Standard Chartered Raises EUR 1 Billion Through First Green Bond to Accelerate Climate Finance Across Asia, Africa and the Middle East

credit: Standard Chartered Bank

(IN BRIEF) Standard Chartered has issued its first Green-only bond, raising EUR 1 billion to fund renewable energy, green buildings and other environmentally sustainable projects, primarily across Asia, Africa and the Middle East. The issuance builds on the bank’s broader sustainable finance programme and reflects its strategy of channeling capital into markets where climate finance can deliver the greatest impact. Strong investor demand, with orders exceeding EUR 3.9 billion, highlights confidence in the bank’s sustainability framework and credit profile. Proceeds will support a wide range of green initiatives, from clean energy and climate-resilient infrastructure to circular economy and sustainable water solutions, reinforcing Standard Chartered’s role in advancing sustainable growth in emerging markets.

(PRESS RELEASE) SINGAPORE, 8-Jan-2026 — /EuropaWire/ — Standard Chartered has issued its inaugural Green Bond, raising EUR 1 billion to finance renewable energy, green buildings and other environmentally sustainable projects across Asia, Africa and the Middle East. While this marks the bank’s first Green-only bond, it represents its fifth Sustainable Finance issuance overall, reinforcing its intention to remain a regular issuer of sustainable debt and to expand the scale of its climate-focused financing activities.

The proceeds from the bond will be allocated in line with Standard Chartered’s Sustainability Bond Framework and will support a broad range of initiatives, including renewable power generation, climate-resilient infrastructure, energy efficiency, sustainable water management, natural resource protection and circular economy solutions. A significant proportion of the funding will be directed toward emerging markets, where sustainable investment can deliver outsized environmental and social benefits.

Diego De Giorgi, Group Chief Financial Officer, described the transaction as a key milestone in the bank’s sustainable finance strategy. He highlighted Standard Chartered’s ability to raise capital in major financial centres and deploy it across borders into markets where demand for sustainable finance is most pressing, supporting long-term economic growth alongside environmental progress.

Marisa Drew, Chief Sustainability Officer, emphasised the importance of focusing climate finance on developing economies. She noted that renewable energy projects in markets with more carbon-intensive power systems can achieve substantially higher emissions reductions than similar investments in developed economies, making targeted financing particularly impactful.

The Green Bond references Standard Chartered’s Sustainable Finance asset pool, which currently totals USD 17.4 billion in green assets. More than 70 percent of these assets are located in Asia, Africa and the Middle East and span 355 projects across ten thematic areas, including emissions reduction, climate adaptation, waste reduction, eco-efficient manufacturing and sustainable natural resource use.

Investor appetite for the issuance was strong, with order books exceeding EUR 3.9 billion. According to Dan Hodge, Group Treasurer, demand reflected confidence in both Standard Chartered’s credit profile and its sustainable finance strategy, while offering investors exposure to impactful projects in high-growth markets. Salman Ansari, Global Head of Capital Markets, added that the bond priced flat to the bank’s secondary curve despite challenging market conditions, underscoring robust investor support.

Recent examples of projects financed through the bank’s green asset pool include flood-resilient emergency bridges in Ghana, electric bus deployment in India, and Türkiye’s second-largest solar power project. Collectively, these initiatives demonstrate how Standard Chartered’s sustainable finance activities contribute to emissions reduction, climate resilience and improved infrastructure in emerging economies.

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NOTES TO EDITORS

For further information please contact:

Charlotte Love
Director, Sustainability Communications
Charlotte.Love@sc.com

Standard Chartered

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SOURCE: Standard Chartered