World Bank issues CAD 66 million SDG bond with Daiichi Life

Daiichi Life Insurance Company (Daiichi Life) was the sole investor in this transaction and Morgan Stanley & Co International PLC is the sole underwriter and distributor of the bond.

World Bank (International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, IBRD, Aaa/AAA) issued a 5-year CAD 66 million Sustainable Development Bond while engaging with investors to highlight the vital role of the world's freshwater and marine resources and the importance of addressing water and ocean pollution, including plastic waste in oceans.

Daiichi Life Insurance Company (Daiichi Life) was the sole investor in this transaction and Morgan Stanley & Co International PLC is the sole underwriter and distributor of the bond.

World Bank bonds support the financing of sustainable development projects and programs across a range of sectors in member countries. This includes projects that address the threats posed to ocean health by marine pollution, including litter and plastics.

The World Bank, as the largest multilateral funder for ocean and water projects in developing countries, is committed to working with countries to ensure access to safe and clean water and for the sustainable use of ocean and marine resources. The World Bank works closely with member countries to protect their marine and coastal resources by supporting sustainable fisheries and aquaculture, making coastlines more resilient, establishing coastal and marine protected areas, and preventing pollution from reaching oceans through better waste management.

"Dai-ichi Life has been promoting ESG investments and actively investing in SDGs bonds. With the increasing urgency to tackle the issue of marine plastic litter on a global scale, we hope our investment will help the World Bank and member countries implement timely and effective development projects including ocean and sustainable waste management projects," said Koichi Matsumoto, General Manager, Global Fixed Income Investment Department, Dai-ichi Life.

"We are proud to partner with World Bank and Daiichi Life on the issuance of this impactful Sustainable Development Bond which represents a significant step toward using financial markets to confront global challenges including plastic waste reduction," said Yuki Hashimoto, Managing Director, Head of Fixed Income Division in Japan at Morgan Stanley. "This sustainability bond also aligns with the 'Plastic Waste Resolution' Morgan Stanley launched in April to facilitate the prevention, reduction, and removal of 50 million metric tons of plastic waste in rivers, oceans, landscapes, and landfills by 2030."

"We appreciate the investor's interest in investments that improve outcomes for society and the planet. World Bank bonds support lending to our member countries for sustainable development programs that positively impact livelihoods, well-being, and the environment making them a good fit for investors that want to support the achievement of the SDGs and implement ESG strategies, "said Yoshiyuki Arima, Representative for World Bank Treasury in Japan.