Standard Chartered Bank announced the successful completion of the region’s first Receivables Financing Facility for Siemens in the UAE. The innovative solution was developed for Siemens to support their multiple long-term contracts with a large UAE-based company to provide energy-efficiency solutions targeting a reduction in electricity consumption by 10-25%. Siemens is a technology company focused on the digital transformation of industry and infrastructure.

Siemens was able to monetise their receivables from these contracts using Standard Chartered’s facility, which relies on future energy savings generated from Siemens’ supplied solution. As part of this strategic partnership, the facility has an added credit protection, provided by Etihad Credit Insurance (ECI), UAE’s federal Export Credit Agency and Credit Insurer. ECI has touted this transaction to be using the first-of-its-kind ESG-linked insurance policy.

Rola Abu Manneh, Chief Executive Officer, Standard Chartered UAE, said: “We are pleased to offer this innovative receivables financing programme which helps our clients maintain healthy liquidity and cash flow levels that support them in achieving their sustainability objectives. Furthermore, we are committed to supporting the growth and development of sustainable finance and look forward to witnessing this innovative solution contributing to the UAE’s Net Zero objective.”    

Helmut von Struve, Chief Executive Officer of Siemens in the UAE and the Middle East, said: “We are pleased that Standard Chartered is enhancing its sustainable finance solutions, a development that benefits our customers who are focused on improving their energy efficiency. All of Siemens’ production facilities and buildings worldwide will achieve a net zero carbon footprint by 2030, and we are committed to contributing to the efforts of our customers across the Middle East to meet their emissions targets as well. Innovative financing like this will help accelerate these initiatives.”

Massimo Falcioni, Chief Executive Officer, Etihad Credit Insurance, said: “We’re proud to cooperate with Standard Chartered Bank to ease Siemens access to the bank’s trade finance solutions, through an Etihad Credit Insurance ESG-linked receivable finance insurance policy. This facility will benefit Siemens in supporting its multiple long-term contracts with a large UAE-based company, which has the ambition to become one of the leading sustainable and efficient energy-efficiency service providers in the wider MENA region. ECI has always been keen on finding innovative solutions to continuously evolve and adapt to the ever-changing requirements of our clients.”