Beyond climate: Sustainability-linked loans embrace diverse targets
Loans linking borrowing costs to sustainability targets have surged in recent years. While sustainability-linked loans have tended to focus on climate-related goals, borrowers are increasingly going beyond climate to include social targets in their financing.
EU Taxonomy: The period of misalignment for sustainable finance
This year marks the most complete test yet on how well the proposed regulatory elements and labels from the European Commission’s action plan on sustainable finance will work together. In addition to providing transparency to the market, the EU Taxonomy is a cornerstone of the forthcoming European Green Bond Standard (EUGBS) as it provides the definitions of “green” for European Green Bonds.
A check-in on Nordic companies’ EU Taxonomy reporting
This year marked the inaugural year for companies in scope for EU Taxonomy reporting to disclose not only eligibility, but also EU Taxonomy alignment for the objectives included in the Climate Delegated Act. Nordea ESG Research shows that the alignment numbers are surprisingly low for Nordic companies.
'Green sustainability-linked bonds': Getting to the heart of accountability and impact in sustainable financing
As the sustainable finance market has grown, expectations from both investors and society at large have increased. To mitigate challenges faced by the traditional green and sustainability-linked financing formats, issuers of combined structures are paving the way for new “best-in-class” sustainable finance products, both ensuring transparent impacts and intentional sustainable development.
One-of-a-kind green bond from Landshypotek Bank sets new record
Landshypotek Bank is one of the only banks in the world to issue green covered bonds that exclusively finance sustainable forestry. The bank's recent bond reissuance drew record investor interest, confirming that Swedish forest owners attract investors.
From ambition to action: A call for investment in the green transition
A series of all-star speakers gathered at Nordea’s recent Nordic AAA Seminar in Copenhagen to discuss the imperative for increased green investment and the financial sector’s vital role in the transition.
As a bank, Nordea has a unique opportunity to facilitate our clients' transition towards a more sustainable and net-zero future. Regulations and policy measures must support banks in this task, says Martin Persson, Head of Large Corporates & Institutions, in Views: The Eurofi Magazine.
While the global sustainable bond market made a definite, if somewhat muted, return to growth in Q1 2023, the Nordic market stood out once again, showing strength despite some concerns carried over from 2022. With record sustainable volumes in Q1 and notable traction in the corporate Eurobond market, sustainable financing has found a successful home in the Nordics.
European Sustainability Reporting Standards: the introduction and formalisation of concepts
The European Sustainability Reporting Standards are a core component of the sustainability reporting landscape within the European Union, providing the mandatory reporting framework to be followed under the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive. As alignment across EU regulation increases, it is important to be aware of definitions and concepts introduced under each new proposal.
As the need for decisive action on climate change becomes ever more pressing and present, so does the need for corporate accountability and well-defined pathways towards a lower-emissions future. We use SBTi’s latest full-year dataset to bring you insights into the world of net-zero targets.
ECB’s journey to decarbonise its corporate bonds holdings: an update
The European Central Bank (ECB) has committed to strengthening its efforts to combat climate change. With upcoming monetary policy set to dampen the effect of the bank’s existing flow-based approach to decarbonising its corporate bond holdings, we take a look at the proposed stock-based approach and assess progress so far.
European Green Bond Standard: Implications of the provisional agreement
Negotiators from the European Council and the European Parliament reached a provisional agreement last week on a European Green Bond standard. While we are encouraged that the standard brings more clarity to green definitions and transparency to the market, it remains important to ensure sufficient incentives for the standard to become the preferred route for issuers.