WEDNESDAY 2JULY AT 8:30 AM – EURONEXT AUDITORIUM
Paris – 2 July 2014 – In partnership with Vigeo, Euronext today hosted a conference entitled "Sustainable Green Bonds: Financing your Sustainable Development Projects".
In the first half of 2014, GDF Suez and the Ile-de-France region[1] successfully issued green bonds on Euronext Paris. This type of financing, both flexible and efficient, is becoming increasingly popular and illustrates the diverse solutions the bond market offers to institutions and companies.
European leader in extra financial ratings, Vigeo helps companies define their ESG criteria so that their development projects will be in compliance with the requirements of socially responsible investing (SRI)[2].
The conference opened with an introduction jointly presented by Nicole Notat, CEO of Vigeo, and Marc Lefèvre, Euronext's Head of Business Development and Client Coverage, and focused on two principal areas:
- Defining sustainable development projects,
- Reaching out to investors.
Roundtable discussions were held on the following two topics:
- Credibility and success factors in responsible bond issues,
- Diversification of financing sources, transaction success and investor appetite.
In addition, several SRI companies and investors spoke of their experience with this innovative type of financing.
At the end of the conference, Marc Lefèvre, Euronext's Head of Business Development and Client Coverage,said, "We are proud to partner with Vigeo in our work on indices as well as on sustainable development topics, now more timely than ever. This year, more than €3 billion in green bonds have been raised on our Paris markets for investment in responsible and sustainable projects, demonstrating the pivotal role that Euronext plays in financing the real economy."
Nicole Notat, CEO of Vigeo, added, "Lenders and all corporate stakeholders are becoming increasingly sensitive to the environmental and social impact of projects financed by corporate bond issues. We believe that issuers' social responsibility cannot be dissociated from that impact. Our work sheds light on this relationship and leads us to express opinions that complement financial information."
[1]In May 2014 GDF Suez raised €2.5 billion and the Ile-de-France region €600 million on Euronext Paris
[2]Socially responsible investors include extra financial criteria (ethical, social, environmental) in their management and investment decisionsAbout Vigeo
Vigeo is the leading European expert in responsible performance. Founded in 2002 and headed by Nicole Notat, Vigeo measures the performances and risks of entities with regard to six areas of corporate social responsibility: environment, human rights, human resources, business behavior and corporate governance.
Vigeo offers two lines of services through two business brands:
- Vigeo rating, the way to responsible investment, offers a broad range of products and services to investors seeking a sustainable and responsible performance of their investments;
- Vigeo enterprise, the way to responsible management, conducts global CSR audits and benchmarks in organizations of all sizes, public and private. Support can be provided for teams to help them integrate CSR/SRI criteria into their business functions and strategic operations.
Vigeo rating research has held a certificate of conformity from ARISTA since 2009 for its high-quality standard on corporate sustainability and responsibility research.
Vigeo is present in Paris, Casablanca, Brussels, Milan, London and Tokyo and has more than 120 employees.