Awards for Excellence 2020
There is fierce competition in sustainable finance in Western Europe, but this year one bank stands out for its commitment across all the sectors and countries in which it operates and for its work on ensuring the needs of both environment and society are addressed.
This year HSBC wins the award for the best bank for sustainable finance in Western Europe. Landmark green deals are HSBC’s bread and butter – and the last 12 months have proved to be no exception. The bank is on the roster for deals such as BNG’s $1 billion sustainability bond, the EIB’s £1 billion five-year green bond and AFD’s €1 billion green bond.
“During 2020 there has been a clear shift to social bonds,” points out Farnam Bidgoli, HSBC’s head of sustainable bonds, debt capital markets Europe, Middle East and Africa.
And HSBC has also been leading here. It was joint bookrunner for Nordic Investment Bank’s €1 billion three-year Covid-19 impact alleviation bond and the social bond for Instituto de Credito Oficial to support small and medium-sized enterprise lending and social issues across Spain.