ESG in Fixed Income Americas 2022

28 September 2022, New York

Gold Sponsors

BNP Paribas is the European Union's leading bank and key player in international banking. It operates in 65 countries and has nearly 190,000 employees, including nearly 145,000 in Europe. The Group has key positions in its three main fields of activity: Commercial, Personal Banking & Services for the Group's commercial & personal banking and several specialised businesses including BNP Paribas Personal Finance and Arval ; Investment & Protection Services for savings, investment and protection solutions ; and Corporate & Institutional Banking, focused on corporate and institutional clients. Based on its strong diversified and integrated model, the Group helps all its clients (individuals, community associations, entrepreneurs, SMEs, corporates and institutional clients) to realise their projects through solutions spanning financing, investment, savings and protection insurance. In Europe, BNP Paribas has four domestic markets: Belgium, France, Italy and Luxembourg. The Group is rolling out its integrated commercial & personal banking model across several Mediterranean countries, Turkey, Eastern Europe as well as via a large network in the western part of the United States. As a key player in international banking, the Group has leading platforms and business lines in Europe, a strong presence in the Americas as well as a solid and fast-growing business in Asia-Pacific.

BNP Paribas has implemented a Corporate Social Responsibility approach in all its activities, enabling it to contribute to the construction of a sustainable future, while ensuring the Group's performance and stability.

About BNP Paribas

Our purpose – Opening up a world of opportunity – explains why we exist. We're here to use our unique expertise, capabilities, breadth and perspectives to open up new kinds of opportunity for our customers. We're bringing together the people, ideas and capital that nurture progress and growth, helping to create a better world – for our customers, our people, our investors, our communities and the planet we all share.

We're mobilising finance to support our customers' transitions to net zero, accelerating innovation to help scale up climate change solutions and building global partnerships to ensure investment is swiftly channelled towards truly sustainable projects.

We are committed to aligning the financed emissions from our portfolio of customers to net zero by 2050 or sooner, in line with the Paris Agreement goals. To help get there, our target by 2030 is to provide between USD750 billion and USD1 trillion of finance and investment towards the transition.

For more information, please visit https://www.gbm.hsbc.com/

ING Americas is the brand name of ING's wholesale business in the Americas region, and a part of ING Group N.V. ("ING"), a global financial services company of Dutch origin with a network spanning 40 countries. ING has more than 53,000 employees helping its 38.6 million customers manage their money and meet financial goals. ING Americas offers a full array of wholesale financial products, such as commercial lending, corporate finance and a full range of financial markets, products and services.

Sustainability forms an integral part of ING's strategy, evidenced by ING's leading position in sector benchmarks by Sustainalytics and MSCI and our 'A-list' rating by CDP. ING Group shares are included in major sustainability and Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) index products of leading providers STOXX, Morningstar and FTSE Russell. In January 2021, ING received an ESG Evaluation score of 83 ("Strong") from S&P Global Ratings. For more information please visit https://www.ing.com/

Moody's is a global integrated risk assessment firm that empowers organizations to make better decisions. Our data, analytical solutions and insights help decision-makers identify opportunities and manage the risks of doing business with others. Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) considerations are critical to managing risk and seizing opportunities in today's global capital markets. We are committed to transparently and systematically integrating ESG considerations into credit ratings.

Natixis Corporate & Investment Banking is a leading global financial institution that provides advisory, investment banking, financing, corporate banking and capital markets services to corporations, financial institutions, financial sponsors and sovereign and supranational organizations worldwide.

Our teams of experts in 30 countries advise clients on their strategic development, helping them to grow and transform their businesses, and maximize their positive impact. We are committed to supporting the environmental transition by aligning our financing balance sheet with a +1.5°C trajectory by 2050.

As part of the Global Financial Services division of Groupe BPCE, the second largest banking group in France through the Banque Populaire and Caisse d'Epargne retail networks, Natixis CIB benefits from the Group's financial strength and solid financial ratings (Standard & Poor's: A, Moody's: A1, Fitch: A+, R&I: A+).

More than a bank. A partner.

Sustainability is part of our DNA. At Scotiabank, we're committed to advancing sustainable finance and upholding transparency. Across our global footprint, we are working to build a more sustainable business and deliver for every future – for our customers, colleagues and communities. Our team is committed to delivering industry leading advice for business growth and innovative solutions that are environmentally and socially responsible, and building trust by acting with integrity in everything we do.

As participants in this dynamic marketplace, we've helped shape the Americas sustainable finance market, including supporting notable social bonds, sustainability bonds and sustainability-linked products. Our dedicated Sustainable Finance Group in Global Banking and Markets is working alongside a wide range of clients to provide access to different sustainability-related products that enable organizations to advance their ESG agendas, while at the same time tying capital structures to their sustainability performance and objectives.

We will bring the Bank's resources and partner with your organization to incorporate sustainability across all your capital markets activities, leverage opportunities, reduce risk, and align your financing and investing with your sustainability strategy and goals. We're here for you, wherever business takes you.

Learn more about our Sustainable Finance Group.

 

SMBC Group is a top-tier global financial group. Headquartered in Tokyo and with a 400-year history, SMBC Group offers a diverse range of financial services, including banking, leasing, securities, credit cards, and consumer finance. The Group has more than 140 offices and 86,000 employees worldwide in nearly 40 countries. Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group, Inc. (SMFG) is the holding company of SMBC Group, which is one of the three largest banking groups in Japan. SMFG's shares trade on the Tokyo, Nagoya, and New York (NYSE: SMFG) stock exchanges. As of December 31, 2021, its total assets were $2.18 trillion.

In the Americas, SMBC Group has a presence in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, and Peru. Backed by the capital strength of SMBC Group and the value of its relationships in Asia, the Group offers a range of commercial and investment banking services to its corporate, institutional, and municipal clients. It connects a diverse client base to local markets and the organization's extensive global network. The Group's operating companies in the Americas include Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp. (SMBC), SMBC Nikko Securities America, Inc., SMBC Nikko Securities Canada, Ltd., SMBC Capital Markets, Inc., SMBC Rail Services LLC, Manufacturers Bank, JRI America, Inc., SMBC Leasing and Finance, Inc., Banco Sumitomo Mitsui Brasileiro S.A., and Sumitomo Mitsui Finance and Leasing Co., Ltd.

Sustainable Fitch provides insights, tools and data that have been designed and built entirely and exclusively to help bring clarity to the ESG financial community. Our focus is, and will always be, on providing transparent, objective and substantive data that enables confidence in decision-making.

To best serve our clients and partners, Fitch realized that it would be necessary to build an entirely new product suite of objective ESG data and analysis, focusing on consistency, comparability, coverage and granularity. Leaning on our expertise in best-in-class analytics and research, and reputation for transparency and integrity, our team of leading ESG experts came together to bring the financial community a robust and comprehensive ESG data and analysis solution.

Powered by the human insight that has differentiated Fitch for over 100 years, Sustainable Fitch brings experience and heritage to help the financial community make smarter decisions, using the best ESG information available.

As the wholesale arm of TD Bank Group (TD), TD Securities offers a full suite of capital markets products and services to our corporate, government, and institutional clients around the world. Our services include underwriting and distributing new issues, providing trusted advice and industry-leading insight, extending access to global markets, and delivering integrated transaction banking solutions. In 2010, TD became the first carbon neutral North American bank and, in 2020, committed to a Climate Action Plan, including a net-zero emissions target by 2050, the first from a major Canadian bank. TD plays an integral role in the development of the sustainable capital markets through underwriting, investing, and issuing, as well as advisory services through the Sustainable Finance & Corporate Transitions group.

For more information please visit https://www.tdsecurities.com/ca/en/home-page

Silver Sponsors

Crédit Agricole CIB is the corporate and investment banking arm of Credit Agricole Group, the 12th largest banking group worldwide in terms of tier 1 capital (The Banker, July 2021). Nearly 8,600 employees across Europe, the Americas, Asia-Pacific, the Middle East and Africa support the Bank's clients, meeting their financial needs throughout the world. Crédit Agricole CIB offers its large corporate and institutional clients a range of products and services in capital markets activities, investment banking, structured finance, commercial banking and international trade. The Bank is a pioneer in the area of climate finance, and is currently a market leader in this segment with a complete offer for all its clients.
For many years Crédit Agricole CIB has been committed to sustainable development. The Bank was the first French bank to sign the Equator Principles in 2003. It has also been a pioneer in Green Bond markets with the arrangement of public transactions from 2012 for a wide array of issuers (supranational banks, corporates, local authorities, banks) and was one of the co-drafter of Green Bond Principles and of the Social Bond Guidance. Relying on the expertise of a dedicated sustainable banking team and on the strong support of all bankers, Crédit Agricole CIB is one of the most active banks in the Green bonds market. For more information please visit www.ca-cib.com.

DNB is Norway's largest financial services group and one of the largest in the Nordic region in terms of market capitalization. We offer our corporate clients financial services from our offices around the globe. DNB is one of the world's leading shipping banks and has a strong position in the energy sector, and the fisheries and seafood industry.

DNB's investment banking arm offers services such as risk management, investment and financing products in the capital markets to the Group's customers through offices in Stockholm, London, New York, Singapore and our head office in Norway.

Sustainability is integrated into all parts of our business operations and DNB will be a driving force for sustainable transition. DNB has an overall goal of achieving net-zero emissions from our financing and investment activities by 2050 and we will use our position and expertise to actively help our customers to move in a more sustainable direction, through advisory services, financing and clear requirements. For more information, please visit About the Group - DNB

ISS Corporate Solutions (ICS) provides market-leading expertise that empowers companies to meet the growing demands of incorporating governance and sustainability principles across the enterprise. ICS helps companies design and manage their ESG programs to align with company goals, reduce risk, and manage the needs of diverse stakeholders by delivering expert advisory, data, and software solutions. ICS' Second Party Opinion ("SPO") services provide issuers with an independent assessment of their Green, Social and Sustainability-linked financing frameworks.

Sustainalytics, a Morningstar Company, is a leading ESG research, ratings and data firm that supports investors around the world with the development and implementation of responsible investment strategies. For more than 25 years, the firm has been at the forefront of developing high-quality, innovative solutions to meet the evolving needs of global investors. Today, Sustainalytics works with hundreds of the world's leading asset managers and pension funds who incorporate ESG and corporate governance information and assessments into their investment processes. Sustainalytics also works with hundreds of companies and their financial intermediaries to help them consider sustainability in policies, practices and capital projects. With 16 offices globally, Sustainalytics has more than 800 staff members, including more than 300 analysts with varied multidisciplinary expertise across more than 40 industry groups.

For more information, visit www.sustainalytics.com.

MSCI is a leading provider of critical decision support tools and services for the global investment community. With over 50 years of expertise in research, data and technology, we power better investment decisions by enabling clients to understand and analyze key drivers of risk and return and confidently build more effective portfolios. We create industry-leading research-enhanced solutions that clients use to gain insight into and improve transparency across the investment process.

MSCI ESG Research products and services are provided by MSCI ESG Research LLC, and are designed to provide in-depth research, ratings and analysis of environmental, social and governance-related business practices to companies worldwide. ESG ratings, data and analysis from MSCI ESG Research LLC. are also used in the construction of the MSCI ESG Indexes. MSCI ESG Research LLC is a Registered Investment Adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 and a subsidiary of MSCI Inc.

www.msci.com

Founded in 1859, National Bank of Canada offers financial services to individuals, businesses, institutional clients and governments across Canada. We are one of Canada's six systemically important banks and among the most profitable banks on a global basis by return on equity. We operate through three business segments in Canada—Personal and Commercial Banking, Wealth Management and Financial Markets. A fourth segment— U.S. Specialty Finance and International—complements the growth of our domestic operations. We are a leading banking institution in our core Quebec market and also hold leadership positions across the country in selected activities. We are proud to be recognized as an employer of choice and for promoting inclusion and diversity.

Supporting sustainable development is an intrinsic part of our One Mission. The environmental, social and governance (ESG) principles that our Board of Directors has approved demonstrate our commitment to building a sustainable future while representing the best interests of stakeholders. In 2021, the Bank brought its environmental commitments further by adopting a net-zero greenhouse gas emissions target with interim targets for its operating and financing activities by 2050. The Bank collaborates with clients to find innovative sustainable financing solutions to mobilize capital towards a low carbon economy.

Nomura is a global financial services group with an integrated network spanning over 30 countries and regions. By connecting markets East & West, Nomura services the needs of individuals, institutions, corporates and governments through its three business divisions: Retail, Wholesale (Global Markets and Investment Banking), and Investment Management. Founded in 1925, the firm is built on a tradition of disciplined entrepreneurship, serving clients with creative solutions and considered thought leadership. For further information about Nomura, visit www.nomura.com.

S&P Global Ratings, a division of S&P Global Inc. (NYSE: SPGI), is a leading provider of credit ratings. Our ratings are essential to driving growth, providing transparency and helping educate market participants so they can make decisions with confidence. With more than 1.1 million credit ratings outstanding, approximately 1,400 credit analysts and a presence in 28 countries, we offer a unique combination of global coverage and local insight. We provide our opinions and research about relative credit risk; market participants gain information to help support the growth of transparent, liquid debt markets worldwide. Learn more at www.spglobal.com/ratings.

Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Stifel Financial Corp. (NYSE: SF), founded in 1890, with approximately 9,000 associates worldwide. Stifel provides brokerage, investment banking, research, sales, trading, and related financial services to investors, money managers, businesses, and municipalities nationally. In Public Finance, the firm is regularly one of the top underwriters nationally, ranking #5 by negotiated senior managed par in 2021 and regularly executing more deals as senior manager each year than any other firm, including more than 1,000 in 2021. Learn more at https://www.stifel.com/

Gold Sponsors

Silver Sponsors