13. October 2022

imug rating joins select circle of Climate Bonds Approved Verifiers

Press release

Hanover/London 13.10.2022

imug rating, the leading German provider for strategy and implementation of ESG investments as well as for sustainability assessments, has been approved by the Climate Bonds Standard Board to provide Verification services under the Climate Bonds Standard. The Approved Verified status was awarded on 8 July 2022. The sustainability rating agency from Hanover joins a select group of firms around the world to vet financing that supports projects in line with the Paris Climate goals. As one of the few to become an Approved Verifier for the whole of Europe and in Germany, the research team at imug rating combines its expertise to provide independent technical expert reviews for sustainable financing across all of the current Climate Bonds Sector Criteria: solar, wind, buildings, water, marine, waste, transport, grids & storage, agriculture, bioenergy, forestry, shipping, geothermal, and hydropower.

“We are very pleased that our expertise for different industries has been validated by an external expert panel,” commented Christina Tyca, product lead for Second Party Opinions at imug rating. “With this certification, we can further better support our clients with their emissions projects.”

The pre-and post-issuance verifier reports complement imug rating’s services for issuers and further widen the services for investors. Until now, the individual service lines in the areas of ESG Investments and Assessments consisted of ESG Strategy, ESG Data and ESG Reporting as well as Second Party Opinions, Sustainability Ratings, expert opinions and certificates, and managing ESG credit risks. imug rating is excited to make the capital market more transparent for national and international investors and to contribute further to its sustainable transformation.

“The Climate Bonds Initiative is one of the front-runners in supporting an ambitious sustainable transformation of financial markets,” says Axel Wilhelm, CEO at imug rating. “We are proud to be an active part of this global initiative now and are looking forward to further promoting the CBI Standards with our verifications in Europe, especially in the German-speaking region.” The Climate Bonds Standard is a key certification standard for the international green bond market and is now one of the most common tools used by international investors and stakeholders to identify the attributes of green bonds, helping investors and intermediaries to assess the veracity of climate bonds.

“Approved Verifiers play a huge role in upholding market integrity and raising ambition in labeled markets. Service providers such as imug inspire market confidence in our Certification scheme, helping to drive investment efforts towards a Paris-aligned world.”

Sean Kidney, CEO Climate Bonds Initiative

To the Climate Bonds Initiative press release


About the Climate Bonds Initiative

An investor-focused not-for-profit, promoting large-scale investment in the low-carbon economy. Climate Bonds Initiative carries out market analysis, policy research, market development; advises governments and regulators; and administers a global Climate Bonds Standard & Certification Scheme.

Press contacts

Leena Fatin
Senior Communications & Digital Manager
Tel: +44 (0) 7593 320 198
Mail: Leena.Fatin@climatebonds.net
Web: www.climatebonds.net

Liam Jones
Communications & Media Officer
Tel: +44 (0)7463 733 900
Mail: liam.jones@climatebonds.net
Web: www.climatebonds.net


Further information

About Climate Bonds Standard

It is an overarching science-based, multi-sector standard overseen by the independent Climate Bonds Standards Board that allows investors and intermediaries to easily assess the climate credentials and environmental integrity of bonds and other green debt products.

Launched in 2011, with periodic updates, the Climate Bonds Standard is the most detailed, climate aligned investment criteria available in the market and provides guidance to issuers, investors, governments and regulators.

Current Standard V3.0 and supporting documentation is available here. New Climate Bonds Standard Version 4.0 is open now for public consultation and will be available by end of Q4 2022.

About Climate Bonds Certification

Climate Bonds Certification framework has been designed to work in parallel with the normal process for issuing bonds, loans or other debt products. It has 2 phases, Pre-Issuance and Post-Issuance. Certification of a Climate Bond at the pre-issuance phase enables the issuer and underwriters to market the bond or debt product as Certified.

Further assurance activities at the post-issuance stage and annual reporting are required to maintain certification.

The full Climate Bonds Database of Certified issuance can be found here. The full Climate Bonds Directory of Approved Verifiers can be found here.

About Verification

Verification is an analysis-based process carried out by the independent Climate Bonds Standards Board approved independent organisation to assure the issuance of a climate bond, the nature of the associated low carbon projects or activities, and the associated financial accounting systems are in conformance with the Climate Bonds Standard and can gain Certification. Full list of Approved Verifiers can be found here.


Disclaimer

The information contained in this communication does not constitute investment advice in any form and the Climate Bonds Initiative is not an investment adviser. Any reference to a financial organisation or debt instrument or investment product is for information purposes only. Links to external websites are for information purposes only. The Climate Bonds Initiative accepts no responsibility for content on external websites. The Climate Bonds Initiative is not endorsing, recommending or advising on the financial merits or otherwise of any debt instrument or investment product and no information within this communication should be taken as such, nor should any information in this communication be relied upon in making any investment decision. Certification under the Climate Bond Standard only reflects the climate attributes of the use of proceeds of a designated debt instrument. It does not reflect the credit worthiness of the designated debt instrument, nor its compliance with national or international laws. A decision to invest in anything is solely yours. The Climate Bonds Initiative accepts no liability of any kind, for any investment an individual or organisation makes, nor for any investment made by third parties on behalf of an individual or organisation, based in whole or in part on any information contained within this, or any other Climate Bonds Initiative public communication.

Christina Tyca

Christina Tyca

More articles