Green Portfolio

BBVA in Colombia has reached an agreement with Isagen to convert long-term finance of 368 billion pesos to sustainable loans linked to compliance with an environmental indicator. The index measures carbon emissions intensity in relation to energy generation as part of a pledge made by the power generation company to help preserve a more sustainable world.

BBVA has gained recognition from the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, as the first 'EDGE Champion' in the Peruvian banking industry, after certifying more than 250,000 square meters of sustainable construction built to EDGE standards.

As part of its efforts in sustainable finance, Garanti BBVA is to implement the Green Finance Specialist training course for some of its employees, in cooperation with the Green for Growth Fund (GGF) Technical Support Facility and the Renewable Energy Academy (RENAC). The course aims to increase the technical expertise of about 30 Garanti BBVA employees who work in different regions as loan officers, loan specialists and other related areas.

BBVA has ranked first among European banks in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI), the market's leading benchmark index, which measures the economic, environmental and social performance of the world's largest companies by market cap. The BBVA Group also took second place in the world ranking. The announcement was made on Friday, at the closing of the stock market in New York.

BBVA and Grupo Piñero agreed three sustainable bilateral financing deals on behalf of Levantur. These are the first sustainable bilateral loans to be guaranteed by Spain’s Official Institute of Credit (ICO). The Spanish tourist Group will use the financing for liquidity and working capital needs arising from the economic impact caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

BBVA and the Korean energy company, SK Innovation, have signed a working capital loan of €100 million to expand the company’s electric vehicle battery manufacturing facilities in Europe. This transaction is the first working capital loan certified by BBVA in Asia in compliance with its sustainable transaction banking framework.

BBVA and Acerinox make history by closing the first sustainable transaction in the steel industry in Spain. The deal, a bilateral loan totaling €80 million with a maturity of five years, is intended to partially finance the Acerinox acquisition of VDM Metals.

A bond is a debt instrument that companies issue in capital markets to attract financing from institutional investors (for example, investment funds). Banks also issue debt: it is a way of obtaining funds that they later use to grant loans to their clients. Along with customer deposits, issuances are, for banks, an additional source of financing to carry out their activity.

Growing interest in sustainability across all segments of society has led to innovations in sustainable finance offerings, specifically in the world of corporate financing. Issuances of bonds linked to sustainability criteria are among the latest market developments. Analysts at BBVA Global Markets Research explain the basics and share with us their view of the product.

The projects financed with green bonds issued by BBVA in 2018 and 2019 avoided a total of 724.000 tons in CO2eq atmospheric emissions, almost three times than the previous year. This amount is equivalent to what more than 285,000 cars emit in one year, thus contributing to reduce the carbon footprint. This is one of the key takeaways of BBVA’s green bond report.

The European Commission has published its taxonomy for sustainable finance, a classification instrument to help financial players and companies determine which activities qualify as sustainable. Investments in projects and activities that pursue the European Union’s environmental goals contribute to the transition towards a low carbon economy.

BBVA has certified as green three non-recourse factoring operations from the wind turbine manufacturer Nordex. Closed in 2019 for approximately €265 million, the operations will deduct invoices from wind turbine supplies that the Germany company will provide the builder of various wind farms.

BBVA is one of the top five European banks with the strongest commitment to sustainable finance, according to a report produced by World Resources Institute (WRI). The bank takes the top position in Europe and the third worldwide, when considered by asset size.

Green is more than a color. In our collective imagination it symbolizes nature and is associated with caring for the environment. We need a green future so the world will continue to be the place we know today and not the foreboding future as depicted by gloomy predictions. BBVA is aware of this and for years has been committed to green and social financing. In fact, it is one of the banks most recognized for its activity in sustainable financing.

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.

BBVA is expanding its range of sustainable products. Starting on December 2nd, the bank will begin selling sustainable financial contracts. BBVA will invest the amount obtained from customers in companies that are considered sustainable based on certain criteria for inclusion, which will determine the green, social or sustainable nature of the investment.

BBVA has been named sustainable finance bank of the year by international magazine LatinFinance. The publication recognized the bank's performance in the region, notably the experience, creativity, and drive demonstrated by its teams as they promote sustainable finance.

Investor appetite for sustainable products has been growing exponentially in recent years.  BBVA's Global Head of Responsible Business, Antoni Ballabriga, revealed that “This year $350 million in sustainable bonds and corporate loans will be issued around the world, 30 percent more than last year, according to data from the Institute of International Finance (IIF).” During the ‘Sustainable finance in the face of environmental challenges’ forum, organized by Spain’s National Association of Economists (Consejo General de Economistas), Ballabriga stressed that “there is still a lot to be done” and “one of the current challenges is to incorporate this trend into the SME and consumer markets.”

BBVA and Pestana Hotel Group have reached a new milestone in the sustainable finance market, issuing the world’s first green bond in the hotel industry, according to the International Capital Markets Association’s (ICMA) Green Bond Principles. The €60 million bond has a maturity of 6 years and was placed among professional institutional investors.

BBVA has extended its line of green loans to cover sustainable vehicle purchases for all SMEs and freelancers who want to buy electric or hybrid cars for business purposes. This new product rounds out one of the most extensive lines of green loans in the Spanish market.

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?

Grupo Piñero, a Spanish group dedicated to the vacation industry, closed a bilateral sustainable financing deal with BBVA. The bank acted as the sustainability coordinator. The agreement involves a €20 million revolving credit facility (RCF), which is aligned to the tourism company’s firm commitment to holistic and long-term strategic sustainability.

Based on the exponential growth of the issuance of green, social and sustainable bonds in the past 12 months, it is fair to say that we are no longer talking about a passing fad, but rather a phenomenon that is here to stay. More companies, as well as investors, are incorporating ESG (Environmental, social and corporate governance) objectives in their investment agendas. BBVA Global Markets Research discusses the ESG bond market, its volumes and main topics in their report ‘ESG Bonds: Key topics and trends for 2019 and beyond - Getting the harmony right’.

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.

True to its commitment to sustainability and the environment, BBVA has launched a €20 million new line of green loans for customers interested in purchasing electric or hybrid cars. This new product seeks to meet a growing demand from society, increasingly aware of the fight against climate change.

This Wednesday, BBVA successfully completed its second green bond issue in the wholesale debt market - the first one was in May 2018 – for the same amount, €1 billion, and with the same instrument and maturity. The transaction drew a very positive reaction from investors, with book orders exceeding €2.7 billion, a figure similar to the one reached last year. Excess demand made it possible to lower the price to mid-swap plus 103 basis points, from the initial range set at 120-125 basis points. This price entails a new zero new issue premium, just as in its first green bond issue.

BBVA is consolidating its leadership in Europe’s green financing market by signing a EUR 25 Mn bilateral green loan with Katoen Natie, a Belgian logistics and engineering company. This transaction represents an important landmark as it is the first green financing closed in Belgium by BBVA. Furthermore, BBVA is not only acting as lender but also as advisor on their Sustainable Finance Framework. The loan is in favour of a subsidiary of Katoen Natie for an innovative industrial recycling plant which will result in the recycling of chemical residues while also recovering materials and producing energy for neighboring industries.

This week marks yet another milestone for BBVA in the European green financing arena. ESB, the leading Irish Utility, has chosen BBVA to act as green structuring bank and joint bookrunner in their inaugural EUR 500 million green bond. This is the first ever green bond issued by an Irish corporate and the net proceeds from the transaction will be destined to finance eligible green projects, mainly under the following categories: renewable energy, energy efficiency, clean transportation and green buildings.