Anglian Water’s green bond raises £250m in ‘financial first’
Picture: Anglian Water. - Credit: Archant
Anglian Water claims to have made financial history by issuing the first public utilities sterling Green Bond, raising £250m in the process.
The Green Bond will finance activities that support the company's Love Every Drop sustainability strategy, and will be used to fund some of its 'stand-out schemes', which include innovative water abstraction, drought and flood resilience schemes, energy efficiency projects, and water recycling projects.
The bond will mature in August 2025 with a return to investors of 1.625%, and at one point on Monday, the order book peaked at £800m with nearly 80 investors participating.
Scott Longhurst, managing director of finance and non-regulated business for Anglian Water, said: 'This bond issue will enable us to address the three-fold challenges of water scarcity, climate change and environmental protection in the face of a growing population, but it also represents the pinnacle in responsible financing.
'We aim to lead the wider finance community and other business leaders towards more resilient and sustainable business models.'
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Anglian Water has already committed to environmental goals which include becoming a carbon-neutral business by 2050. It has already reduced by 55% its levels of embodied carbon – the emissions generated by the manufacture and construction of buildings – from a 2010 baseline, and aims to reach 60% carbon reduction by 2020.
Because of its focus on sustainability, all of Anglian Water's capital expenditure qualifies as expenditure under the Green Bond – but the company said it will select some of its largest and most distinctive schemes for inclusion.
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Jane Pilcher, group treasurer for Anglian Water, said sustainability was 'how we do business, all day, every day'.
'Issuing the very first public utility sector green bond amplifies our commitment to sustainability, and demonstrates how we operate as a leading business.'
Anglian Water's progress with its Love Every Drop strategy earned it the accolade of Business In The Community's Responsible Business of the Year 2017.
The company's Green Bond Framework was independently reviewed by DNV GL.
