HP Inc. announced the closing of its inaugural sustainability notes issuance, totalling $1 billion (€820 million), which was part of a $2 billion (€1.64 billion) overall debt offering.
The sustainability notes are designed to empower investors to join HP in tackling important economic, social and sustainability issues. This offering follows a recent $5 billion (€4.18 billion), five-year revolving credit facility structured as the company’s inaugural sustainability-linked loan (SLL), which closed on 26 May 2021.
Under the SLL, HP’s targets are aligned with the goals of achieving net zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions across the HP value chain by 2040 and doubling the number of Black and African American executives inside the company by 2025. The pricing of the SLL will increase or decrease based on whether HP reaches those targets, providing a financial incentive for the company to meet these goals.
“HP has set an ambitious agenda to become the most sustainable and just company in the industry,” said Chief Financial Officer Marie Myers. “Issuing our inaugural sustainability notes as well as our first-ever sustainability-linked loan significantly demonstrates our commitment to making a positive environmental and social impact.”
As outlined in the HP Sustainable Bond Framework, the proceeds of the sustainability notes will be used to fund projects across seven green bond eligible project categories in addition to one social bond eligible project category, including: renewable energy; green buildings; energy efficiency; clean transportation; pollution prevention and control; eco-efficient and/or circular economy products, production technologies and processes; environmentally sustainable management of living natural resources and land use; and socioeconomic advancement and empowerment.
HP said it will publish a Sustainable Bond Report, beginning in 2022 until the full allocation of the net proceeds from the sale of any Sustainable Bonds.
