Investors and financiers are increasingly interested in ESG and responsibility. OP has taken a number of climate actions during this exceptional year, such as offered new responsible finance products, supported companies in responsible economic growth with sustainability-linked loans as well as channelled financing for sustainable development projects. OP Corporate Bank has so far granted over EUR 760 million of green and responsible financing for companies in 2020.
”We have successfully strengthened our position as a Green Finance services provider this year. The highlights of the year include acting as the issuing bank in three out of four green bonds issued by companies. The three bond issuers were Tornator (€350 million), SATO (€350 million) and Stora Enso (€500 million). Our activeness in promoting green finance has materialised superbly this year, and we have also exceeded the expectations we had placed for our ESG portfolio,” says Laura Hakamies, who is responsible for arranging financing at OP Corporate Bank.
The role of responsibility has become even more important during the coronavirus pandemic and become a natural part of corporate financing solutions.
”We are proud of having had the chance to help arrange financing for several sustainable development projects this year, including Lakiakangas 3 wind farm, Exilion Tuuli Ky’s wind farm deal and Kumppanuuskoulut Oy’s education infrastructure project. All of these are good examples of how responsibility has become an even more concrete element also in corporate financing decisions,” says Hakamies.
OP’s investments in responsibility were also appreciated in Prospera’s customer satisfaction survey as well as DCP’s most recent climate review, for example.
”We play an important key role in financing sustainable economy and will continue to cooperate in green financing. OP Corporate Bank’s ESG analysts have been actively present in developing responsibility within OP Financial Group. Customers have been interested in these products more than before, which has also showed in sales growth,” Hakamies says.