With Russia’s invasion of Ukraine threatening vital energy supplies to central and eastern Europe, sustainable finance initiatives – especially in renewable energy – are more important than ever. Regional banks are increasingly focusing on sustainable finance and this year the bank that stands out is ING, CEE’s best bank for sustainable finance.
ING, under its head of wholesale banking, Andrew Bester, is a global leader in sustainable finance. It established its sustainable finance department in 2012 and structured a first syndicated sustainability linked loan for Royal Philips in 2017.
In 2021, it counted 317 sustainable finance transactions globally. That global relevance is reflected in its position in central and eastern Europe, where it worked on important deals both in loans and debt capital markets, including a €500 million green bond for PKN Orlen as part of the Polish energy company’s climate transition strategy.
Other CEE deals during the year included acting as sole green structurer and joint bookrunner in a $500 million issuance under the Czech Gas Networks Investments’ Green Finance Framework. It was also joint bookrunner in a $500 million green bond issuance by NEPI Rockcastle, an owner and operator of shopping centres in CEE.
Although just outside the awards period, it is also worth mentioning ING’s role as sole social structuring adviser and joint bookrunner in a €1 billion social bond issued by the Council of Europe Development Bank for Council of Europe member states to support Ukrainian refugees.
