Hempel links €1.5bn credit facilities to sustainability targets

Leading coatings company, Hempel A/S, has successfully amended the company’s credit facilities, linking borrowing costs to four sustainability targets.

Announced on Earth Day (April 22), Hempel is "Investing in our planet” with amendments to its €1bn Revolving Credit Facility and its €500M Term Loan. From 2022, borrowing costs will be linked to Hempel’s sustainability targets.

To help drive efforts to meet Hempel’s ambitious sustainability targets, the facility’s interest margin will be adjusted up or down, based on Hempel’s ability to meet its four sustainability goals.

Hempel’s KPIs linked to its loan agreements are:

Reduce scope 1 and 2 CO2e emissions
90% reduction in absolute CO2e emissions for Scope 1 & 2 by 2025 in line with the Science Based Targets 1.5°-degree pathway

Reduce scope 3 CO2e emissions
70% of direct and indirect spend suppliers screened by 2025 through the Hempel Procurement Sustainability Screening

Reduce waste to landfill at production sites
Zero waste to landfill from production sites by end of 2025

Reduce and phase out hazardous (red) raw materials (RRM)
25% reduction of RRM (kg/1000lit paint produced) by end of 2025

"Linking our credit facilities to our ESG KPIs is a further commitment to reaching our CO2 emissions reduction targets. We are proud to have received the support of our banks to rewrite the terms of this facility, incentivising us to achieve our sustainability ambitions,” said Lars Joenstrup Dollerup, Executive Vice President and Chief Finance Officer at Hempel.

"Further to the approval of our science-based targets, we are taking the next step to keep us committed to achieving our sustainability goals. We are integrating sustainability into everything we do at Hempel and tackling our carbon footprint both within our own operations and across the entire value chain,” said Katarina Lindstroem, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at Hempel. "It’s the natural next step for us to also include sustainability considerations in our financing.”

The following banks have agreed to refinance Hempel’s loans according to the new terms: Nordea, Danske Bank, SEB, HSBC, Unicredit, BNP Paribas, Jyske Bank, BBVA and Commerzbank. Nordea has acted as sole Sustainability Coordinator for the facilities.

"Hempel is taking a leading role in its industry when it comes to sustainability linked financing. The sustainability KPIs that are linked to the loan agreements demonstrate a strong commitment and dedication to sustainability and sets Hempel on a very ambitious trajectory,” said Jacob Michaelsen, Head of Sustainable Finance Advisory at Nordea.