Heading into the future with a clear focus: why Swiss Post is realigning its IT

By restructuring the IT architecture, we’re ensuring that Swiss Post’s IT is strategically effective – and can make a real contribution to a strong and relevant Swiss Post. We’re making our IT fit for the future with a consistent focus. Swiss Post as a whole wants the internal units to become faster and simpler. To achieve this, we need to reduce the complexity that has built up in our IT systems over the years. This means accelerating our internal processes, simplifying the system landscape and using artificial intelligence effectively and responsibly in our daily business. IT assumes the role of a strategic partner and manages projects together with the business.

How are you approaching the restructuring – what are the key levers?

There are essentially three closely related areas. Firstly, we’re modernizing our system architecture, reducing duplication, outdated systems and certain special solutions over the next few years. Secondly, we’re reducing IT costs by focusing projects and services more on impact and overall costs and by optimizing collaboration with suppliers. And thirdly, we’re driving technology forward, specifically through the targeted use of artificial intelligence (AI). Together with the business, we’re steering IT projects via business IT portfolio management.

How will this change the role of IT in the Group?

This means a clear strengthening of the role of IT. We’re no longer just an implementer or service provider, but a strategic partner operating alongside the business as equals. We also play a leading role in helping the Group to reduce complexity. Put simply, this means we help the business use its money in a targeted way and make follow-up costs more transparent, achieving a greater overall impact with less effort. This new role is challenging. But it also shows that we as IT have now reached a high level of maturity.

What impact will AI have on the future structure of IT?

Artificial intelligence is increasingly becoming an integral part of IT work. We’re convinced that we’ll significantly increase our productivity, quality and speed by using it. We’re making targeted investments in AI and using it wherever it can demonstrably help us – in software development, in IT operations, in knowledge management, in information security and in our employees’ everyday work. For us, AI is not hype, but a strategic tool. At the same time, we’re investing in governance, security and employee empowerment to ensure that AI is used in a trustworthy and responsible manner.

What guidelines apply to the use of AI at Swiss Post – and how do you ensure that opportunities and risks remain balanced?

Responsibility always remains with people: we consciously make our own strategic, ethical and legally relevant decisions. The guidelines are our digital ethics principles and clear directives on governance, security and data protection. AI is not an end in itself – it needs to generate demonstrable benefits. We’re using the new technologies in a targeted way where they help us to automate routines, analyse data and better prepare decisions. And AI is becoming a basic competency. That’s why we’re investing in learning resources and a learning culture so that our employees can use AI securely, responsibly and effectively in their everyday work.