in the Bank’s archives.

Bank of Valletta Chairperson Dr Gordon Cordina, CEO Kenneth Farrugia and Chief Operations Officer Ernest Agius recently paid an official visit to the newly relocated Digital Operations Unit responsible for the digitisation project. During this visit, the Executive Team had the opportunity to experience the Bank’s digitising process first-hand and meet the staff responsible for this transformation.

Noel Vassallo, Head of Digital Operations Unit, stated that “the electronic filing system not only facilitates the quick retrieval of documents; it also ensures full compliance with legal and regulatory obligations, where we only retain physical copies of documentation that the Bank is legally required to keep.”

BOV’s Chief Operations Officer, Ernest Agius, explained that this system is improving the Bank’s operational processes, reducing the need for physical storage and enhancing the retrieval and management of documents. He added that “BOV is working tirelessly to make its entire documentation digital so that we can do away with paper. It is another step in the right direction in support of sustainability, having already introduced digital signatures on bank applications and agreements. In the first six months of 2025, the Bank has saved over 44,600 sheets of paper. More benefits are expected to be reaped as the initiative continues to gather speed.

Bank of Valletta is positioning sustainability at the forefront of its business investment, with Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) practices at the heart of the Bank’s operations. The Bank’s ESG strategy is based on striving towards a net-zero impact and climate resilience in internal activities, manifested in initiatives such as the digitisation of documentation. Other initiatives include eco-efficient projects aimed at reducing both direct and indirect emissions, generally referred to as Scope 1, 2 and 3.

As part of the Bank’s commitment to contribute to the reduction of the country’s carbon footprint, it also introduced the walk-to-print concept, eliminating printing devices in each office at BOV Centre. This has decreased printing considerably, saving €53,000 in paper and €20,000 in printing costs. This equates to a reduction of at least 6.7 million sheets of paper or 31 tonnes of CO² less.