UNIQA Green Bond Report 2023
living better together
Green Bond Report 2023
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. UNIQA AT A GLANCE |
3 |
|
3 |
UNIQA 3.0 |
3 |
SUSTAINABILITY AT UNIQA |
4 |
UNIQA GREEN BOND 2021 |
5 |
2. |
GREEN BOND ALLOCATION REPORT |
6 |
GREEN BOND ALLOCATION PROCESS |
6 |
|
ASSET SELECTION & EVALUATION |
6 |
|
3. IMPACT REPORT |
7 |
|
IMPACT SUMMARY |
7 |
|
SCOPE OF WORK AND LIMITATIONS |
8 |
|
IMPACT FINDINGS |
8 |
|
4. |
METHODOLOGY |
. 9 |
RENEWABLE ENERGY |
9 |
|
DATA SOURCES AND ASSUMPTIONS |
9 |
|
POLLUTION PREVENTION AND CONTROL |
9 |
|
DATA SOURCES AND ASSUMPTIONS |
10 |
|
CLEAN TRANSPORTATION |
10 |
|
DATA SOURCES AND ASSUMPTIONS |
10 |
5. DISCLAIMER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 APPENDIX 1/1: EXTERNAL ALLOCATION REVIEW . . . . . . . . . 12
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1. UNIQA at a glance
Key figures
The Group provides a comprehensive range of products in property and casualty insurance, life insurance, and health insurance to its customers. In the first nine months of 2023 UNIQA achieved profitable growth and
Green Bond Report 2023
stable results, generating earnings before taxes of 305 mil. EUR. Insurance revenue grew by 9.3 per cent by the end of
Insurance Revenue |
Gross Combined Ratio |
Earnings before taxes |
4,430 mil. EUR |
92% |
305 mil. EUR |
(1-9/2022: 4,053 mil. EUR) |
(1-9/2022: 89.6%) |
(1-9/2022: 250 mil. EUR) |
UNIQA 3.0
In 2020 UNIQA presented "UNIQA 3.0 - Seeding the Future", a far-reaching strategic programme formulated in response to the megatrends of a.o., economic power shifts, demographic and social changes, innovation & digitalization, and sustainability require- ments. To support it in its mission to help its customers achieve a longer, better and safer life, UNIQA also formulated five Guiding Principles: customer first, simplicity, responsibility, integrity and community.
Key operational elements of the programme were condensed in a set of financial initiatives and business objectives, to be realized by 2025. These are very specific and ambitious: premium growth of approx. 3 per cent p.a., combined ratio in property/casualty insurance of approx. 93 per cent, total cost ratio of approx. 25 per cent, retuon equity exceeding 9 per cent, solvency ratio exceeding 170 per cent, and customer satisfaction of at least 4.5 stars out of 5.
GUIDING Principles
Our values
Customer First |
Simplicity |
Ownership |
We are relentlessly focused |
We take action and learn |
We empower each other |
on the needs of our customers. |
from our mistakes. |
to take responsibility. |
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Integrity
We keep our promises.
Community
We collaborate beyond
conventional boundaries.
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Sustainability at UNIQA
Sustainability approach and ESG integration
The UNIQA sustainability strategy, published in 2020, pursues a holistic approach and ties its economic ambitions to a clear commitment to the environment and society. The strategy rests on five key pillars:
- An investment policy established in accordance with ESG criteria
- A product policy aligned with ESG criteria and featuring sustainable additional benefits
- Exemplary sustainable operational management
- Transparent reporting and ongoing independent ratings
- Committed stakeholder management ensuring greater social and environmental responsibility
ESG integration
Sustainability measures become transformative only if they are implemented in a transparent and understandable way. UNIQA does this through strong
governance and clear responsibilities, well-founded stakeholder engagement, comprehensive reporting and external ratings.
Group ESG Committee
The Group ESG Committee (ESGCO), set up in 2021, is the central body deciding on sustainability matters at a Management Board level. It comprises members of the Management Board of
Sustainability management
The Sustainability, Ethics and Public Affairs (SEPA) team is responsible for
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Green Bond Report 2023
UNIQA Green Bond 2021
With more than
In
In
375 Mio. EUR
Issued in
"The performance of our first green bond demonstrates the strong demand from investors for sustainable investment products as an addition to their portfolios. We see a clear and encouraging trend: sustainability and climate protection have become key factors in investment decisions.
The considerable interest in our second green bond only supports this view and demonstrates the high level of trust investors place in UNIQA, as well as their willingness to join us on our path towards more sustainable investing."
CFRO at
ISIN:
XS2418392143
|
2,375% |
|
||
fixed coupon (floating |
||||
First Issuer Call Date |
coupon after |
maturity date |
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Green Bond Report 2023
2. Green Bond Allocation Report
Allocated Amount 2022 |
110 mil. EUR |
Allocated Amount 2023 |
162 mil. EUR |
Unallocated Amount1 |
103 mil. EUR |
In accordance with the UNIQA Green Bond Framework issued in 2020, an amount equivalent to 272 mil. EUR of the net proceeds was exclusively employed to refinance investments in sustainable assets. UNIQA ensures that the eligible assets comply with official national and international environmental and social standards and local laws and regulations on a best effort basis. The remaining share of proceeds has been intermittently allocated to green bonds UNIQA has invested in, before it can be allocated to qualifying projects.
In addition to the Green Bond Framework, the asset selection complies with
- UNIQA Sustainability Strategy
- UNIQA Responsible Investing Policy
Green Bond allocation process
As described in UNIQA's Green Bond Framework, the ESG Committee is an integral part of the green bond governance. The ESG Committee is responsible for reviewing and validating the existing pool of eligible green assets, updating the Green Bond Framework, and monitoring the ongoing evolution of market practices in disclosure, reporting and harmonization.
Asset Selection & Evaluation
The selection and evaluation of eligible assets is performed in three steps:
- Initial analysis of eligibility - this is done as part of the ongoing investment decisions made by individu- al portfolio managers.
- Confirmation of eligibility - the identified assets are subject to additional analysis with respect to their conformity with Green Bond criteria.
- Allocation decision - the ESG committee takes a final decision on the selection of the assets desig- nated to the green bonds.
1 Note: An amount equal to the Unallocated Proceeds is held as investments in green bonds - these are a temporary investment management activity, (and explicitly do not constitute an 'Eligible Green Asset' for allocation under the UNIQA Green Bond Framework) and are viewed by UNIQA as a means to support the sustainable finance market whilst also serving as an acceptable short-term investment option.
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3. Impact Report
Impact Summary
UNIQA has engaged Morningstar Sustainalytics to calculate the estimated impact of the green bond issued by UNIQA in
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The projects are located across various high-income
272 Mio. EUR |
253 |
|||||
Allocated funds |
Annual emissions avoided |
|||||
(ktCO2e) |
||||||
72 |
55 K |
|||||
Projects |
Cars driven for one year |
|||||
27 |
17 M |
|||||
Countries |
Trees, yearly sequestration |
|||||
Avoid CO2e emissions by Use of Proceeds Category and Location of Projects by Country
4 %
22 %
74 %
- 74 % Renewable energy
- 22 % Pollution Prevention and Control
- 4 % Clean Transportation
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Scope of Work and
Limitations
UNIQA has engaged Sustainalytics to calculate the environmental impacts of the projects financed with proceeds from the 2021 Green Bond. For this work, Sustainalytics relied on the data provided by UNIQA on the amount allocated and the technical data on the projects financed. Sustainalytics' impact reporting is aligned with ICMA's
- They understand it is the sole responsibility of UNIQA to ensure that the information provided is complete, accurate and up to date;
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- They have provided Sustainalytics with all relevant information;
- Any provided material information has been duly disclosed in a timely manner.
Sustainalytics also reviewed relevant public documents and non-public information.
Impact Findings
For reporting, Sustainalytics follows the ICMA Harmonised Framework for Impact Reporting2, which synthesizes market expectations and outlines recommendations for impact reporting to create a standardized reporting structure and to enhance the understanding of the impact to all stakeholders, including investors. Table 1, 2 and 3 provide project level details. These metrics correspond to a representative year during the bond's term to maturity and are based on the share of project financing.
Table 1: Impact of Renewable Energy Projects by Technology
Technology Type
Allocated Amount
Financed
Generation
Financed Capacity
Financed Emissions
Avoided
EUR |
MWh/year |
MW |
tCO2e/year |
|
Wind |
107,783,534 |
340,023 |
142 |
89,620 |
Solar |
36,509,531 |
123,830 |
72 |
54,733 |
Mixed renewables |
14,431,126 |
123,658 |
76 |
42,690 |
Table 2: Impact of Pollution Prevention and Control Projects by Technology
Technology Type
Allocated
Amount
Financed
Waste Treated
Financed Electricity
Generation
Financed
Project Emissions
Financed Emissions
Avoided
EUR |
tonnes |
MWh |
tCO2e |
tCO2e |
|
|
47,518,725 |
92,325 |
86,099 |
31,619 |
56,270 |
Table 3: Impact of Clean Transportation by Project Type
Project Type
Allocated Passenger-km
Amount Travelled
Tonne-km Travelled
Financed GHG
Emissions
Financed GHG
Emissions Avoided
EUR |
pkm |
tkm |
tCO2e/year |
tCO2e/year |
|
Rolling Stock |
18,841,847 |
1,300,898,559 |
23,208,330,836 |
20,571 |
10,947 |
Infrastructure |
42,160,507 |
1,666,949,106 |
1,160,670,777 |
60 |
227 |
2 ICMA, "Handbook - Harmonised Framework for Impact Reporting", (2023), at: https://www.icmagroup.org/assets/documents/ Sustainable-finance/2023-updates/Handbook-Harmonised-framework-for-impact-reporting-June-2023-220623.pdf
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4. Methodology
Sustainalytics developed its own methodologies for quantifying GHG avoidance and other metrics, including leveraging publicly available best-in-class methodologies, protocols and frameworks that are currently industry best practice. Their estimation practices and general principles rely on the GHG Pro- tocol.3 Their methodologies are based on guidance provided by the International Financial Institutions4 on calculation methodology and global emissions. In addition, Sustainalytics relies on the
Renewable Energy
It is assumed that energy generated by the projects crowd out a mix of current and upcoming planned generation capacity, and therefore associated emis- sions. The approach taken to derive the greenhouse gas emissions avoidance uses:
- The emissions of the renewable energy projects, which are often (but not always) zero; and
- The baseline emissions or emissions occurring in the absence of the project. For electricity genera- tion, these emissions are based on the energy mix used to supply electricity to the local grid.
- Financed project avoided emissions are calculated by using the share of project financing of the total project emissions avoided from the above calcula- tions.
Data Sources and Assumptions
- For projects included under Renewable Energy, UNIQA provided energy generation data (in MWh) where available; otherwise, the project capacity (in MW) was provided.
- For projects where only capacity data was provided, Sustainalytics estimated the annual energy gener- ation based on the technology and location of the projects using historical energy data provided by IRENA.7 For projects where only energy generation was provided, Sustainalytics estimated the project capacity using the same data.
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Green Bond Report 2023
- The projects consist of both operational assets and those under construction. The calculated emis- sions avoided make no distinction between the two, assuming all projects are operational. For projects under construction, the expected energy generation is estimated using the project capacity.
- The baseline emission factors for the countries where projects are located were sourced from IFI.8 To account for emissions from upstream activities, Sustainalytics applies an additional, indirect emis- sions factor.9
- For zero-carbon technologies such as solar and wind energy, the emissions per unit of generation are assumed to be 0 gCO2e/kWh.
Pollution Prevention and Control
For waste-to-energy projects, it is assumed that the waste, if not used for energy production, would have undergone alternative disposal methods, such as landfilling or incineration. It is also assumed that the energy generated from waste crowds out a mix of current and upcoming planned electricity generation capacity. This displacement of other waste management methods and electricity generation results in the corresponding avoided GHG emissions. The approach taken to derive the GHG emissions avoided is based on the comparison between:
- The GHG emissions of the waste-to-energy project; and
- The baseline emissions or emissions occurring in the absence of the project. For the electricity generation, which forms part of the avoided car- bon emissions, these emissions are based on the energy mix used to supply electricity to the local grid; for the other part, namely the GHG emissions originating from waste treatment, the GHG emis- sions are based on the local treatment of waste.
- Greenhouse Gas Protocol, "About Us", (2023), at: https://ghgprotocol.org/
- International Financial Institutions (IFI), "Members of the Internation- al Financial Institutions on Greenhouse Gas Accounting", at: https:// unfccc.int/sites/default/files/resource/IFIs membership for UNFCCC %27white pages%27_0.pdf
Partnership for Carbon Accounting Financials (PCAF), "About", (2023) at: https://carbonaccountingfinancials.com/- UNFCCC, "CDM Methodologies Booklet - Fourteenth edition", (2022), at: https://cdm.unfccc.int/methodologies/documentation/index.html
International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), "Statistics Time Se- ries", (2023) at: https://www.irena.org/Data/View-data-by-topic/Capaci-ty-and-Generation/Statistics-Time-Series- UNFCCC, "The IFI Dataset of Default Grid Factors", available at: https:// unfccc.int/climate-action/sectoral-engagement/ifis-harmoniza-tion-of-standards-for-ghg-accounting/ifi-twg-list-of-methodologies
- Government of the
UK , "Government conversion factors for company reporting of greenhouse gas emissions", (2023), at: https://www.gov.uk/ government/collections/government-conversion-factors-for-compa-ny-reporting
Data Sources and Assumptions
- For the projects included under Pollution Pre- vention and Control, the emission factors of the projects were provided by UNIQA where possi- ble. Where not available, an average emission factor for waste-to-energy was applied.10
- For projects where only the annual electricity gen- eration was provided, the amount of waste treated was estimated using the average calorific value of municipal solid waste.10
- The local waste mix and the local waste treatment practices were sourced from the IPCC.11
- The method used to estimate emissions from waste management practices was adopted from the Euro- pean
Investment Bank .12 - The baseline emission factors for the countries where projects are located were sourced from IFI.13 To account for emissions from upstream activities, Sustainalytics applied an additional, indirect emis- sions factor.11
Clean Transportation
Clean transportation is assumed to displace a mix of existing and future transportation along the same travel distance. The GHG emissions avoided are calculated using:
- The emissions of the clean transportation projects based on the best available data from UNIQA. To the extent available, calculations are based on fuel consumption or passenger-kilometre data. In the absence of such information, estimates are made based on mode of transportation, fuel type and average passengers per vehicle.
- The baseline emissions, which are the emissions associated with a basket of vehicles or modes of transport being replaced currently and in the fu- ture lifetime of the project.
- Financed project-avoided emissions are calculated by using the share of project financing of the total project emissions avoided from the above calculations.
Green Bond Report 2023
Data Sources and Assumptions
- For projects included under Clean Transportation, UNIQA provided data on either the number of vehi- cles, number of passenger-kilometres travelled for passenger transport, number of tonne-kilometres travelled for freight transport, or fuel consumption for the included projects.
- In instances where passenger-kilometres or tonne-kilometres travelled data were missing, Sustainalytics estimated this information based on available project data. These estimations relied on local rail statistics specific to each project.
- For passenger transport, it is assumed that the projects displace the baseline, which is the average mode of transport used in the local context based on road statistics. This baseline includes a mix of passenger vehicles, buses, metros and taxis. For overseas transport, airplane and maritime trans- port are also included in the baseline.
- For freight transport, it is assumed that projects dis- place the baseline, which is a mix of modes used to transport freight in the local context based on road statistics, including freight trucks and rail, For over- seas transport, maritime transport is also included in the baseline.
- The emissions of the individual rail projects are based on the electricity consumption. Where possi- ble, Sustainalytics used emissions factors provided by UNIQA. In the absence of these, emissions were calculated using the national grid emission factors sourced from IFI. To account for emissions from upstream activities, such as electricity transmission losses and the extraction and refining of primary fuels, Sustainalytics applies an additional, indirect emissions factor to the emissions directly emitted by the project and baseline vehicles.
- IEA Bioenergy, "Municipal Solid Waste and its Role in Sustainability", (2003) at: www.ieabioenergy.com/wp-content/ uploads/2013/10/40_IEAPositionPaperMSW.pdf
- IPCC, "2019 Refinement to the 2006 IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories, Chapter 2 Waste Generation, Composition and Management Data", (2019) at: https://www.ipcc nggip.iges.or.jp/public/2019rf/pdf/5_ Volume5/19R_V5_2_Ch02_Waste_Data.pdf
- European Investment Banak, "EIB Project Carbon Footprint Methodologies", (2023), at: https://www.eib.org/attach- ments/lucalli/eib_project_carbon_footprint_methodologies_2023_en.pdf
- UNFCCC, The IFI Dataset of Default Grid Factors, available at: https://unfccc.int/climate-action/sectoral-engage-ment/ifis-harmonization-of-standards-for-ghg-accounting/ifi-twg-list-of-methodologies
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