Benefits of Joining

UNEP FI signatories are required to:

1. Pay annual contribution fees;
2. Attend a UNEP FI Annual General Meeting at least every second year;
3. Submit a brief report annually, detailing the policy and practice steps the institution has taken in the previous year to advance its commitment to the UNEP FI Statements. Reports will be used for internal UNEP FI purposes only. (This condition applies pending ratification.)

Legal implications of membership

The UNEP FI Statements are aspirational, voluntary declarations of intent signed by financial and insurance institutions. The Statements are unilateral non-binding commitments and thus non-contractual in nature.

In 1995, the Centre for International Environmental Law (CIEL), was consulted by UNEP FI on the legal implications for signatories to the Statements and the following summary was provided:

"While a signatory's breach of the UNEP Guidelines could expose the signatory to significant public perception problems, the breach of the UNEP Guidelines is unlikely to impose new legal liabilities upon the signatory in breach".

A more detailed response is available on request.

Find out more

• Benefits of joining UNEP FI
• How to join
• Current UNEP FI signatories