Banking – United Nations Environment

UNEP FI and Oliver Wyman launch “Transition Check”, a web-tool that takes a scenario-based approach for assessing transition risk

24 September 2020

As businesses consider the impacts of climate change on their long-term sustainability, it has remained difficult to measure such risks – until now. Introducing Transition Check, a web-tool that takes a scenario-based approach for assessing transition risk and the potential impact of climate change on corporate lending portfolios within an overall framework consistent with the […]

One year on: Coalition of signatory banks, civil society shares progress implementing the UN Principles for Responsible Banking

21 September 2020

Exactly one year ago, on 22 September 2019, more than 130 banks in the presence of the UN Secretary General signed the first-ever global sustainability framework for the banking industry: the UN Principles for Responsible Banking. Signatories commit to align their business strategy and practice with the Sustainable Development Goals and the goals of […]

UNEP FI launches “Charting a New Climate”, a report on physical climate risks and opportunities from Phase II of its TCFD Banking Programme

8 September 2020

8 September 2020 – UN Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) has released a report on physical climate risks and opportunities from Phase II of its Task Force for Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) Banking Programme with climate risk advisory and analytics firm, Acclimatise. The report, “Charting a New Climate”, provides a state-of-the-art blueprint to support […]

First region-wide study on how Latin America & Caribbean banks are incorporating climate change into their risk management

7 August 2020

Seventy eight banks from 11 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean recently took part in the first region-wide survey on how the banks are incorporating climate change into their risk management. The study sample represents 54% of the total assets of the Latin America and Caribbean market. It showcases the level of knowledge, […]

Signatories to Principles for Responsible Banking agree robust accountability mechanisms involving civil society

16 July 2020

In a major step forward for the UN’s Principles for Responsible Banking, its current signatories and members of UNEP Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) have voted for a new governance structure, agreed individual and collective progress review processes, as well as a process for dealing with signatories who fail to deliver on their commitments. The […]

BLOG: After the Pandemic, what are the Opportunities and Challenges for the Circular Economy?

3 June 2020

There is growing momentum to ensure the recovery from the global pandemic shifts the economy to a more sustainable model and enables the transition to a circular economy post-2020. In their blog, Jan Raes, a circular economy finance expert who drafted our study Demystifying Circular Economy Finance, supported by Aliyorbek Muminov in UNEP FI’s Secretariat, […]

BLOG: UNEP FI’s Eric Usher on how responsible banks can advance financial inclusion in the COVID-19 build back

14 May 2020

There is no doubt that the COVID-19 crisis will have a profound impact on the whole world, and for hundreds of millions of vulnerable people, especially low-income individuals, small businesses and workers in developing countries, the impact could be very severe. UNEP FI Head, Eric Usher, in the second of his blogs on how UNEP […]

BLOG: UNEP FI’s Eric Usher on how banks around the globe are helping customers and communities weather the COVID-19 storm

9 April 2020

UNEP Finance Initiative asked banks how they were responding to the needs of their customers and local communities during the COVID-19 crisis and more than forty of our members replied. We are collecting examples of the many different measures that our members are taking: UNEP FI Head, Eric Usher highlights just some of them […]

Banks share responses to COVID-19 crisis: Call to members to tell us about your company’s experiences

6 April 2020

UNEP Finance Initiative is providing a platform for banks to exchange experiences and ideas as they take responsible action to support society and businesses in this unprecedented crisis. UNEP FI is encouraging its members to share their experiences and contact their regional coordinator to tell us how they are responding. To help support their customers […]

UNEP FI launches new holistic impact analysis tools for the finance sector

2 April 2020

2 April 2020 – UN Environment Programme Finance Initiative’s (UNEP FI) Positive Impact Initiative (PII) has launched two new tools for corporates, banks and investors to work together and step up their capacity to deliver on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). With millions of people affected in their daily lives across the globe by the […]

Principles for Responsible Banking update: More than 170 banks worldwide now committed to aligning their business strategies with society’s goals

24 March 2020

A total of 171 banks from around the world have now signed UNEP FI’s Principles for Responsible Banking: each one making a commitment to far-reaching change as they realign their businesses with the goals of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change and the Sustainable Development Goals. This is a significant increase from the 130 founding […]

High-Level Recommendations on the Voluntary Application of the EU Taxonomy to Core Banking Products

5 December 2019

The European Banking Federation (EBF) and the United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI ) are launching a project to assess the extent to which the EU Taxonomy on Sustainable Activities could be applied to core banking products. The objective of the project is to: Provide a high-level feasibility assessment of the EU Taxonomy […]

33 banks announce a collective commitment to climate action

23 September 2019

33 banks commit to immediate action towards aligning with global climate goals 23 September/New York To coincide with the UN Secretary-General’s Climate Action Summit, one day after the launch of the UN Principles for Responsible Banking , 33 of their Signatories with over $13 trillion in assets have today announced a Collective Commitment to Climate […]

130 banks holding USD 47 trillion in assets commit to climate action and sustainability

22 September 2019

New York, 22 September 2019 – In a massive boost for climate action and sustainability, leading banks and the United Nations today launched the Principles for Responsible Banking, with 130 banks collectively holding USD 47 trillion in assets, or one third of the global banking sector, signed up. In the Principles, launched one day ahead of […]

‘Principles for Responsible Banking’ and their supporting framework released following six-month consultative process — Endorsed by more than 100+ financial institutions ahead of their 22 September global launch

25 July 2019

25 July 2019, Geneva – Following a six-month public consultative process, the United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) has this week released the final official versions of the UNEP FI Principles for Responsible Banking and their supporting framework documents. The Principles have been developed by a core group of 30 Founding Banks through […]

34 Bank CEOs from around the globe now attending launch of ‘Principles for Responsible Banking’ during UN General Assembly

26 June 2019

26 June 2019, Geneva – The number of banks worldwide lined up to become an official “Signatory” of the highly anticipated Principles for Responsible Banking has now jumped to 69 representing all continents. The Principles for Responsible Banking are set to launch on 22 September 2019 at the United Nations (UN) Headquarters, during the UN […]

Banks worldwide lining up to endorse ‘Principles for Responsible Banking’ ahead of 22 September launch at United Nations General Assembly

22 May 2019

22 May 2019, Geneva – The number of banks worldwide endorsing the highly anticipated Principles for Responsible Banking has now jumped to 56, including a spearheading group of 28 ‘Founding Banks’ and a growing list of currently 27 more ‘Endorsing Banks’ representing all five continents. The Principles for Responsible Banking are set to launch on […]

Changing Course: UNEP FI and twenty institutional investors launch new guidance to implement TCFD Recommendations

10 May 2019

Twenty institutional investors from eleven countries convened by the UN Environment Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) today launched comprehensive investor guidance to help assess how climate change and climate action could impact investor portfolios around the world. These assessments enable investors to be more transparent about their climate-related risks and opportunities in line with the recommendations […]

22 September: Principles for Responsible Banking Signing Ceremony

18 April 2019

CEOs invited to signing event being held at UN Headquarters parallel to high-level UN General Assembly Leading banks around the globe that are members of UNEP FI have set 22 September as the official launch date of the industry-developed UNEP FI Principles for Responsible Banking. The Principles provide the framework for a sustainable banking system […]

Counting the cost: ENCORE helps banks assess exposure to environmental degradation

19 February 2019

When Madeleine Ronquest attended the Johannesburg launch of an innovative guide designed to help banks assess their exposure to environmental degradation, a quick look around the room proved it was no longer business as usual in the financial sector. “When I started out there weren’t any environmental or sustainability people in the banks, and (at the launch) […]