Project Description
The Bank invested € 72 million in the bond issue of the regional food retailer Maxima Grupe UAB ("Maxima", "Company" or the "Issuer"). The total size of the issue is € 240 million with a 5-year maturity.
Project Objectives
The proceeds from the bond issue used to refinance the existing maturing bond.
Transition Impact
ETI score: 65
The project was approved under the Resilience and Livelihoods Framework, with the sources of transition impact stemming from resilient and inclusive qualities.
Under the Resilient quality, the EBRD supported the client to access funding from capital markets at times of uncertainty. Under the Inclusive quality, the client will help Ukrainian refugees through re-skilling programmes and integration support, ultimately widening economic opportunities through employment.
Client Information
MAXIMA GRUPE UAB
Maxima Grupe UAB is a regional food retail chain and the owner of the Maxima retail chain in the Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, the Stokrotka chain in Poland, the T-Market chain in Bulgaria and e-grocer Barbora.
EBRD Finance Summary
EUR 72,000,000.00
Total Project Cost
EUR 240,000,000.00
Additionality
The EBRD's participation provided support for the issuance, comfort and institutional credibility to other investors in the bond issuance at the times of significantly constrained access to capital markets with both local and international investors tightening their appetite in the region due to ongoing war on Ukraine. The Bank's non-financial additionality is also expected to stem from planned technical cooperation support to the Company aimed to develop appropriate (child) care solutions which will support both host and refugee parents population.
Environmental and Social Summary
Categorised B (ESP 2019). Environmental and social due diligence for this Project was based on information provided in the context of the first project with the Company and annual reporting provided subsequently. The Company has a number of policies and procedures in place for the management of environmental, social, quality and supply chain issues including international management standards such as ISO14001 and ISO50001. National law and EU requirements are being met across all operations. The Social Accountability (SA8000) and Corporate Responsibility (AA1000) standards are currently being implemented. The Company operates a bespoke system for management of health and safety and reporting provided to date demonstrates that the Company has a clear understanding of key health and safety issues and monitors incidents and accidents in detail. At the time of approval of the first project with the Company, an environmental and social action plan was agreed covering two points - membership of the UN Global Compact and development of a GRI compliant sustainability report. The Company has completed its application for membership of the Global Compact as agreed and released its first stand-alone Corporate Social Responsibility Report covering the year 2020. The Company will be required to continue to comply with the Bank's PR's, and provide annual E&S reporting to the Bank. Given the nature of the Project no PA assessment was required and given the diversified nature of the Company's facilities, the PC Score is 1.
Technical Cooperation and Grant Financing
The EBRD will involve an external consultant which will support the client to improve existing and develop new HR and workforce management policies and practices alongside the client, and will develop appropriate childcare solutions, both of which will support the better workforce integration of Ukrainian refugees.
Company Contact Information
Laimonas Bazys
info@maximagrupe.eu
+370 659 32921
http://www.maximagrupe.eu/
Savanoriu ave. 5, LT-03116, Vilnius, Lithuania
PSD last updated
12 Jul 2022
Understanding Transition
Further information regarding the EBRD’s approach to measuring transition impact is available here.
Business opportunities
For business opportunities or procurement, contact the client company.
For business opportunities with EBRD (not related to procurement) contact:
Tel: +44 20 7338 7168
Email: projectenquiries@ebrd.com
For state-sector projects, visit EBRD Procurement:
Tel: +44 20 7338 6794
Email: procurement@ebrd.com
General enquiries
Specific enquiries can be made using the EBRD Enquiries form.
Environmental and Social Policy (ESP)
The ESP and the associated Performance Requirements (PRs) set out the ways in which the EBRD implements its commitment to promoting “environmentally sound and sustainable development”. The ESP and the PRs include specific provisions for clients to comply with the applicable requirements of national laws on public information and consultation as well as to establish a grievance mechanism to receive and facilitate resolution of stakeholders’ concerns and grievances, in particular, about environmental and social performance of the client and the project. Proportionate to the nature and scale of a project’s environmental and social risks and impacts, the EBRD additionally requires its clients to disclose information, as appropriate, about the risks and impacts arising from projects or to undertake meaningful consultation with stakeholders and consider and respond to their feedback.
More information on the EBRD’s practices in this regard is set out in the ESP.
Integrity and Compliance
The EBRD's Office of the Chief Compliance Officer (OCCO) promotes good governance and ensures that the highest standards of integrity are applied to all activities of the Bank in accordance with international best practice. Integrity due diligence is conducted on all Bank clients to ensure that projects do not present unacceptable integrity or reputational risks to the Bank. The Bank believes that identifying and resolving issues at the project assessment approval stages is the most effective means of ensuring the integrity of Bank transactions. OCCO plays a key role in these protective efforts, and also helps to monitor integrity risks in projects post-investment.
OCCO is also responsible for investigating allegations of fraud, corruption and misconduct in EBRD-financed projects. Anyone, both within or outside the Bank, who suspects fraud or corruption should submit a written report to the Chief Compliance Officer by email to compliance@ebrd.com. All matters reported will be handled by OCCO for follow-up. All reports, including anonymous ones, will be reviewed. Reports can be made in any language of the Bank or of the Bank's countries of operation. The information provided must be made in good faith.
Access to Information Policy (AIP)
The AIP sets out how the EBRD discloses information and consults with its stakeholders so as to promote better awareness and understanding of its strategies, policies and operations following its entry into force on 1 January 2020. Please visit the Access to Information Policy page to find out what information is available from the EBRD website.
Specific requests for information can be made using the EBRD Enquiries form.
Independent Project Accountability Mechanism (IPAM)
If efforts to address environmental, social or public disclosure concerns with the Client or the Bank are unsuccessful (e.g. through the Client’s Project-level grievance mechanism or through direct engagement with Bank management), individuals and organisations may seek to address their concerns through the EBRD’s Independent Project Accountability Mechanism (IPAM).
IPAM independently reviews Project issues that are believed to have caused (or to be likely to cause) harm. The purpose of the Mechanism is: to support dialogue between Project stakeholders to resolve environmental, social and public disclosure issues; to determine whether the Bank has complied with its Environmental and Social Policy or Project-specific provisions of its Access to Information Policy; and where applicable, to address any existing non-compliance with these policies, while preventing future non-compliance by the Bank.
Please visit the Independent Project Accountability Mechanism webpage to find out more about IPAM and its mandate; how to submit a Request for review; or contact IPAM via email ipam@ebrd.com to get guidance and more information on IPAM and how to submit a request.
