The Environmental Finance Bond Awards 2019 feature several repeat winners alongside many new names, as 13 extra categories were added this year in response to the rapid growth of social and sustainability bonds.
The awards include several new categories for deals and lead managers in the social and sustainability bond market, reflecting the growth of these markets. There was also a new category for investor of the year.
The hotly contested awards, which cover the 2018 calendar year, aim to recognise best practice, or issues that were significant for the development of the market. The awards are particularly prestigious because the winners were decided by an independent panel of judges made up of some of the biggest investors in the green, social and sustainability bond market.
A record 24 investors gave up their time to help judge the awards. Environmental Finance is grateful to them for helping to promote best practice in this important market.
Notable winners this year include the IFC/Amundi Planet Emerging Green One fund, which was named Initiative of the Year as well as the Green Bond Fund of the Year.
Marilyn Ceci of JP Morgan who was voted Personality of the Year.
"Marilyn has served the market with relentless passion and integrity for many years," said one judge.
She is "a green bond superstar," added another.
Among the repeat winners were the Luxembourg Stock Exchange, Cicero and the Bloomberg Barclays MSCI Green Bond index, which retained the titles of Exchange of the Year, External Assessment Provider of the Year and Index of the Year, respectively.
Among the lead managers, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, BNP Paribas, Credit Agricole and HSBC all excelled, each grabbing more than one award.
Congratulations to all of the winners and many thanks to our hard-working judges. After many dramatic developments in the market in 2018, we look forward to seeing how it evolves in 2019.
Click here to see full list of winners