Umicore signs €500 million sustainability-linked loan
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Umicore signs €500 million sustainability-linked loan

Credit facility measures Umicore’s progress towards its carbon neutrality and gender diversity goals

  • By ICN Bureau | February 11, 2022
Umicore has signed a €500 million sustainability-linked loan (SLL), tying for the first time the Group’s funding costs to its sustainability performance and successfully refinancing its existing €300 million syndicated credit facility. 
 
The facility was underwritten by a pool of 13 international banks and has a five-year base tenor. It measures in particular Umicore’s progress towards its carbon neutrality and gender diversity goals.
 
“This inaugural sustainability-linked loan fits our commitment to our ambitious Let’s go for Zero ESG strategy. It further extends Umicore’s funding capacity, supported by a broad group of international relationship banks.” said Filip Platteeuw, Umicore’s Chief Financial Officer.
 
Through Umicore’s “Let’s go for Zero” strategy, launched in June 2021, the Group commits to reaching carbon neutrality in 2035, with intermediate targets to reduce its Scope 1 & 2 greenhouse gas emissions by 20% in 2025 and by 50% in 2030, and to reaching gender parity as soon as possible, with 35% of women in management by 2030.
 
BNP Paribas Fortis, KBC Bank and SMBC acted as coordinating Bookrunners and Mandated Lead Arrangers for the transaction, while BNP Paribas Fortis also acted as Sustainability Coordinator. 
 
“I am proud that Umicore has chosen BNP Paribas Fortis to set up its first Sustainability Linked Loan to support its ambitions to achieve carbon neutrality and gender diversity”, says Didier Beauvois, Head of Corporate Banking & Member of the Executive Board of BNP Paribas Fortis. “This Sustainability Linked Loan is a clear example of how we and the syndicated banks we represent, intend to serve our clients for a more sustainable future."

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