J.P. Morgan Named IFR’s “ESG Financing House of the Year”
Firm climbs from fifth place to top spot
J.P. Morgan was named as “ESG Financing House of the Year” by International Financing Review (IFR). The annual IFR awards honor achievements across banking and capital markets over the past 12 months.
Within the ESG Financing category, the accolade acknowledges J.P. Morgan’s accomplishments in 2020: underwriting more ESG risk and bonds than any other bank, innovating with new product developments and using its global investment banking capabilities to help transition high-emitting companies.
“We are trying to have an impact as a bank and with the products that we’re creating for investors,” said Marc Baigneres, head of Western Europe investment-grade finance. With $9.6bn and 70 deals in 2020, the climb from fifth place to first can be attributed to the firm’s focus on ESG, client service and strong partnership across its Debt Capital Markets (DCM) business. Key strengths were green bonds and sustainability bonds, markets that are expected to see continued rapid growth in 2021.
Last year, the firm made numerous commitments including $200bn to support the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals, phase out coal exposure, align emissions of clients across various sectors to the goals of the Paris Agreement and more. “When everyone is pedaling at the same time in the same direction, it gives you greater capacity,” said Marilyn Ceci, global head of ESG DCM. J.P. Morgan also announced the Center for Carbon Transition to help clients navigate the challenges and capitalize on the long-term economic and environmental benefits of transitioning to a low-carbon world.
“For us to step forward with this commitment is huge, in a way that people don’t recognize given our client base and the history of the bank and where we’ve come from. We’re in a superb position to help a lot of clients with this transition ourselves,” said Paul O’Connor, EMEA head of ESG.
Read the full article from IFR here.