Pilar Martínez Fariña

Beachbox Hotelco has become the first company in Spain’s hospitality sector to sign a sustainable project finance loan to finance the construction of the Six Senses Ibiza hotel. BBVA served as sustainable coordinator in the €55 million syndicated loan for the financing of the project. BBVA and Caixabank will each contribute 50 percent of the funds.

BBVA reaffirms its commitment to the fight against climate change and responsible banking with the expansion of its framework for sustainable transactional products, which was published at the beginning of the year. With it, the bank seeks to make different sustainable financial solutions available to a greater number of clients.

As of September 2019, BBVA stood at the top of the Spanish financial and corporate bond issues league tables published by Bloomberg. “The secret to being involved in so many bond issues is the bond value chain and teamwork,” said Regina Gil, Global Head of Credit at BBVA.

Each individual can play a part in the fight against climate change, to one degree or another. With small, daily gestures, it is possible to contribute to the conservation of the environment. Large corporations, through different debt instruments, bonds, and even specific transactions, also play a role in supporting this campaign, a campaign that concerns every corner of society. More specifically, what impact do businesses have on the environment, and what can they do to offset it?

CIE Automotive wanted to benefit from BBVA’s experience and advice in its first sustainable financing with a commercial bank. The international industrial group formalized an €80 million bilateral sustainable loan with the bank.

Atlantic Copper, with the support of BBVA, has made its debut in the sustainable financing market by drawing up of two bilateral financing deals worth a combined total of €44 million. This activity confirms both companies’ strategic commitment to become aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Agenda 2030.

The agribusiness company COFCO International has signed the first syndicated sustainability-linked facility arranged by a  Chinese corporate with the help of BBVA. The financing is for a total of $2.1 billion comprising three tranches - a 1-year revolving credit facility (RCF), a 3-year RCF and a 3-year term loan - each tied to sustainability criteria.

How is the electricity market changing with the arrival of renewable energy? How will green energy and its marketing evolve? Are companies advancing in the transition to a decarbonized economy at the pace the planet needs? These are some of the questions posed in the event organized by the newspaper El País “Marketing renewable energy” on June 6th.

In recent years, society has become increasingly aware of the importance of climate change. The not so remote hazards it poses to our current way of life make changes in current policies necessary. The financial industry is joining forces in the fight against climate change through sustainable finance. Sustainable loans are one of the key tools, and banks play a decisive role when they act as sustainable agents for these loans. But what does this actually entail?

BBVA has rolled out an innovative dynamic portfolio DIY-management solution for wholesale clients. BBVA has incorporated a new platform into its systems: Euroclear Quantessence, a tool that allows clients to easily set and change their portfolio’s parameters. The software also allows clients to visualize the changes made to said settings in real time.

A bond is a debt instrument used by companies as a source of financing. Depending on the issuer’s credit quality, a bond can be classified as investment grade or high yield. But what are their main differences?

BBVA acted as advisor and lead coordinator in the first-ever sustainable bond issued by Government of Navarre. For the first time in its history, Navarra will finance projects with a positive environmental or societal impact through capital markets.

SSE PLC, a leading developer, operator and owner of renewable energy assets across the UK and Ireland, has once again partnered with BBVA as sole sustainability coordinator under its new 'revolving credit facility' (or RCF). In 2017, SSE and BBVA worked together in the arrangement of the company’s inaugural green bond issue.

Bonds are credit instruments used by companies in need of financing. The company in question issues this debt product in order to obtain liquidity from the financial markets. But how does a bond issue take place? What steps must be followed from the moment the company decides to issue a bond until their subsequent placement and sale on the market?

BBVA recently structured the first sustainable loan in RCF format in Spain’s hotel industry. The €65 million credit line with Meliá Hotels International is an example of the Balearic group’s commitment to the fight against climate change.

BBVA Group issued the first structured green bond using blockchain technology to negotiate the terms and conditions. It is a private placement in which MAPFRE invested €35 million six year term bond linked to the evolution of the five year euro swap rate. With this bond issue, the BBVA Group demonstrates that it has the means, knowledge, and commitment to provide its clients cutting-edge products based on the latest technologies and innovative sustainable solutions.

The Spanish syndicated loan market has continued the upward trend of recent years, thanks to the excellent cash position in practically all sectors. In 2018, new technologies like blockchain greatly improved the efficiency of digitization processes, and green loans gained a foothold in the market.

In 2018, there was declining activity in the bond business due to an increase in market volatility. In Europe, the total volume of issued bonds totalled €1.47 trillion, approximately 10% less than in 2017. Furthermore, 2018 witnessed the consolidation of trends like green bonds -  which have been on the market for more than ten years now - and the emergence of products related to new technologies.