SUNWAY HEALTHCARE ESTABLISHES SUSTAINABILITY FINANCING FRAMEWORK

KUALA LUMPUR, March 24 (Bernama) -- Sunway Healthcare Group (SHG) has established its Sustainability Financing Framework, marking a significant milestone in its sustainability journey.

In a statement today, the healthcare provider said that with the framework in place, it will be able to issue sustainability sukuk under the RM5.0 billion Sukuk Wakalah Programme by its wholly-owned subsidiary, Sunway Healthcare Treasury Sdn Bhd, to finance eligible projects.

These include opening new hospitals across Malaysia to give more communities access to high-quality healthcare, SHG said.

Its president, Datuk Lau Beng Long said that sustainability sits at the core of Sunway’s DNA and the healthcare division works towards supporting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, especially in the areas of quality healthcare, community outreach, talent diversity and green efforts.

The group noted that SHG’s Sustainability Financing Framework was accorded the highest rating of “Gold” in the Impact Bond Assessment by the Malaysian Rating Corp Bhd.

The framework is also in compliance with the Securities Commission Malaysia’s Sustainability and Responsibility Investment Sukuk Framework, the ASEAN Capital Markets Forum’s Green, Social and Sustainability Bond Standards, the International Capital Markets Association’s Green, Social and Sustainability Bond Principles, and the Loan Market Association’s Green and Social Loan Principles.

Maybank Investment Bank Bhd (Maybank IB) acted as the sole sustainability structuring adviser for the establishment of the framework as well as the sole principal adviser, lead arranger and lead manager for the Sukuk Wakalah Programme.

Maybank IB chief executive officer Datuk Fad’l Mohamed said with environmental, social, and governance (ESG) requirements becoming entrenched by regulators and investors alike, companies with strong foundations and clear roadmaps will be well positioned to tap into the capital markets.

“This milestone is another testament to our commitment to the group, having acted as sole financial advisor for SHG’s strategic sale of a 16 per cent stake to GIC Pte Ltd in 2021,” he said.

-- BERNAMA