Sacyr, through its subsidiary “Valoriza Medioambiente”, has closed a green funding deal of up to 160 million euros with Santander and Deutsche Bank.
These funds will contribute to reducing Sacyr’s recourse net debt. The company has committed to significantly cutting down this debt between 2021 and 2022, and this operation underpins achieving this goal.
A two-stage operation
This operation is structured in two stages, both for a 5-year term. The first stage, already paid in full, consists of a 120 million euro loan, based on “Valoriza Medioambiente” projects currently in development. The remaining 40 million euros will be paid after the entry into operation of awarded contracts.
This funding helps to accomplish two very significant milestones from Sacyr’s 2021-2025 Strategic Plan: situate sustainability as the cornerstone of the company’s actions, and reinforce the commitment to reduce recourse net debt.
The financing price considers compliance with a series of environmental indicators, which will be audited by an independent third party. More specifically, this third party will analyze the reduction of carbon emissions; sustainable transition by incorporating electric vehicles to the company’s fleet; continue reinforcing training on safety matters and the execution of internal Safety and Health audits, based on the ISO 45001 norm.
“Valoriza Medioambiente”, a Sacyr Services company, manages more than 200 circular economy contracts in Spain and Colombia, which include mobility urban services, gardening, street cleaning, waste collection and waste treatment.
First social bond issuance in Latin America tied to infrastructures
Last April, Sacyr issued, with great success of demand, the first social bond issue in Latin America tied to an infrastructure project: the Puerta de Hierro-Cruz del Viso highway (Colombia). This bond issuance, valued at 209 million dollars (174 million euros), is backed by U.S. agency, International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) and has a 24-year term expiration date, that is, May 2045.
The classification of a social bond for its issuance comes after an evaluation and analysis process by an independent third party (V.E.) which confirms the bonds alignment with a series of criteria defined by the ICMA (International Capital Markets Association) “Social Bond Principles 2020”. Among other factors, they assess the positive impact that the project will bring to the nearby communities to the project’s influence area by means of the funds obtained through the issuance.
Rating Sustainalytics
Sacyr is the most sustainable company of the infrastructure and construction sector in Spain, and the fifth internationally, out of more than 280 companies analyzed, according to the assessment by Sustainalytics ESG Risk Rating.
This rating, elaborated by Sustainalytics, a Morningstar subsidiary, assesses the sustainability performance of more than 20,000 companies all over the world. Analyzed ESG criteria take the companies’ environmental, social and corporate governance aspects into account.