| For Immediate Release | 30 July 2019 |
HONG KONG (30 July 2019) – Swire Properties is pleased to announce that it has secured its first sustainability-linked loan. The Company reached an agreement with Crédit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank ("Crédit Agricole CIB") to convert an existing five-year revolving credit facility of HK$500 million, dated August 2017, into a sustainability-linked loan, with the interest rate being indexed against the Company's ESG performance.
Swire Properties is the first company in Hong Kong to launch such a financing mechanism against its year-on-year ESG performance. Within this loan structure, Crédit Agricole CIB will grant a reduction in interest rate each year based on the following criteria:
• Swire Properties retains its listing on the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index (DJSI World), and;
• Swire Properties achieves a target reduction in energy use intensity ("EUI", measured in units of kWh/m2) each year for its Hong Kong portfolio.
The DJSI is the first global sustainability benchmark which tracks the stock performance of the world's leading companies in terms of economic, environmental and social criteria, and only the top ranked companies are selected for inclusion in the DJSI World. Since 2017, Swire Properties has been the only property developer and multinational corporation from Hong Kong and Mainland China to be included in the DJSI World, consolidating its position among global sustainability leaders in the real estate industry.
"In 2016, we launched our global Sustainable Development strategy, SD2030, which was designed to help us effectively integrate ESG considerations into every part of our business. This sustainability-linked loan reflects our desire to find new ways to finance and operate a more sustainable business," said Guy Bradley, Chief Executive of Swire Properties. "From a market perspective, we are also excited to support the development of sustainable capital markets in Hong Kong."
The loan will be used for investments supporting the Company's targets set under the SD2030 strategy, such as adoption of advanced energy saving technologies, and to fund ongoing green building developments, including Two Taikoo Place – the triple Grade-A office building which is a key component of the Company's Taikoo Place redevelopment project. Spanning 1 million square feet, Two Taikoo Place is currently under construction and is expected to be completed in 2022. The building has already obtained Pre-certified Platinum for LEED Core and Shell Version 2009, Provisional Platinum for BEAM Plus New Buildings Version 1.2, and Pre-certified Platinum for WELL Core and Shell Version 1.0.
"As a global leader in sustainable banking, we are delighted to support Swire Properties, our longstanding client, in demonstrating their commitment in sustainable development, while achieving financing cost benefit," said Francois Martin, Senior Country Officer for Hong Kong, Crédit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank.
This is Swire Properties' second sustainable financing initiative, following the issuance of a US$500 million green bond in 2018. The new loan has been developed with reference to the framework of the internationally-recognised Sustainability Linked Loan Principles developed by the Loan Market Association, the Asia Pacific Loan Market Association and the Loan Syndications and Trading Association.
About Swire Properties
Swire Properties develops and manages commercial, retail, hotel and residential properties, with a particular focus on mixed-use developments in prime locations at major mass transportation intersections. Swire Properties is listed on the Main Board of the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong and its investment portfolio in Hong Kong comprises Taikoo Place, Cityplaza and Pacific Place as its core holdings. In addition to Hong Kong, the Company has investments in Mainland China, the United States, Singapore and Jakarta.
Visit Swire Properties' website at www.swireproperties.com.
| © Copyright 1996-2023 irasia.com Ltd. All rights reserved. |
|
DISCLAIMER: irasia.com Ltd makes no guarantee as to the accuracy or completeness of any
information provided on this website. Under no circumstances shall irasia.com Ltd be liable
for damages resulting from the use of the information provided on this website.
TRADEMARK & COPYRIGHT: All intellectual property rights subsisting in the contents of this website belong to irasia.com Ltd or have been lawfully licensed to irasia.com Ltd for use on this website. All rights under applicable laws are hereby reserved. Reproduction of this website in whole or in part without the express written permission of irasia.com Ltd is strictly prohibited. TERMS OF USE: Please read the Terms of Use governing the use of our website. |