With our ESG bonds, we help local authorities and housing associations finance social and sustainable activities. In doing so, we contribute to the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations (UN). With our Sustainable Finance Framework, we link the proceeds from bonds to the loans we grant to our customers.
Largest Dutch issuer of social bonds
BNG has been actively issuing ESG bonds since 2014. Since then, issuance has grown steadily and BNG has become the largest Dutch issuer of social bonds. The annual issuance of ESG bonds forms a substantial part of BNG's funding programme.
Sustainable Finance Framework
The original version of the BNG Sustainable Finance Framework was developed in 2021, and a version update was released in 2024. Under the framework, BNG issues two types of ESG bonds: social bonds and sustainability bonds. We use social bonds to finance Dutch social housing associations. We use sustainability bonds to finance Dutch municipalities. We link the budgets and expenditures of Dutch municipalities and Dutch social housing associations to the UN SDGs and the ICMA categories for use of proceeds.
The framework has been set up in line with international ICMA standards: the Green Bond Principles (GBP), the Social Bond Principles (SBP) and the Sustainability Bond Guidelines (SBG). ISS has issued a second party opinion (SPO) on the framework. Every year, together with Het PON & Telos (official partner of Tilburg University), BNG draws up impact reports that list the results of financing provided to Dutch municipalities and housing associations. Our ESG bonds are listed on the Luxembourg Green Exchange (LGX).