Obayashi Sustainability Link Bond
Obayashi Issues Sustainability-Linked Bond
Obayashi Corporation has issued a combination of Obayashi Sustainability-Linked Bonds (Obayashi Corporation's 25th and 26th Series of Unsecured Bonds) through a public offering in the Japanese domestic bond market. Floated are sustainability-linked bonds with different maturity dates, the first type of sustainability bond in Japan. The issuance of such ESG-linked bonds follows the Obayashi Green Bond (Obayashi Corporation's 23rd Series of Unsecured Bonds) in October 2018 and the Obayashi Sustainability Bond (Obayashi Corporation's 24th Series of Unsecured Bonds) in June 2019.
Sustainability-linked bonds mean bonds whose terms of issue change depending on whether preset sustainability and other ESG targets are achieved or not. Specifically, sustainability-linked bond issue terms change according to the issuer's commitment to improve, within a time frame set in advance by the issuer, the outcome related to future sustainability and according to whether sustainability performance targets (SPTs), set as numerical goals to be attained in relation to issuer-specified KPIs, have been accomplished or not.
In floating the latest bond issue, Obayashi made a strong commitment to the "achievement of its decarbonization target," an important pillar of Obayashi's sustainability initiatives, and chose rates of reduction in CO2 emissions, as KPIs measuring progress in the commitment, at the 1.5 °C target level under the Scope 1 and 2 emission standards (*1), and at the WB2D (well below 2 degrees) target level under Scope 3 (*1) (Obayashi is scheduled to obtain Science-Based Targets (SBT) initiative (*2) certification within the first half of 2022). In this connection, the company has laid down the "Obayashi Sustainability-Linked Finance Framework" that can be applied to bonds and loans. Regarding its adequateness, the company has obtained a second opinion from Rating & Investment Information, Inc. (hereinafter "R&I").
The Obayashi Group hopes for understanding of its ESG initiatives through the bond flotation and will continue striving to realize a sustainable society.
- ※1 Scope 1, 2 and 3 represent the categorization of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions specified by the GHG Protocol, which was developed as standards for calculating and reporting international GHG emissions.
Scope 1...Direct GHG emissions by a company through its operations
Scope 2...Indirect GHG emissions through the use of electricity, heat and fume supplied by other companies
Scope 3...Indirect GHG emissions other than Scope 1 and 2 (emissions by other companies associated with operations of the relevant company) - ※2 The SBT initiative (STBi) is a new scheme developed for the purpose of promoting the achievement of targets for corporate GHG emission reductions based on scientific grounds in order to restrict a temperature rise to less than 2 °C above the level before the Industrial Revolution. Inaugurating the initiative were four organizations: CDP, a nonprofit charity promoting disclosure of climate change-related information, the U.N. Global Compact (UNGC), World Resources Institute (WRI), and World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). The STBi authorizes a company-set GHG reduction target 5 to 15 years ahead as compatible with either the scenario of "well below 2 degrees Celsius" (WB2D) above the pre-industrial level or the 1.5 °C rise scenario. Obayashi is scheduled to acquire 1.5 °C-level certification under its SPT 1 initiative and WB2D certification under SPT 2.
Summary of Obayashi Sustainability-Linked Bond
| Redemption period | 5 years (Obayashi Corporation's 25th S eries of Unsecured Bond) |
7 years (Obayashi Corporation's 26th Series of Unsecured Bond) |
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| Issue amount | 20 billion yen | 10 billion yen | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Pricing date | April 21, 2022 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Issue date | April 27, 2022 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Coupon rate | 0.25% per annum | 0.38% per annum | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| KPIs | KPI 1： Obayashi Group's CO2 reduction rate under Scope 1&2 scenarios KPI 2：Obayashi Group's CO2 reduction rate under Scope 3 scenario In the belief that realization of a carbon-free society will lead to its sustainability, the Obayashi Group is engaged in renewable energy projects along with reduction in CO2 emissions from business operations, improvement in the energy efficiency of buildings offered, and other initiatives. The above two KPIs will be adequate indicators for measuring progress in our efforts to achieve the target of decarbonization, an important pillar of the Group's sustainability initiatives. |
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| SPTs | SPT 1: An annual target compatible with the KPI 1 goal of a 46.2% cut (from the standard year of fiscal 2019) in Scope 1&2 CO2 emissions for fiscal 2030 SPT 2: An annual target compatible with the KPI 2 goal of a 27.5% cut (from the standard year of fiscal 2019) in Scope 3 CO2 emissions for fiscal 2030 <5-year Bond>
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| Bond characteristics | In case of failure to achieve both SPTs, Obayashi will donate, after the SPT judgment date, an amount equivalent to 0.1% of the issue amount to those public-interest incorporated associations/foundations, international organizations, and municipality-accredited nonprofit organizations which aim to engage in environmental conservation activities, local governments, or other similar entities, with the donation to be completed by the redemption dates of both bond issues. In case of failure to achieve SPT 1, the company will donate 7-10ths of an amount equivalent to 0.1% of the issue amount and, in case of failure to achieve SPT 2, the company will donate 3-10ths of an amount equivalent to 0.1% of the issue amount. The period of judgment in case of donation shall be set, after ensuring a sufficient period between the date of judgment and redemption, as until the end of the closest fiscal year to the redemption date. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Managing underwriters | Nomura Securities Co., Ltd. (Book Runner) and Mitsubishi UFJ Morgan Stanley Co., Ltd. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Structuring agent (*3) | Nomura Securities Co., Ltd. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Credit rating | A+ (R&I) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
- ※3 The restructuring agent refers to a company that supports ESG bond issuance through the establishment of an issue framework, advice for the acquisition of a second opinion, and other forms of assistance.
Investors in Obayashi Sustainability-Linked Bond
The following investors have agreed to disclose their participation in Obayashi Sustainability-Linked Bond.
(As of April 21, 2022 in Japanese alphabetical order）
- JA AICHIAMA
- ASAHIKAWA SHINKIN BANK
- Asset Management One Co., Ltd
- THE OITA BANK, LTD.
- OTEC CORPORATION
- KANONJI SHINYO KINKO
- The Kitakami Shinkin Bank
- The Bank of Kyoto LTD
- The Kuwanamie Shinkin Bank
- THE KOFU SHINKIN BANK
- Shizuoka Prefectural Credit Federation of Agricultural Cooperatives
- Shizuoka Chuo Bank,Ltd.
- The Juroku Bank, Ltd.
- THE SHOWA SHINKIN BANK
- Shinkin Central Bank
- THE SUGAMO SHINKIN BANK
- SUMITOMO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
- SAISON AUTOMOBILE&FIRE INSURANCE CO.,LTD
- The Dai-ichi Frontier Life Insurance Co., Ltd.
- THE DAIDO FIRE AND MARINE INSURANCE COMPANY LIMITED
- The Chikuho Bank, Ltd.
- THE TOHO BANK, LTD.
- Tonegun Shinkin Bank
- The First Bank of Toyama,Ltd.
- THE NAKAHYOGO SHINKIN BANK
- Nissay Asset Management Corporation
- Japan Earthquake Reinsurance Co.,Ltd.
- Hagiyamaguchi Shinkin Bank
- THE HACHIJUNI BANK,LTD.
- THE HIGASHI-NIPPON BANK,LIMITED
- THE NAKAHYOGO SHINKIN BANK
- Nissay Asset Management Corporation
- Japan Earthquake Reinsurance Co.,Ltd.
- Hagiyamaguchi Shinkin Bank
- North Pacific Bank,Ltd.
- North Pacific Bank,Ltd.
- Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Company, Limited
- Mitsubishi UFJ Trust and Banking Corporation
- LIFENET INSURANCE COMPANY
- The Rokinren Bank