In its yearly Bond Awards, the online news and analysis service Environmental Finance celebrates the leading green, social and sustainable bond deals and leading market participants. With the help of an independent panel of judges, the Awards recognises those that excel, innovate and contribute to the successful development of the market.
For MuniFin, the Green bond of the year award was the company’s second in a row and third overall. The award, given in the local authority/municipality category, is a testament to the company’s long-term commitment to sustainability.
“We are deeply honored for this recognition. Our six-year history with green finance has been a success, and customer demand for sustainable finance keeps growing. It is encouraging to see that investors too appreciate our work for sustainability”, says Antti Kontio, Head of Funding and Sustainability at MuniFin.
The awarded bond, issued by MuniFin in November 2021 and set to mature in December 2024, is the company’s first green bond in the Sterling market. The GBP 250 million bond was quickly oversubscribed with nearly 40% participation from ESG investors.
Finance for Finland’s green transition
Sustainability is a key part of MuniFin’s strategy. The company has offered its customers green finance for sustainable investments since 2016. Funding for green projects is sourced by issuing green bonds. For investors, MuniFin’s green bonds offer a way to finance positive impacts through carefully selected projects in e.g. sustainable building, public transportation and renewable energy.
In six years, MuniFin has committed EUR 2.8 billion to financing its customers’ green projects, which play a key role in Finland’s green transition. Sustainable and climate-friendly, MuniFin-funded green projects have resulted in annual CO2 reductions of about 85,000 tonnes, equal to the average annual carbon footprint of about 8,300 Finns.
“Finland’s green transition is an immense undertaking, to which we at MuniFin are wholeheartedly committed to. By 2024, we want green and social finance to cover 20 percent of our long-term customer financing. Our green finance will continue to showcase innovative projects that help Finland strive for a carbon neutral society by 2035”, Kontio concludes.
Further information:
Antti Kontio
Head of Funding and Sustainability, MuniFin
antti.kontio@munifin.fi
Tel. +358 50 370 0285
Read more:
- Green bond of the year – local authority/municipality: MuniFin (external)
- MuniFin’s sustainable bonds
- Municipality Finance issues a GBP 250 million green bond under its MTN programme
- More customer benefits and investments in sustainability – MuniFin published its 2021 Annual Report and Green and Social Impact Reports