Over 50% of APAC companies likely to issue social bonds in the next year: survey

OVER 50 per cent of companies in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) are expected to issue a social bond in the next 12 months, with employee welfare seen as a top priority, a fresh survey by ING showed on Thursday.

The companies surveyed said employee health and well-being (35 per cent) will take precedence over emissions reduction (29 per cent) in the next year. Investors, too, cite this as a key ESG (environmental, social and governance) priority, behind only climate and sustainable supply chains.

APAC (53 per cent) and North American (51 per cent) companies are more likely to issue a social bond in the next 12 months than their European (44 per cent) counterparts, according to the survey.