May, 27, 2020

Government Pension Investment Fund (GPIF) and NWB Bank (Nederlandse Waterschapsbank) have recently formed a partnership to promote and develop sustainable capital markets through a focus on Green and Sustainability Bonds, as well as the incorporation of ESG assessments in fixed income investments.

NWB Bank's Green and Sustainability Bonds are issued in alignment with the Green Bond Principles and Sustainability Bond Guidelines, which are administered by the International Capital Market Association (ICMA). These bonds provide investment opportunities for GPIF asset managers to contribute to make a sustainable society.

＜Comment by MIYAZONO Masataka, President of GPIF＞
We would like to leverage the success with multinational development banks in green, social and sustainability bonds partnerships in hopes to expand this to other platforms. GPIF requires all asset managers to integrate ESG into their investment analysis and decision-making. We regard purchase of Green, Social and Sustainability Bonds as one of the direct methods of ESG integration in the fixed income investment. We are delighted to partner with NWB Bank which is considered a leading issuer of ESG bonds within the SSA (Sovereigns, Supranationals, and Agencies) space.

＜Comment by Frenk van der Vliet, Chief Commercial Officer of NWB Bank＞
As a sustainable bank for the public sector, the issuance of ESG bonds has become an indispensable part of NWB Bank's business operations. We are pleased to cooperate with GPIF as they are a major investor in Green and Sustainability bonds. The issuance of these bonds underlines the NWB Bank's role as a robust and sustainable financial partner for the Dutch public sector.

＜Link to the Principles and Guidelines for Green, Social and Sustainability Bonds＞
https://www.icmagroup.org/green-social-and-sustainability-bonds/

＜Investment Scheme＞