The Hong Kong Quality Assurance Agency (HKQAA) is a non-profit public organization established by the Hong Kong Government in 1989. It is dedicated to promoting quality management practices and fostering sustainable development in the business community and society. As one of the leading conformity assessment bodies and standard setters in the region, HKQAA not only introduces advanced international management knowledge but also actively develops forward-thinking and persified services in response to market and social demands. Its service covers areas such as social responsibility, environmental protection, energy management, carbon neutrality, green and sustainable finance, ESG, elderly care services, and accessible management. HKQAA is committed to driving excellence and value-added initiatives within industries, thereby benefiting society. The HKQAA has been approved by the China National Certification and Accreditation Administration (CNCA) to establish certification bodies in the Chinese mainland. It has also set up the Shanghai Certification Branch, Guangzhou Branch and Xi’an Office to provide certification services for mainland enterprises. 

At the “35th Anniversary of HKQAA and Annual Summit on Sustainable Finance and Climate Adaptation in Hong Kong”, China CITIC Bank (International), with its outstanding performance in the green bond issuance project of CITIC Bank London Branch, demonstrated its professional service spirit, efforts, and breakthroughs in the fields of green and sustainable bond underwriting, as well as green and sustainable finance. As a result, it received the award of “Outstanding Lead Arranger for Green and Sustainable Bonds (Banking Sector) - Green Bond Framework with Visionary Excellence”. 

This awarded project was based on the green bond issuance project of CITIC Bank London Branch and the green financing framework of the parent bank, China CITIC Bank. This project has achieved Moody’s SQS1 Excellent, which is Moody’s highest rating and currently the only top result obtained by all issuers in the Asia-Pacific region. It has also received Fitch’s Excellent rating, which is Fitch’s highest rating and currently the only top result obtained by all bank-affiliated issuers in the Asia-Pacific region. Furthermore, it has obtained S&P’s Medium Green rating, which is S&P’s second-highest rating and currently the best result obtained by all bank-affiliated issuers in the Asia-Pacific region. 

This issuance of green bonds is the first time that China CITIC Bank has issued in the form of green bonds in the overseas market. By engaging three green institutions, it achieved exceptional results. The high-quality green framework, with its strong green attributes, obtained the best ratings from the three major international rating agencies and was fully affirmed by second-party opinion providers.

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