Work Streams

Core Activities

UNEP FI's strategic work programme is focused on current and emergent issues which are relevant to our signatories. We work collaboratively to find innovative approaches to issues around finance and sustainability.

• Climate Change - Through its Climate Change Working Group, UNEP FI's work is focused on carbon finance, national and international policy and regulation debates, and renewable energy.
• Insurance - Finding innovative ways of addressing sustainability issues in the areas of products, services, investment and operational ecology.
• Investment - Exploring how material, social, environmental and governance considerations can best be incorporated into investment practice.
• Property - New building development and existing structures contribute significantly to global carbon emissions, pollution and energy use. The Property Working Group analyses the role of financial institutions in promoting sustainable development in the real estate and property finance sectors.
• Sustainability Management and Reporting
  • Developing the Global Reporting Initiative Financial Services Sector Supplement (Environmental Performance)
  • Building the business case for Sustainability Management and Reporting in emerging economies.

Other Activities

• Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services - Assisting the financial services sector to address the challenges arising from the loss of biodiversity and the degradation of ecosystem services.
• Finance and Conflict - Developing and promoting the business case for conflict prevention within the financial sector and raising awareness of the opportunities of engaging proactively with the issue of conflict prevention.
• Human Rights and Finance - driving socially and environmentally sustainable development by seeking to understand and clarify how human rights relate to the activities of financial institutions worldwide, so financial professionals can make responsible decisions within their spheres of influence.
• Water and Finance - Promoting a proactive approach by financial institutions when it comes to water-related challenges and opportunities through awareness raising and capacity building.