22.12.2021

Shrewd Owners Lead Change

Contrary to expectations, 2021 was, if anything, an even more eventful year than its predecessor. Global politics have become increasingly antagonistic. The Ever Given blocked the Suez Canal for a week, triggering a crisis in logistics chains. The UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow was hopeful, while simultaneously reminding us of the urgency of change. The waxing and waning of the pandemic has continued to create uncertainty.

It has perhaps been surprising to see just how ambitiously the private sector has tackled problems relating to climate change. Numerous Finnish companies have placed well on the CDP’s list for their environmental efforts. Neste, with its carbon capture and hydrogen innovations, is one example of a Finnish company providing practical solutions to the world’s most urgent problems. BlackRock’s Chairman and CEO Larry Fink also took up the cause by making climate change the theme of his annual letter to the CEOs of the world.

While these are all significant steps, they are still just the first ones. Declarations need to be backed up by action. The rapidly changing world and an increasing understanding in companies of the importance of their stakeholders will come to dictate companies’ scope for action. The significance of various stakeholder groups is constantly shifting and is having an increasing impact of corporate value creation. For example, the Coalition United for a Responsible Exxon (CURE), a group of investors with over 145 institutional members, has accused Exxon’s board of responding too slowly to climate issues and is calling for changes in the company’s management.

The green transition may still be in its infancy, but it has gotten off to a promising start. There is much work ahead for everyone, and in that work, dialogue will be key—not just between companies and their stakeholders, but between companies and their peers. Companies should share their experiences, insights and best practices. It is also clear that the market has shown its strength as a driver of change, provided that the regulatory framework is in place and emissions pricing functions correctly.

An active and skilled owner understands and respects their company’s various stakeholders. Continual dialogue is at the core of any successful ownership strategy. As the changes that have already happened prove, companies do not operate in isolation from the rest of society. They can make choices that improve the functioning and welfare of society and the planet as a whole while continuing to create excellent business opportunities.

I am hopeful that 2022 will be a less eventful year than this one—but I wouldn’t bet on it.

We look forward to continuing to build sustainable success stories and engaging in the necessary dialogue with you in the coming year. Thank you to all our clients and business partners for your trust and the work we have done together this year!

Latest references

We advised Huhtamaki Oyj in relation to a EUR 450 million sustainability-linked syndicated multi-currency revolving credit facility loan agreement (“RCF”) with a maturity of five years. The RCF refinances an existing EUR 400 million sustainability-linked syndicated revolving credit facility signed in January 2021 and will be used for general corporate purposes of the Group. The RCF has two one-year extension options at the discretion of the lenders. The Mandated Lead Arrangers and Bookrunners of the RCF are Citi, Nordea Bank Abp, Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken AB (publ), BNP Paribas, Commerzbank Aktiengesellschaft, Danske Bank A/S, DBS Bank Ltd., London Branch, J.P. Morgan SE, Landesbank Hessen-Thüringen Girozentrale, OP Corporate Bank plc, Raiffeisen Bank International AG and Standard Chartered Bank AG.
Case published 28.11.2024
We represented a mutual real estate company belonging to a large Finnish group in arbitration proceedings against a construction company. The arbitral tribunal rejected the construction company’s claims in their entirety and ordered the construction company to reimburse our client for the costs of the arbitration proceedings in full. The dispute concerned the contract price under the construction contract, which was agreed to be determined on the basis of our client’s yield requirement and the rent under the lease agreement for the building in question. The parties disagreed on the indexation clause applicable to the rent adjustment and its impact on the contract price.
Case published 22.11.2024
We are acting as legal advisor to VR-Group Plc in their strategic decision to sell their road logistics business to the investment company Mutares. This transaction supports VR’s focus on rail transport in freight traffic. The road logistics business, which generated a revenue of approximately EUR 80 million in 2023, will be transferred to a newly established company under Mutares. The business unit employs around 75 people who will transition to the new company. The completion of the transaction is subject to approval by the Finnish Competition and Consumer Authority.
Case published 18.11.2024
We advised Neste as it signed a EUR 150 million bilateral green term loan agreement with Danske Bank A/S, Finland Branch. The proceeds of the loan will be used to finance eligible assets and projects in accordance with Neste’s Green Finance Framework. The loan has a tenor of 24 months with one 12-months extension option of 12 months. Neste published a renewed Green Finance Framework in February 2024 to align future financing activities with market best practices and standards. In addition to renewable and circular solutions, Neste’s renewed framework includes renewable energy as an investment category. Longer term actions on ourNeste’s climate roadmap include scaling up new technologies and innovations, with focus on renewable hydrogen. Renewable hydrogen and other new technologies are estimated to have a reduction potential of 20% or more of the 2019 scope 1 &and 2 emission baseline by 2030. 
Case published 4.11.2024