Hera Group: new 500 million euro green bond
The Hera Group has started the year with a new milestone in sustainable finance. The first Italian company to issue a green bond in 2014, today Hera successfully launched its fourth green bond, covered by its "Euro Medium Term Note Programme" (EMTN) bond issue plan, recently updated and increased in its maximum amount. This bond respects the Group’s Green Financing Framework (GFF), prepared on the basis of ICMA principles, aligned with the criteria of the European Taxonomy and certified by an independent firm. The issue attracted significant interest from international investors, receiving orders for approximately 2.75 billion euro, almost 5.5 times the amount offered. With this issue, Hera has once again given the market an opportunity to finance the Group’s strategic projects aimed at the green transition and aligned with the Taxonomy, once again confirming itself internationally as a reference company for sustainable finance. The characteristics of the Group’s fourth green bond and the areas financed The fourth green bond of Hera Group amounts to a total of 500 million euro, repayable in 6.5 years with a 3.250 % coupon and a 3.396% yield. The settlement date of the new issue has been scheduled for 15 January 2025. This green bond consists of senior, non-convertible, unsecured notes, intended for circulation among qualified investors. The new green bond is also expected to be assigned a rating in line with Hera’s. The transaction saw significant participation coming from international investors (in particular, Great Britain, France and Germany), mainly green and sustainable, confirming the interest towards the Group coming from abroad. The bond is expected to be listed, as of the issue date, on the regulated market of Euronext Dublin and, at the same time or at a later date, on the regulated market of the Luxembourg Stock Exchange and on the ExtraMOT PRO multilateral trading system managed by Borsa Italiana. The funds raised will be used to finance or refinance numerous projects, already ongoing or included in the Group’s Business Plan, selected on the basis of the Green Financing Framework (GFF), which work towards one or more of the goals on the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (SDGs), subdivided into 3 areas: 1. integrated water cycle (aligned to SDGs 6, 13 and 14): construction and extension of infrastructures for water collection, treatment and supply, with projects for wastewater collection and treatment; 2. circular economy, pollution prevention and control (meeting SDGs 11, 12 and 13): advanced projects in plastics regeneration, anaerobic digestion of organic waste for the production of compost and biomethane, and waste collection and transport systems; 3. energy efficiency and infrastructures (consistent with SDGs 7, 11 and 13): production of renewable electricity through photovoltaics and geothermal energy, development of district heating networks, installation, maintenance and repair of energy efficiency equipment and renewable energy technologies, including electricity transmission and distribution grids. For further information Press release sede_bo_870 margini arrotondati.png Maturing in 6.5 years, it will fund the Group’s strategic capex plan focused on sustainable and resilient management of the integrated water cycle, in the circular economy for regenerating resources and in the energy transition for developing renewables and energy efficiency sede_bo_110 (2).jpg