The Alkern group confirms its CSR ambition by setting up a loan linked to sustainable objectives

Since 2021, Alkern has continued its growth as part of its strategic plan, which essentially aims to:

• manage its activities, mainly industrial, in a responsible manner in terms of the safety of its teams and their well-being while controlling its environmental impact,
• provide the construction market with low-carbon construction solutions with a low carbon impact for its clients,
• participate in the adaptation of infrastructure and urban development to climate change.

In this context, Alkern seeks to increase its positive contribution to the challenges of environmental transition and the low carbon revolution which is currently underway in the building industry.

“The ambition that we have displayed in this area has enabled us today to take a further step forward by setting up a Sustainability-Linked Loan (SLL) or loan linked to sustainable objectives, which consists of integrate annual CSR objectives into the calculation of the interest rate on our loans. » specifies Xavier Janin, president of the group.

An approach that is still rare for an ETI

Although increasingly common in many areas and for listed or large groups, the use of a sustainable finance instrument is still rare for an ETI in the construction materials sector, which confirms the committed and precursor of Alkern and its desire to align its financing strategy with its CSR policy. (to discover here: https://www.alkern.fr/notre-demarche-rse/)

3 criteria used in the mechanism for adjusting the interest rate of its “impact” loan

When finalizing its loan linked to sustainable objectives, Alkern and its financial advisors retained 3 CSR performance objectives whose annual achievement is linked to an incentive mechanism for adjusting the interest rate of its debt:

1. la drop in the frequency rate of work accidents: Priority number 1 of its industrial policy, safety is naturally at the heart of Alkern's CSR policy and its ambition to reduce the accident rate now becomes a criterion of this mechanism,
2. the carbon emissions savings made by its customers thanks to Alkern products is the second criterion retained. Committed to the development of low-carbon building construction solutions, Alkern wanted to promote and support its efforts in terms of innovation and development of the use of these solutions in buildings. The ambition of the targets set, in a complex building market context, demonstrates Alkern's confidence in investing in innovations that will help reduce the carbon impact of the construction of our buildings of tomorrow,
3. The achievement of a complete greenhouse gas balance (scope 1, 2 and 3) and its associated emissions reduction plan complete the criteria retained within the framework of this loan.

Financing subscribed by a large pool of French banks

This loan linked to sustainable objectives was concluded with Alkern's partner banks: Caisse d’Epargne Haut de France, as co-arranger and ESG coordinator, CIC North West (Mandated Arranger, Bookrunners, Coordinator, Senior Agent and Security Agent), BNP Paribas (Mandated Arranger, Bookkeeper and Coordinator), Regional Bank of Crédit Agricole Mutuel Nord de France, Banque palatine et Arkéa BEI (all co-arrangers).

Through their presence in this financing, these banks illustrate their commitment to sustainable development issues and their confidence in Alkern's involvement in achieving its CSR objectives.