Elea Digital, Brazil’s largest platform with the highest number of operational data centers, announced an innovative step in sustainable corporate financing. The company, spanning seven assets across five Brazilian states, successfully led a R$570 million (USD $138.65 million) debenture issuance underpinned by sustainability goals. This effort was spearheaded by Bradesco BBI and supported by prominent financial institutions like UBS/BB, BTG Pactual and Banco ABC.
Sustainable Bonds: A Commitment to Future Expansion
This issuance represents a strategic move for Elea Digital, not just financially but also in terms of corporate responsibility. These sustainability-linked bonds reflect Elea’s commitment to energy efficiency, reduced water consumption and a groundbreaking initiative in the infrastructure sector: ensuring over 40% female leadership in managerial positions. This bold step is part of a larger vision to enhance female leadership within the company, with a structure in place to impose penalties and higher interest rates should these goals not be met.
Elea’s expansion in the capital markets has been remarkable. In just three years, the company has raised over R$1.5 billion (US$289 million) from Brazilian and international markets through various capital and debenture issuances. This recent issuance marks the company’s fourth and the second explicitly linked to sustainable goals.
A Vision Beyond Business As Usual
Alessandro Lombardi, the President of Elea Digital, emphasizes the company’s forward-thinking approach. “We’re not just focusing on female presence; we’re ensuring women are in decision-making roles. This aligns with our vision for a sustainable and digitally advanced future,” he stated. Elea Digital’s commitment to sustainability and equality is not just a business strategy but a reflection of its vision for the industry’s future.
The response from the financial sector has been overwhelmingly positive. Four major financial institutions have shown a keen interest in backing Elea, encouraged by its dedication to the ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) agenda. Following Elea’s lead, other companies in Latin America are now considering similar sustainable initiatives in the digital infrastructure segment.
“By focusing on women in leadership roles, the company not only adheres to but also advances the diversity agenda in a sector traditionally male-dominated,” said Rafael Garcia Fonseca Ferreira Lima from Bradesco BBI praised Elea’s initiative. “We’re proud to support Elea Digital in these endeavors.”
With plans to invest billions in transforming Brazil’s digital infrastructure, Elea Digital aims to meet the rising demands for AI, cloud technology and 5G. “From Porto Alegre to Brasília, our goal is to assure immediate availability in five states, fostering a sustainable and digitized society,” concluded Lombardi.
Elea Digital’s latest debenture issuance is more than a financial maneuver; it’s a statement of purpose and a blueprint for a sustainable, equitable future in the digital infrastructure domain.
Read the full release here.
