Global bank BNP Paribas has agreed a sustainability-linked loan with JetBlue Airways that sees margins and fees vary according to the airline’s environmental performance.
JetBlue has amended its existing $500 million senior secured revolving credit facility to include the provision, which is benchmarked against a standardised corporate measure of environmental, social and corporate governance.
Data is being provided by Vigeo Eiris, an international provider of ESG research and services for investors and organisations.
The deal is the latest in a growing number of finance agreements based on environmental factors for BNP Paribas.
Earlier this year, it closed the first sustainability-linked syndicated credit facility in Canada with professional services company WSP Global.
Florence Pourchet, co-head of global banking Americas at BNP Paribas, said: “As a leader in sustainable finance, BNP Paribas is dedicated to working with our corporate clients to identify tailored solutions that align with their specific efforts and commitments to achieving their ESG goals.”
JetBlue carries more than 42 million customers a year to nearly 100 cities in the US, Caribbean and Latin America.
Sophia Mendelsohn, chief sustainability officer for JetBlue, said: “As the first airline to accomplish this type of transaction, we are directly linking our commitment to addressing environmental and social issues with our bottom line.”
