This is the first time the World Bank has issued bonds that directly link returns to the performance of companies advancing global development targets, set out in the Sustainable Development Goals. These include a road-map for progress on climate, biodiversity, gender equality, health and sustainable infrastructure.

The equity-index linked bonds raised a total of EUR163 million from institutional investors in France and Italy. The World Bank will use the proceeds to support the financing of projects that advance its goals of eliminating extreme poverty and boosting shared prosperity, and that are aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals or SDGs.

The return on investment in the bonds is directly linked to the stock performance of companies included in the Solactive Sustainable Development Goals World Index. The index includes 50 companies that, based on methodology developed by Vigeo Eiris’ Equitics, dedicate at least one fifth of their activities to sustainable products, or are recognized leaders in their industries on socially and environmentally sustainable issues. Solactive applies volatility and diversification filters to reach the final index composition. Vigeo Eiris is a global provider of environmental, social and governance research to investors and public and private corporates.

The bonds were arranged by BNP Paribas as part of the “SDGs Everyone” initiative. Under the initiative, the World Bank will issue bonds that raise funding to support the financing of projects that support the SDGs, and investors benefit from the performance of companies included in the equity index. The initiative is an innovative solution and new financial model that supports the SDGs, as called for by the UN Secretary-General’s Financial Innovation Platform (FIP) launched in October 2016.

Source: DailyPlanet and WorldBank