Alphabet's record ESG bond sale shows social issues gaining on environment

Issuances for aims like poverty reduction up sevenfold in pandemic year

Google's parent Alphabet on Monday issued $5.75 billion of sustainability bonds, a corporate record. (Nikkei montage)

Nikkei staff writers

August 9, 2020 04:09 JST

TOKYO -- The coronavirus pandemic has put an emphasis on the social in environment, social and governance investing, with more ESG bonds being issued to finance causes such as aid for the poor and small businesses.

Global issuance of social bonds this year stood at $51.6 billion as of Friday, 6.9 times as much as in the same period of 2019, according to data provider Refinitiv.