Hang Seng Bank : Arranges First Social Loan for Unistress Building Construction to Fund Community Development Projects in Hong Kong (23 May 2023)

23 May 2023

Hang Seng Arranges First Social Loan for

Unistress Building Construction to

Fund Community Development Projects in Hong Kong

Support Access to Education and Greater Housing Affordability

In a move that underscores Hang Seng's commitment to facilitating social development, the Bank has arranged the first social loan of HK$100 million for its commercial customer, Unistress Building Construction ('Unistress').

Used to finance or refinance three of Unistress' social projects, specifically the building of a primary school in Fo Tan and two special schools in Kowloon Tong for children with intellectual disabilities, and the construction of transitional housing for low-income families in Yuen Long, the loan facility will help drive socioeconomic advancement and empowerment by opening up access to education for children and those with special needs, as well as improving housing affordability.

Donald Lam, Head of Commercial Banking at Hang Seng, said: "We understand the importance of embedding sustainability into all areas of our business and facilitating our customers' efforts to enhance their ESG practices. We are delighted to support Unistress in its efforts to help build a more equitable and inclusive society. Our long-term success is closely intertwined with the continued positive development of our community."

Raymond Ng, Group Chairman at Unistress, said: "Unistress is committed to our ongoing belief of 'We Build the Future' and we spare no effort in advancing our sustainability vision and strategy to implement green initiatives in our projects, with a view to contributing to the building of a better Hong Kong and a community of a shared future. We are delighted to have partnered with Hang Seng Bank to launch the inaugural Social Loan project. This project will bolster Unistress' capacity to incorporate elements of environment, society, innovation and wellness into our sustainable construction practices. Beyond any doubt, this marks another milestone in our journey to achieve ESG goal."

Hang Seng is committed to supporting our customers with social loans, reflecting the aspirations of Hang Seng to have a lasting positive impact on community well-being and growth.

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The social loan is aligned with the Social Loan Principles of the Asia Pacific Loan Market Association, the Loan Market Association and the Loan Syndications and Trading Association.

Hang Seng's commitment to being an ESG leader in the Hong Kong banking industry includes the provision of a growing range of sustainability-linked products and services. The Bank also offers sustainable financing and ESG-themed solutions that can be tailored to meet the specific ESG objectives of different customers.

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Photo Caption

Photo 1

Hang Seng Bank has arranged the first social loan of HK$100 million for Unistress Building Construction. Pictured: Donald Lam, Head of Commercial Banking at Hang Seng Bank (third from left); Raymond Ng, Group Chairman at Unistress (fourth from right); Frederick Wong, Head of Corporate Banking at Hang Seng Bank (second from left); Jenny Hui, Head of Syndicated Finance, Sustainable Finance and Corporate Advisory Department at Hang Seng Bank (first from left); Jonathan Ng, Director at Unistress (third from right); Choi Chi Wan, Director at Unistress (second from right); and Soong Tze Man, Director at Unistress (first from right).

Hang Seng Arranges First Social Loan for Unistress Building Construction to Fund Community Development Projects in Hong Kong / 4

Photo 2

Hang Seng's commitment to being an ESG leader in the Hong Kong banking industry includes the provision of a growing range of sustainability-linked products and services. The Bank also offers sustainable financing and ESG-themed solutions that can be tailored to meet the specific ESG objectives of different customers. Pictured: Donald Lam, Head of Commercial Banking at Hang Seng Bank (third from left); Raymond Ng, Group Chairman at Unistress (third from right); Frederick Wong, Head of Corporate Banking at Hang Seng Bank (second from left); Jenny Hui, Head of Syndicated Finance, Sustainable Finance and Corporate Advisory Department at Hang Seng Bank (first from left); Jonathan Ng, Director at Unistress (fourth from right); Soong Tze Man, Director at Unistress (second from right); and Choi Chi Wan, Director at Unistress (first from right).

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About Hang Seng Bank

Hang Seng Bank is celebrating its 90th anniversary this year. Founded in 1933, Hang Seng Bank has continually innovated to provide best-in-class,customer-centric banking, investment and wealth management services for individuals and businesses. It is widely recognised as the leading domestic bank in Hong Kong, currently serving more than 3.5 million customers.

Combining its award-winning mobile app and strong digital capabilities with a vast network of over 260 service outlets in Hong Kong, Hang Seng offers a seamless omni- channel experience for customers to take care of their banking and financial needs anytime, anywhere.

Its wholly owned subsidiary, Hang Seng Bank (China) Limited, operates a strategic network of outlets in almost 20 major cities in Mainland China to serve a growing base of Mainland customers locally and those with cross-boundary banking needs. The Bank also operates branches in Macau and Singapore, and a representative office in Taipei.

As a homegrown financial institution, Hang Seng is closely tied to the Hong Kong community. It supports the community with a dedicated programme of social and environmental initiatives focused on future skills for the younger generation, sustainable finance and financial literacy, addressing climate change and caring for the community.

Hang Seng is a principal member of the HSBC Group, one of the world's largest banking and financial services organisations. More information on Hang Seng Bank is available at www.hangseng.com.