Publications

UNEP FI Guide to Banking & Sustainability (3.7 MB | 40 pages)

The UNEP FI Guide to Banking & Sustainability provides a clause-by-clause explanation of the UNEP Statement of Commitment by Financial Institutions on Sustainable Development, seeking both to shed further light on the meaning of individual clauses, and to provide guidance on how banking institutions might seek to apply them in their day-to-day operations. The Guide further provides illustrations of current practice within UNEP FI Signatory banks, and references to key resources.

Translations

Would you like this Guide in another language? Would you be interested in arranging the translation?

Please get in touch with the Secretariat at banking[at]unepfi.org.

Conditions of translation:

1. The Secretariat must be advised of any organisations translating the Guide
2. Translations must follow the format of the original Guide, which will be provided by the Secretariat
3. Translations of the Guide will be made publicly available
4. Electronic copies of the translated Guide are to be made publicly available from the UNEP FI website
5. Translations must be shared with the Secretariat prior to being made publicly available
6. Acknowledgement of the entity arranging translation will appear on page 3 (inner cover) as follows:
   “The translation of this Guide into (insert language) was funded by (insert organisation name & logo)”

Published: 2011 | By: UNEP FI

Demystifying Materiality: Hardwiring biodiversity and ecosystem services into finance (1.2 MB | 20 pages)

The CEO Briefing “Demystifying Materiality: Hardwiring biodiversity and ecosystem services into finance” is underpinned by the belief that biodiversity and ecosystems are crucial for understanding how natural capital can affect financial institutions, both in a positive and negative way. This publication features the findings from a survey among 48 UNEP FI and PRI members how they perceive the financial sector is exposed to biodiversity and ecosystem services, and how they embed biodiversity aspects in financial products and services. This publication clearly shows that the world is waking up to a 21st century type of banking, whereby environmental challenges - including loss of biodiversity and ecosystem degradation - go beyond reputation. The Briefing concludes with recommendations how this issue can be further hardwired into finance.

Versions: English French German Japanese Spanish Portuguese
Senior executives' commentary
Press Release Press release in Spanish

Published: 2012 | By: UNEP FI

Biodiversity Principles - Recommendations for the Financial Sector (450 KB | 16 pages)

In a new push for the valuation of biodiversity into finance, UNEP FI and partners German Federal Agency for Nature Conservation and the Association for Environmental Management and Sustainability in Financial Institutions (VfU) launched a one-of-a-kind set of guiding principles earlier this month.

The Biodiversity Principles – Recommendations for the financial sector, which was developed by and for financial institutions to hardwire biodiversity across the finance industry, steps up efforts to patch the current disconnect between financial sector and environmental protection advocates.

The guide specifically details how to integrate biodiversity in research activities, asset management, retail banking, insurance and re-insurance, corporate banking, investment banking and global markets as well as project finance.

"Financial institutions are increasingly beginning to recognize the importance of biodiversity," said sustainability manager at HypoVereinsbank Irina Detlefsen. “We hope that this guide will give a boost to such a major and under-addressed topic.”

German version

Published: 2011 | By: VfU, Bundesamt für Naturschutz, UNEP-FI

Sustainable Insight - The nature of ecosystem service risks for business (2.21 MB | 20 pages)

In this issue of Sustainable Insight KPMG, Fauna & Flora International and UNEP FI review the extent to which companies are prepared to deal with Biodiversity and Ecosystem (BES) services challenges and examine whether this response reflects the magnitude of corporate impacts and dependencies on BES.

Published: 2011 | By: KPMG, Fauna and Flora International, UNEP FI

REDDy, Set, Grow - Opportunities and roles for financial institutions in forest carbon markets (1.7 MB | 41 pages)

This publication - the first of a two-part report - is designed to identify and tackle barriers to investment in forest-related projects, such as the UN-backed Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation (REDD) scheme.

Executive Summary

Published: 2011 | By: UNEP FI

If you ask us…: Making environmental employee engagement happen (1.2 MB | 28 pages)

This report sheds light on the recent progress realized by North American UNEP FI members in implementing environmental employee engagement in their workplace and their activities at large. Conclusions reached, which include best practices and an overview of challenges ahead, are based on the results of a wide-ranging survey conducted among 20 UNEP FI North American members over the second half of 2010.

Launch event in Toronto.

Published: 2011 | By: UNEP FI

Advancing adaptation through climate information services (1.2 MB | 28 pages)

Financial institutions need more developed information services regarding the physical impacts of changing weather patterns. The survey showed that with the risks of climate change expected to increase, financial service providers need enhanced access and availability of climate information to further enhance related risk management within their industry. The influence of these financial institutions worldwide could in this way play a key role in accelerating the implementation of adaptation measures by the private sector more broadly. The report, sponsored by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research, presents the results of an international survey undertaken by the Climate Change Working Group (CCWG) of UNEP FI and the Sustainable Business Institute (SBI), Germany. A total of 60 institutions from all continents took part in the survey, including both developed and developing countries. “As a leading insurance group we can observe in our data base in some regions a change of loss patterns from weather catastrophes in the past decades”, said Ernst Rauch, Head Corporate Climate Centre at Munich Re and a member of the CCWG. “To secure risk transfer to the private insurance sector in the future, the understanding of potential impacts from climate change on losses from atmospheric perils is essential. The relevance of climate data and their interpretation for business purposes will play a more and more important role in the future”.

Published: 2011 | By: UNEP FI, SBI

Biodiversity offsets and the mitigation hierarchy: a review of current application in the banking sector (2.6 MB | 43 pages)

Many development and commercial banks have adopted performance standards or requirements which oblige clients to seek to avoid and minimise harm caused to biodiversity by development projects, and finally to compensate for residual impacts. UNEP Finance Initiative and the Business and Biodiversity Offsets Programme (BBOP) are undertaking a study to more systematically analyse current practice in the financial sector with respect to the mitigation hierarchy and biodiversity offsets.

Published: 2010 | By: PricewaterhouseCoopers, BBOP, UNEP FI

Green Buildings and the Finance Sector - An Overview of Financial Institution Involvement in Green Buildings in North America (1.2 MB | 42 pages)

This report is intended for financial institutions in the United States and Canada that are interested in becoming involved or have started to get involved with green buildings. It is meant to provide an overview of the relevant facts and issues related to green buildings, the roles that the financial sector can play, and the potential barriers and benefits to financial sector involvement. It also offers some guidance and strategies for financial institutions preparing for greater involvement with green buildings.

Published: 2010 | By: UNEPFI

Energy Efficiency and the Finance Sector (2.1 MB | 76 pages)

Climate Change Working Group survey report on lending activities and policy issues

There is common understanding that energy efficiency is a crucial piece of the puzzle to control climate disruption within the required timeframe, as well as to combine vital environmental and economic returns while increasing energy security. Yet investments towards energy efficiency appear to be lagging behind the actual development of financially viable technologies.

If such efficient technologies are there, why do lenders and borrowers appear not to recognise the large potentials and easily accessible opportunities behind the simple concept that cost reductions immediately translate to cash-flow and profit generation?

This survey explored how financial institutions are already dealing with the energy efficiency concept and what the reasons are for a lack of dynamism in this field. It provides an evidence base that highlights the steps that private as well as public lenders and policy-makers can take to better exploit the vast potentials of energy efficiency in an increasingly energy- and carbon-constrained world.
Chinese version summary

Published: 2009 | By: UNEP FI

If You Ask Us...Understanding Corporate Sustainability Disclosure Requests (1.3 MB | 43 pages)

This report seeks to frame the business case for companies – financial institutions or otherwise – who are asked to respond to sustainability-related surveys.

Published: 2009 | By: UNEPFI

GRI Financial Services Sector Supplement (3.7 MB | 54 pages)

UNEP FI and Global Reporting Initiative have co-convened two international multi-stakeholder working groups between 2003 and 2008 in order to develop finance sector specific guidance for sustainability reporting. The result of 5 years of work, the "GRI Financial Services Sector Supplement" is based on the widely accepted GRI Guidelines and promises to become the sustainability reporting standard for the financial sector. The Supplement is now ready for use in your next sustainability reports !

Published: 2008 | By: UNEP FI, GRI

CEO Briefing on Human Rights (552 KB | 12 pages)

The UNEP FI Human Rights Work Stream's CEO Briefing on Human Rights provides an introduction to the business and human rights debate and sketches out some of the key human rights challenges presently faced by the finance sector. The Briefing discusses some of the key questions faced by companies such as the applicability of international human rights law to companies in the finance sector, the specific human rights expectations of companies in the finance sector, the business case for action and the limits to responsibility. In addition, the Briefing presents a practical management framework for companies in the finance sector seeking to more effectively manage the human rights issues to which they are exposed.

Published: 2008 | By: UNEP FI

Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services - Bloom or Bust? (1.2 MB | 39 pages)

The business case for biodiversity & ecosystem services is not just about conserving endangered species. It is becoming an issue of global policy that the benefits provided by biodiversity are valued and accounted for within traditional business risk frameworks.

This report, developed by UNEP FI's Biodiversity & Ecosystem Services Work stream (BESW) provides direction for financial institutions that wish to manage biodiversity & ecosystem service risks more effectively. It also illustrates how opportunities and tools for financial products and services can be developed.

Published: 2008 | By: UNEP FI

CEO Briefing - Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, Bloom or Bust? (930 KB | 12 pages)

This CEO Briefing provides a primer for institutions that wish to manage biodiversity and ecosystem service risks more effectively and also to understand how opportunities for financial products and services that support sustainable use of biodiversity & ecosystem services can be developed.

Published: 2007 | By: UNEP FI

Banking On Value: A New Approach to Credit Risk in Africa (1.3 MB | 52 pages)

"Banking on Value" assesses the extent and manner in which financial institutions in Africa’s largest financial hubs - South Africa and Nigeria - currently integrate sustainability in their core financing activities.

The report contains a section on policy making designed to assist African financial institutions with policy refinements that integrate environmental, social and governance issues into credit risk assessments. In addition several recommendations to encourage the uptake of sustainable finance in Africa are provided.

Published: 2007 | By: UNEP FI

Report on the Legal Framework for Finance and Sustainability in Argentina (Spanish) (800 KB | 47 pages)

This Report is a complement to the State of the Art Survey conducted by UNEP FI’s Latin American Task Force in Argentina in 2006. Both reports were launched in Buenos Aires on 10 April 2007 at a roundtable discussion hosted by ABA, an Argentinean Banking Association.

El Desarrollo Sostenible en el Sector Financiero Argentino. Marco Legal & Institucional.

Este Informe complementa la Encuesta sobre el Estado del Arte de las Finanzas Sostenibles realizada por el LATF en Argentina en el 2006. Ambos trabajos fueron presentados en Buenos Aires el 10 de abril de 2007 en una mesa redonda auspiciada por la Asociación de Bancos de Argentina (ABA).

Published: 2007 | By: UNEP FI

Sustainability Management and Reporting: Benefits for Financial Institutions in Developing and Emerging Economies (447 KB | 32 pages)

The take up of SMR by financial institutions especially in developing countries is still low whilst the financial sector plays an important role in sustainable development as intermediaries to the allocation of financial capital. UNEP FI identifies lack of awareness and capacity as the two main barriers hindering many financial institutions to implement SMR.

The report aims to address both these barriers by first setting out a business case for SMR. The target audiences for the document are CEOs and board members of financial institutions with no experience in SMR. It is especially targeting domestic financial institutions (as opposed to international development banks and subsidiaries of international banks) in developing countries. The publication introduces case studies that provide a clear insight into the commercial and environmental benefits of adopting the sustainability management and reporting principles, and ideas on capacity building in introducing SMR.

Published: 2006 | By: UNEP FI

Sustainability Banking in Africa (930 KB | 84 pages)

The report acts as a benchmark discussion document outlining the challenges and opportunities for developing sustainability banking practices in Africa.

Through the support of five case studies in South Africa, Botswana, Kenya, Nigeria and Senegal, it is hoped that this report will encourage active debate regarding the principles and practices of sustainability banking in Africa, and will pave the way to uncovering unique strategies to advance the sustainability agenda within the continent.

This publication was supported by the UNEP FI African Task Force, International Finance Corporation (IFC), Finmark Trust, Nedbank and Deutsche Bank.

Published: 2004 | By: AICC Centre for Sustainability Investing

Investing in Stability: Conflict Risk, Environmental Challenges, and the Bottom Line - Summary Report (571 KB | 44 pages)

This collection of papers aims to stimulate debate on the interactions between finance and conflict, and to explore opportunities to improve financial institutions' management of these interactions. Concerning itself principally with voluntary actions, this report seeks to identify mechanisms whereby firms could help to reduce the economic drivers and impacts of violence and terrorism, in areas where profitability and social responsibility align.

Published: 2004 | By: UNEP FI / International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD)