Our commitment to sustainable finance
Aligning our financings with our sustainable investment ambitions (or aspirations)
Our commitment to sustainable investment also extends to the financing of our operations.
Our industry-leading approach to sustainable finance incorporates environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors into a number of our transactions. These innovative tools make it possible to finance our activities in a way that is true to our corporate vision of having a meaningful and sustainable impact on our communities.
This approach also allows us to broaden our pool of investors and drive innovation forward within the real estate industry.
Since 2017, we have deployed more than $19.71 billion in sustainable financing through a wide range of instruments. We will strive to build further on these efforts in the years to come, working in close collaboration with our partners.
Sustainability-linked loans and credit facilities
Since 2019, sustainable financing has made it possible to align, in some instances, the cost of our loans and credit facilities with our sustainable performance (sustainability-linked loans).
We have entered, in 2019, into a €250 million sustainability-linked margin loan with our financial partners. Since the fall 2021, we continued our commitments and indexed C$ 10 billion of corporate financing to our sustainable performance.
To measure our sustainable performance, we selected three key performance indicators (KPIs): the carbon intensity of our portfolio; our low-carbon investments and evolution of our GRESB score.
For each KPI, we have defined annual targets over a period of 5 years. These targets contribute to the objectives of our new “net zero carbon” strategy and improve our sustainable performance.
Our GRESB‘s Score is based to the results of the Global ESG Benchmark for Real Assets (GRESB), which measures sustainable performance by assigning quantifiable results to portfolios so businesses can compare themselves with peers in their industry. Ivanhoé Cambridge was one of the first real estate companies to comply with GRESB standards. We leveraged this involvement to expand our CSR efforts over the years and better gauge how to improve our performance.
Every year, our results will be evaluated or confirmed by independent experts. Depending on our results, cost of loans and credit will be adjusted upwards or downwards.
Innovative initiatives
First issuance of green bonds by a real estate company in Canada
In December 2019, we issued $300 million in senior unsecured green bonds, a first in Canada for a real estate entity, thus doing our part to keep nudging the industry toward green investment opportunities. Green bonds will help us attract investors whose mandates require them to include bonds in their portfolio for which proceeds will be used to finance or refinance sustainable projects. In May 2023, we published a new sustainable financing framework. Establishing this framework is a concrete example of our commitment to our sustainable vision.
First sustainable bond issue by a real estate company in Canada
In May 2023, we issued $300 million in senior unsecured sustainable bonds. This was the first sustainability bond issued by Ivanhoé Cambridge and the first issuance of senior unsecured sustainability bond in Canada by a real estate entity. This initiative is part part of Ivanhoé Cambridge’s commitment to play a catalytic role in the real estate industry with regard to sustainable investment.
CIBC SQUARE 141 Bay: Largest Green Real Estate Construction Loan in the History of the Canadian Market
In 2021, along with our partner Hines, we have financed the construction of 141 Bay, phase II of CIBC SQUARE, with the largest green construction loan in the history of the Canadian market ($780M). Set to transform Toronto’s skyline, CIBC SQUARE 141 Bay was designed to attain a LEED® Platinum certification for the protection of the environment and limitation of carbon emissions, and WELLTM Platinum certification, for the health of its interiors. The loan was aligned with the Green Loan Principles as established by the Asia Pacific Loan Market Association, the Loan Market Association and the Loan Syndications and Trading Association.
First green loan from IFC
Logistics, Indonesia
We are actively incorporating sustainable initiatives across all our projects with LOGOS, one of our major partners in Asia-Pacific for logistics development.
In 2020, LOGOS has established its first green loan with International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, with up to US$120 million in debt financing for the development of LOGOS Cikarang Logistics Park and LOGOS KLOG Cibitung Logistics Hub. These two logistics estates in the greater Jakarta area are targeting a Green Mark award certification and are designed to comply with IFC’s green-building standards. This will include a wide range of sustainability initiatives to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions during construction and operation.
DUO: First green certification of a commercial real estate loan in Europe
The Tours DUO, a cutting-edge urban architectural complex that has become iconic in Paris, are made of two asymmetrically designed mixed-use towers built to the strictest environmental, energy efficiency, user comfort and healthy building standards. The property is certified Effinergie+, HQE Exceptionnel, LEED Platinum, WELL Platinum and WiredScore Gold certification.
The completion of this complex is being financed through a €480-million loan granted by a banking syndicate. In collaboration with Natixis Assurances, we obtained the “Climate Bond Certified” label awarded by the Climate Bonds Initiative (CBI).
This was Europe’s first CBI-endorsed green commercial real estate loan. We asserted our role as a leading player in the emerging green lending market.
To obtain CBI certification, DUO mandated oekom research as independent verifier of the Low Carbon Buildings – Commercial Properties (real estate) standard and established the structure of the reporting for the monitoring of environmental certifications, energy consumption and CO2 emissions. Certification must be renewed annually by CBI.
85 Broad Street: First “green bond” CMBS in the U.S.
Acquired by Ivanhoé Cambridge in 2017, this prestigious office building in the heart of Manhattan was awarded LEED Platinum certification after a series of major upgrades to the property.
In collaboration with us, Natixis issued the first green-specific tranche in a commercial mortgage-backed security (CMBS) for 85 Broad Street.
As part of a securitization program, a $72-million green tranche was issued to refinance part of the mortgage loan provided to us by Natixis to acquire the building.
Natixis commissioned oekom research, a rating agency in the field of sustainable investment, for a second-party opinion on this green tranche. The agency analyzed the green tranche against the Green Bond Principles (GBP) set forth by the International Capital Market Association (ICMA) and its own green bond analysis framework. This specialised agency confirmed the alignment of the green tranche with the Green Bond Principles’ Green Use of Proceeds Securitized Bond’s formal concept and provided a positive opinion.
Frameworks
Sustainable Financing Framework
In May 2023, we published a Sustainable Financing Framework, which replaced the existing Green Bond Framework and is aligned with the Sustainability Bond Guidelines 2021, Green Bond Principles 2021, Social Bond Principles 2021, Green Loan Principles 2023, and Social Loan Principles 2023.
Green Bond Framework
In December 2019, we established a Green Bond Framework aligned with the Green Bond Principles endorsed by the International Capital Market Association (ICMA).
Second-party opinions
We submitted our Sustainable Financing Framework and Green Bond Framework to Sustainalytics, a firm in ESG research, ratings and analysis, for review.
2023 Sustainalytics’ Second-party opinion
Sustainalytics’ second-party opinion confirmed that the framework is credible and impactful and aligns with the Sustainability Bond Guidelines 2021, Green Bond Principles 2021, Social Bond Principles 2021, Green Loan Principles 2023, and Social Loan Principles 2023.
2020 Sustainalytics’ Second-party opinion
Sustainalytics’ second-party opinion confirmed that the framework is transparent, robust and in alignment with ICMA Green Bond Principles.
Allocation report
All the proceeds from the 5-year $300-million green bond issued in December 2019 were used to refinance the renovations at Édifice Jacques-Parizeau, Maison Manuvie and Place Ville Marie in Montreal, as well as Place Ste-Foy in Quebec City. Full details can be found in our allocation report.
$200 million of the proceeds from our 5-year $300 million sustainability bond issued in June 2023 were allocated to the CIBC Square building. $100 million of the proceeds were allocated to an affordable housing portfolio.
External review of the allocation report
In line with our Sustainable Financing Framework, Sustainalytics’ independent external verification certifies the allocation of funds for its 2023 sustainable bond issue.
Our commitment to the environment
As a major real estate and construction industry player, we must act to ensure the sustainability of our living spaces. That’s why we’ve taken concrete measures to reduce our environmental footprint and guarantee optimal environmental performance.