Over the last years, more and more companies are incorporating sustainability criteria (ESG - Environmental, Social, Governance) into their business strategy in order to effectively manage global challenges and risks and ensure long-term prosperity. Over the last years, more and more companies are incorporating sustainability criteria (ESG - Environmental, Social, Governance) into their business strategy in order to effectively manage global challenges and risks and ensure long-term prosperity. Disclosure of non-financial information ESG is a particularly important tool, as transparency in these indicators makes businesses more attractive to investors, acts as a risk aversion measure, facilitates their access to finance and makes them more competitive. Complementing the ESG strategy and criteria for sustainable financing, “Green Bonds” have emerged of late as a smart tool for attracting funding for specific projects and clean energy technology applications.
The Covid-19 pandemic has tested the resilience of businesses and corporate entities has reinforced the case for taking action on sustainability issues in order to strengthen them in the fast changing and uncertain global environment.
In line with the European Union's energy transition targets by 2030, to achieve climate neutrality by 2050 and in line with the 17 United Nations Global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), businesses set environmental, social and governance targets for reducing their environmental and social footprint in the coming decades, thus contributing to the above european and global goals.
In addition, the Paris Agreement on climate change makes it clear that financial flows must be consistent with a pathway towards low greenhouse gas emissions and climate-resilient development. In this context, a key tool for financing investments that have a positive impact on the environment is Green Bonds. The demand for this type of financing product is constantly increasing, as investors integrate more and more sustainability criteria in their investment decisions.
The Institute of Energy for SE Europe (IENE), which is a Green Bond Verifier working closely with the Climate Bond Initiative in London, and having placed high on its agenda the promotion of Sustainable Financing through Green Bonds and Responsible Corporate Governance, is organizing in Athens a half day Hybrid Workshop entitled "Sustainable Financing with ESG Criteria and Green Bonds" on Tuesday, February 8th 2022, between 16:00 to 19:00.
The purpose of the workshop is on the one hand to inform about the financing of "green investments" through the issuance of Green Bonds, and on the other to highlight the way in which companies can take advantage and benefit from ESG practices.
Top experts and senior market executives from Greece and abroad have been invited to participate in the workshop, which will consist of two parts. The first part will include addresses and presentations with questions and answers to follow and the second will focus on a round table discussion between market executives.
The detailed program of the event is under preparation and will be announced shortly. Participants will be able to attend online as the workshop will be fully covered via live streaming.
