Leclanché Meets Requirements for Investment Funds to Comply with Environment Social and Governance Article 9 Financial Products

Ad hoc announcement pursuant to Art. 53 LR

Leclanché Meets Requirements for Investment Funds to Comply with Environment, Social and Governance Article 9 Financial Products

• Leclanché has been declared eligible for investment by funds with objectives linked to Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) goals
• Leclanché's eligibility is driven by the company’s core E-mobility activity, aimed at reducing CO₂ emissions
• PwC Luxemburg validated Leclanché's compliance with the necessary ESG requirements and assessed that 82% of Leclanché's 2022 turnover corresponds to sustainable activities as defined by the European Taxonomy under article 9 funds

YVERDON-LES-BAINS, Switzerland, 16^th January, 2024 – Leclanché SA, one of the world’s leading energy storage companies, has met the requirements for investment by funds with objectives linked to Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) goals in accordance with the European Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR). This classification is a key indicator of Leclanché's alignment with stringent environmental and sustainability standards and, with only a limited number of stocks that are currently Article 9 compliant, Leclanché makes up one of the few companies world-wide that are eligible for these funds.

The SFDR framework is a critical initiative by the European Union (EU) to direct investments towards more sustainable entities. It categorizes funds into three distinct groups based on their sustainability characteristics:

• Article 6 Funds: Financial products with no integration of sustainable approach.
• Article 8 Funds: Financial products promoting environmental and/or social characteristics.
• Article 9 Funds: Financial products with a sustainable investment objective, recognized as the most sustainable options.

Leclanché's eligibility for Article 9 is driven by the company’s core E-mobility activity, aimed at reducing CO₂ emissions in heavy transportation sectors, including railways and marine, as well as in the broader energy sector. Leclanché is therefore, by assimilation, also eligible for Article 8 and 6 funds.

PwC Luxembourg played a pivotal role in validating Leclanché's compliance with the necessary ESG Key Performance Indicators and policies. They also assessed Leclanché’s alignment with the European Taxonomy for sustainable activities, finding that 82% of Leclanché's 2022 turnover was consistent with these standards. This compares with an average of 22% in industrials and puts Leclanché in a unique position in the market. More than half of global companies have some exposure (>5%r rev.) to the taxonomy, while only 11% are potentially aligned. This Taxonomy alignment is a great achievement for Leclanché’s value chain (from suppliers to clients and partners) as the Taxonomy encompasses in its analysis the ESG impact of both suppliers and clients of a Company.

Oriane Schoonbroodt, Director, Sustainable Finance & Sustainability, PwC Luxembourg, commented on the process: “PwC Luxembourg supported Leclanché in evaluating its ESG frameworks. This is a significant acknowledgment of the ESG system implemented in recent years.  Leclanché's approach to sustainability as a fundamental pillar of its development and anticipation of future regulations is truly impressive.

Pierre Blanc, CEO of Leclanché, remarked on the company's eligibility: “Leclanché's eligibility to ESG funds such as the article 9 fund under the European SFDR is a testament to Leclanché's sustainable DNA and organizational focus on making a positive impact. Joining an exclusive selection of publicly listed companies that are eligible for investment will not only aid in securing our financing but also support our customers in the heavy mobility and energy sectors in reducing their CO₂ emissions.”

For more information, write to info@leclanche.com or visit www.leclanche.com.

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About Leclanché

Leclanché is a world leading provider of low-carbon footprint energy storage solutions based on lithium-ion cell technology. Established in 1909 in Yverdon-les-Bains, Switzerland, Leclanché’s history and heritage is rooted in battery and energy storage innovation. The company’s Swiss culture for precision and quality, together with its production facilities in Germany, make Leclanché the partner of choice for companies seeking the very best in battery performance and who are pioneering positive changes in how energy is produced, distributed and consumed around the world. Leclanché is organised into three business units: energy storage solutions, e-Mobility solutions and specialty battery systems. The company currently employs over 350 people with representative offices in eight countries around the world. Leclanché is listed on the Swiss Stock Exchange (SIX: LECN).

Disclaimer

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements relating to Leclanché's business, which can be identified by terminology such as "strategic", "proposes", "to introduce", "will", "planned", "expected", "commitment", "expects", "set", "preparing", "plans", "estimates", "aims", "would", "potential", "awaiting", "estimated", "proposal", or similar expressions, or by expressed or implied discussions regarding the ramp up of Leclanché's production capacity, potential applications for existing products, or regarding potential future revenues from any such products, or potential future sales or earnings of Leclanché or any of its business units. You should not place undue reliance on these statements. Such forward-looking statements reflect the current views of Leclanché regarding future events, and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such statements. There can be no guarantee that Leclanché's products will achieve any particular revenue levels. Nor can there be any guarantee that Leclanché, or any of the business units, will achieve any particular financial results.

Contacts 

Media contacts: 

Switzerland / Europe:  
Thierry Meyer 
T: +41 (0) 79785 35 81 
E-mail: tme@dynamicsgroup.ch 

Germany: 
Christoph Miller 
T: +49 (0) 711 947 670 
E-mail: leclanche@sympra.de 

Investor contacts: 
Pasquale Foglia / Pierre Blanc 
T: +41 (0) 24 424 65 00 
E-mail: invest.leclanche@leclanche.com