Exchange in Focus: Panama exchange lists first green bond

11 September 2019

(11 September 2019) The Panama Stock Exchange (BVP) has listed its first green bond, issued by CIFI, a financial institution in Latin America specializing in infrastructure and energy financing.  The proceeds of the green bond will go towards green projects including: wind power, hydroelectric generation, solar power, geothermic and waste management. “The Panama Stock Exchange congratulates Corporación Interamericana para el Financiamiento de Infraestructura (CIFI) for being pioneers in the Panamanian capital market with its first green bonds issuance, which allows us to incorporate investments alternatives with sustainability impact, responsibility, and under ESG principles, in the Panamanian capital market. The Panama Stock Exchange confirms once again its commitment to promote sustainability principals, responsible investments and ESG principles within its capital market.” said Olga Cantillo, CEO of the exchange. The Panama Stock Exchange decided to promote this type of issuance because “it’s our commitment with the capital markets to develop a market with the best environmental, social and governance (ESG) principles to offer our investors impact investment alternatives based on sustainable development goals. We are sure that this issuance will contribute to the development of initiatives that allow us to achieve our commitment, contribute to our society, and educate and promote these principles to our stakeholders.” the exchange said. More information on the bond can be found here. The Panama Stock Exchange is a member of the SSE since 2018, and it’s CEO is the Chair of the SSE Advisory Group on embedding sustainability into exchange business operations.

About the SSE

​The SSE initiative is a UN Partnership Programme organised by UNCTAD, the UN Global Compact, UNEP FI and the PRI. The SSE’s mission is to provide a global platform for exploring how exchanges, in collaboration with investors, companies (issuers), regulators, policymakers and relevant international organizations, can enhance performance on ESG (environmental, social and corporate governance) issues and encourage sustainable investment, including the financing of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The SSE seeks to achieve this mission through an integrated programme of conducting evidence-based policy analysis, facilitating a network and forum for multi-stakeholder consensus-building, and providing technical assistance and advisory services.