Sustainalytics updates BDO’s accreditation

BDO Unibank Inc. said Tuesday it received an updated accreditation on its Sustainable Finance Framework from the New York-based Sustainalytics relative to the expansion of the framework’s eligible categories to include blue projects aligned with market standards.

This follows the bank’s issuance of its maiden $100-million Blue Bond through an investment from the International Finance Corp., a member of the World Bank Group.

Sustainalytics, a leading independent environmental, social and governance research and ratings provider, said, “BDO is adequately positioned to issue sustainability bonds and that the framework is robust, transparent and in alignment with the four core components of the Green Bond Principles [2021], Social Bond Principles [2021], Green Loan Principles [2021] and the ASEAN Sustainability Bond Standards [2018].”

The expanded Sustainable Finance Framework includes eligible blue categories such as sustainable water and waste water management and offshore renewable energy. These are in addition to green categories that include renewable energy, green buildings, clean transportation, as well as social categories that include employment generation and food security.