SME Loan Green e-Assessment is targeted at SME clients of e-Assessment’s partner banks.
The total loan amount is suggested to be 20 million Hong Kong dollars or below. HKQAA will also determine if applications of total loan amount above HK$20 million will be accepted on a case-by-case basis.
The Scheme does not impose restrictions on the proportion of green proceeds raised in terms of the total amount of the loan. However, the loan proceeds must allocate to at least one green project. The assessment scope refers to the green portion of the loan. Applicant does not need to provide information for non-green use of proceeds.
SME Loan Green e-Assessment is divided into two stages: Initial Assessment and Surveillance assessment.
Initial Assessment is the first step of Assessment. Surveillance Assessment will be carried out typically within one year after the completion of the Initial Assessment. Applicant shall complete both stages.
Applicant needs to select the default interface language when registering as a user on the platform. Every time the user logs in, the system will display the same language interface.
After completing the assessment, the system will automatically send a copy of the corresponding language Assessment Statement. Please note that if you need to request an Assessment Statement in one more language, an additional charge will be required. It will require applicants to register accounts in different default languages and complete the self-assessment form.
Green Loan e-Assessment has no restrictions on loan maturity date and loan term.
The Applicant's early repayment will not affect the assessment process or results. However, the applicant should still submit the application for Surveillance Assessment.
In the Surveillance Assessment stage, the applicant shall report the environmental impact data measured before and after the implementation of the project according to the environmental indicators selected during the Initial Assessment.
If it is continuous data, such as electricity consumption, at least three months of data shall be provided, and the year and month of the reporting period should be provided as well. If it is a one-off project, such as an environmental restoration project, you can provide the data before and after the project.
We declare and confirm the content of the following compliance declaration.
1. All the information provided on the platform by the applicant is true, accurate and complete as far as the applicant knows and believes;
2. Applicant obtain all the required licenses in accordance with the environmental protection laws and regulations of the hosting region where the projects operate;
3. Applicant promises to continually fulfil the environmental protection laws and regulations and currently the applicant is not prosecuted by the environmental protection law regulatory authority;
4. Applicant will not allocate the proceeds and temporary proceeds to any items on the International Financial Corporation's Exclusion List;
5. Applicants will maintain a register to keep track of the use of proceeds and verify the register by external or internal accounting personnel at least once a year;
6. Applicant will report the proceeds allocation towards green projects or green project categories to the bank at least once a year until the loan maturity;
7. Applicant
will conduct environmental impact reporting during the surveillance assessment
stage to determine the extent of environmental impact brought by the loan.