Sustainable finance

Our Sustainable Finance Framework outlines our criteria for classifying our business as sustainable. Developed with the support of leading ESG experts and with reference to industry guidelines, the framework enables the monitoring, tracking and reporting of sustainable business activities toward our ESG objectives. 

The framework applies to EDC’s direct lending business activities, including corporate lending, structured and project finance and mid-market lending portfolios. 

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Bonds are a key tool for financing sustainable activities and businesses. Our Sustainable Finance Framework sets out the criteria for what our bonds can support, and includes:

• Green bonds to support initiatives related to renewable energy, energy efficiency, pollution and waste management, natural resources, clean transport and green buildings, among others.
• Social bonds to support affordable infrastructure, access to health and nutrition, and businesses owned and/or led by equity seeking groups such as women, Indigenous, Black and other racialized  and 2SLGBTQI+ people.
• Sustainable bonds that finance green and social projects.
• Transition bonds that relate to activities that significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

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With demand for clean technologies growing across key industries, the world needs Canada’s innovators. For more than 10 years EDC has helped Canadian clean technology companies of all sizes achieve success on the global stage by providing trade knowledge, financing solutions, equity, insurance and connections.  

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Historically, underrepresented groups face barriers accessing traditional or mainstream financial and knowledge solutions. We recognize the need to do more to support these businesses as they look to grow their companies internationally. Our Inclusive Trade Investments Program provides equity capital to Canadian exporting businesses owned or led by people who identify as women, Indigenous, Black or racialized, 2SLGBTQI+, and/or living with disabilities (diverse businesses).

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Our sustainable financing guarantee is a new financial solution developed as part of our work to enable net zero by 2050. It aims to help medium and large-sized Canadian businesses transition from carbon-intensive operations to those that can eliminate or significantly reduce emissions. It is a risk-sharing solution with several Canadian financial institutions that we hope to continue expanding in order to increase the capacity of the Canadian financial sector to provide sustainably-linked funding.