Chiba Bank Provides First Positive Impact Rating to Pharmaceutical Company

Chiba Bank has awarded its first positive impact rating to Tokiwa Phytochemical Co., a long-established pharmaceutical ingredient manufacturer in Sakura City, Chiba Prefecture. This marks the first such rating given by a regional bank. The rating assesses the impact of corporate activities on the environment and society towards achieving the SDGs.

The bank is considering multiple rounds of financing based on this evaluation. The positive impact rating involves setting initiatives that contribute to the SDGs, such as reducing monthly overtime to less than 10 hours by fiscal year 2030 and ensuring that all waste is recyclable. Chiba Bank and its subsidiary, Chibagin Research Institute (Chiba City), will monitor the progress of these initiatives annually.

A representative explained, "Typically, in positive impact finance (PIF), a single evaluation is often followed by a one-time loan. In this case, we have created an evaluation framework first, which will serve as the basis for various lending activities."