BDO restates commitment to green-finance initiatives

CEBU, Philippines — Full-service universal bank, BDO Unibank reaffirmed its commitment to expand its green-finance initiatives to meet the rising demand for sustainable financing.

During the recently held Climate Convergence, BDO Unibank president and chief executive officer (CEO) Nestor V. Tan underscored the bank’s crucial role in effectively connecting the supply of capital from the sustainable investment community.

“We remain committed to our sustainability philosophy as we continue to ingrain sustainability in all aspects of the business while transitioning to a low-carbon economy,” said Tan.

As a pioneer in sustainable financing, BDO aims to lead by example in promoting sustainability in the financial sector and among its clients, Tan added.

BDO’s Green Bond and Blue Bond issuances were the first among financial institutions and have set benchmarks in corporate sustainable financing within the country and the broader Southeast Asian region.

The Bank’s ASEAN Sustainability Bond issuances have both set records as the largest issuance for any Philippine financial institution or company at P52.7 billion in 2022, and P63.3 billion in 2024.

BDO concluded its third ASEAN Sustainable Bond issuance last July 16, 2024 at P55.7 billion. Proceeds from BDO’s sustainable financing instruments funded projects spanning renewable energy, green infrastructure, clean transportation, resource efficiency and pollution control, sustainable management of natural resources, sustainable water and wastewater management, employment generation, women entrepreneurship, and food security, among other critical areas. These are all projects eligible under the BDO Sustainable Finance Framework for Green, Blue, Sustainable, Social, and Gender financing.

The Climate Convergence: Actions toward a Resilient Future event, organized by SGV & Co.’s Knowledge Institute sought to deepen understanding of climate risks and their implications for business operations while fostering knowledge exchange to address the challenges posed by the climate crisis. The event also aimed to acknowledge innovative business practices driving resilience and sustainability across industries. — (FREEMAN)