SGS, in partnership with Sintali, verified that ProCredit Bank Bulgaria has achieved EDGE Zero Carbon certification. The bank's head office in Sofia is the first building in Europe to achieve this prestigious recognition.

'Achieving the EDGE Zero Carbon certification was an important milestone for us, as it validates our commitment to become a carbon neutral organization and serves as an example to our clients that reaching net zero is possible,' said Konstantin Kirov, Head of Environmental Department at ProCredit Bank Bulgaria. 'We have worked closely with SGS and Sintali to achieve this certification, and their support has been invaluable. The team provided us with technical support and ensured the certification and auditing process was smooth and efficient, making it easier for us to focus on meeting our sustainability goals.'

To reach this goal, ProCredit Bank Bulgaria first ensured the build was as resource-efficient as possible, implementing a variety of measures from efficient insulation materials through efficient HVAC equipment and lighting solutions. To achieve EDGE Zero Carbon, the bank installed a solar-powered system to produce some of the locally needed electricity. The additional electricity that could not be produced on-site was acquired exclusively via contracts with suppliers that only use renewable sources. The rest of the heating consumption was offset by a local Gold Standard Wastewater Treatment project, to count all of the building's energy consumption as zero.

'Achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions is essential for mitigating the climate crisis. ProCredit Bank is helping the world to meet the global goal of net zero by 2050, both by reducing its own carbon emissions and by creating an example for other companies to follow​,' said Eleni Polychroniadou, Commercial Director at Sintali.

ProCredit Bank has also partnered with SGS and Sintali to support its clients in undergoing EDGE green building certification through the development of special green building financing programs.

About ProCredit Bank (Bulgaria) EAD

ProCredit Bank (Bulgaria) EAD was founded in October 2001 by an alliance of international development-oriented investors. Today, the bank's sole owner is ProCredit Holding, based in Frankfurt am Main (Germany). ProCredit Holding is the parent company of the development-oriented ProCredit Group, which consists of commercial banks for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and whose main operational focus is on South Eastern and Eastern Europe. The primary remit of ProCredit Bank EAD is to support the development of SMEs and to foster a favorable environment for the growth of the Bulgarian economy.

About EDGE

EDGE (Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies), is a green building certification system of the International Finance Corporation (IFC), focused on making buildings more resource-efficient. EDGE was developed by the IFC to empower emerging markets to scale up resource-efficient buildings in a fast, easy, and affordable way.

About Sintali

Sintali is an independent company that quantifies and verifies the environmental impact of decisions, and helps organizations map out the road to net zero. Working alongside SGS, Sintali acts as a global certification partner for IFC's EDGE green building program.

For further information, please contact:

Harry Fernau
Global Product Manager - Energy & Green Building
t: +43 664 255 71 05

About SGS

SGS is the world's leading inspection, verification, testing and certification company. SGS is recognized as the global benchmark for quality and integrity. With more than 89,000 employees, SGS operates a network of over 2,600 offices and laboratories around the world.

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SGS SA published this content on 17 February 2021 and is solely responsible for the information contained therein. Distributed by Public, unedited and unaltered, on 17 February 2021 13:03:05 UTC.