Green Bond

Acea’s Green & Blue Financing Framework has been developed in keeping with the latest international Principles and Guidelines and more specifically: the Green Bond Principles, the Green Loan Principles and, for the first time, the Practitioner's Guide to the Blue Economy and the Blue Finance Guidelines, demonstrating the Group’s engagement in the water sector.

The Green & Blue Financing Framework updates the previous 2021 version of the Green Financing Framework, taking into account the evolution that has taken place in market and regulatory practices – with special reference to European Taxonomy – and valorising the trends indicated in the Group’s 2024-2028 Business Plan and Sustainability Plan.

The framework comprises the following sections:

1. Use of proceeds
2. Process for project evaluation and selection
3. Management of proceeds
4. Reporting

Acea has an ongoing commitment to sustainability issues and pursues sustainable finance market best practices. The Green & Blue Financing Framework is therefore periodically revised to maintain consistency with situation changes and industrial trends.

The Green & Blue Financing Framework, reflecting the main areas of activity performed by the Group, has identified 5 eligible investment categories:

• Water Supply
• Wastewater Treatment & Collection
• Circular Economy
• Energy Efficiency
• Renewable Energy

Moreover, for each category a panel of potentially financeable projects has been identified, linking them to Taxonomy environmental activities and objectives and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) deemed relevant.

Previous issues

In January 2021, having elaborated its Green Financing Framework, the Acea Group issued its first Green Bond, for the total amount of 900 million Euro, fully allocated, as described in the Green Bond Allocation & Impact Reports published in May 2022 and January 2024.
In January 2023, its second Green Bond was issued, for the total amount of 700 million Euro, whose proceeds are currently being allocated, as described in the third Green Bond Allocation & Impact Report published in September 2024.

To learn more about the projects described in the September 2024 Green Bond Report, browse the list of different axes below.