(Finance) – In recent years, the major rating agencies have invested heavily to equip themselves with a “climate intelligence“Able to provide useful information to establish the level of risk of the various economic activities in relation to the consequences of climate change. The aim is to incorporate this type of risk into the valuations of companies and states to offer to the markets. A similar activity can also be carried out by the system credit especially with regard to companies to assess creditworthiness also in relation to their commitment to thematic Esg. We talked about it with Anna RoscioExecutive Director Sales & Marketing Companies Intesa Sanpaolo.
Is an action such as that initiated by the rating agencies in progress or is it also conceivable at the level of credit institutions for the assessment of the creditworthiness of its customers? I am thinking above all of your relationship with companies.
“Intesa Sanpaolo has for some time adopted a system for assessing the creditworthiness of SMEs based not only on the quantitative rating, but also on some qualitative aspects which have gradually become fully operational in the financial statements of many companies, determining their creditworthiness. The trend we see, both now and in the future, is to further enhance any behavior of the company that increases its sustainability as a determining factor for the analysis of the financial statements. In particular, we also recognize intangible values in assessing their creditworthiness: a fundamental step to develop a joint path of growth and development. With regard to small businesses, our Supply Chain Development Program makes it possible to access credit for suppliers who make up the production chain of the Made in Italy excellence companies, guaranteeing them the same rating as the leader’s rating. In addition, we are introducing an innovative proprietary ESG scoring methodology: this is a customer evaluation system that integrates quantitative information as well as sector-level considerations framed in the Group’s credit strategy framework, also in order to contribute by suggesting companies a sustainable growth path “.
Does Intesa Sanpaolo have any initiatives or investments planned that aim to build something similar to climate intelligence within it to correctly assess the risks to its activities in the context of climate change?
“An interesting fact emerges from our survey on the perception by SMEs of the impacts of climate change on their activities: more than 60% are aware that this impact on products and processes will exist and consider sustainability not as a cost to business, but as a strategic lever for the recovery of competitiveness. Within this framework there are tools designed by Intesa Sanpaolo to support the digital and environmental transition, such as S-Loan Climate Change, the first loan designed to counter the effects of climate change and which, in combination, provides an 80% SACE Green guarantee on investment projects of up to 15 million euros for a maximum duration of 20 years. The adoption of these measures represents a further step in the context of a multi-year and articulated strategy of sustainability, consistent with the objectives of the NRP “.
Attention to environmental issues is an objective towards which banks and companies are working together to accelerate investments. What is Intesa Sanpaolo’s vision in light of the recently presented 2022-2025 Business Plan?
“With the new Business Plan we intend to further strengthen our role as a leading bank for ESG issues with the commitment, among others, to allocating 115 billion euros to the community and to the green transition. In addition, the Group is committed to protecting and restoring natural capital by planting over 100 million trees over the plan, through direct initiatives or dedicated customer loans and by adopting a specific biodiversity policy. In particular, in the four-year period of the Plan, we will reserve new credit for the green economy, the circular economy and the ecological transition for 88 billion euros, with a strong focus on supporting the ecological transition of structured companies and small and medium-sized enterprises “.