News

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 […]

UNEP FI and IPEEC announce the G20 Global Summit on Financing Energy Efficiency, Innovation and Clean Technology

25 April 2019

  Leading financial institutions and G20 policy-makers will meet to respond to the urgency of scaling up energy efficiency investment to address the world´s clean energy policy objectives at an official side-event to the Japanese presidency of the G20. The International Partnership on Energy Efficiency Cooperation (IPEEC) and United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP […]

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 […]

New Agriculture Sector Guide Launched To Help Financial Institutions Assess Natural Capital Risk

15 April 2019

The agricultural sector is one of the sectors most exposed to environmental risk caused by climate change and human degradation of ecosystems. A new template that enables financial institutions to conduct natural capital credit risk assessment across different agricultural sectors and geographies, taking into account factors such as water availability, use and quality; soil health; […]

UNEP FI Regional Roundtable Africa and Middle East 2019: Highlights

11 April 2019

UNEP FI’s first Regional Roundtable on Sustainable Finance for 2019 took place in Cairo this week with more than 220 delegates and speakers. We opened with a first, holding an event that brought together insurers from all over MENA – the Principles for Sustainable Insurance Market Event for Egypt. Hosted by the Financial Regulatory Authority […]

Positive Impact Initiative launches two working groups

2 April 2019

Geneva – UNEP FI’s Positive Impact Initiative (PI) is announcing the launch of two new Working Groups, where UNEP FI members, members of sister organizations and external stakeholders are working together to develop and test tools for holistic impact analysis: Impact Frameworks for corporate finance and investments with unspecified use of funds: corporate financing is an essential but […]

Principles for Responsible Banking Consultation Workshop in Vietnam

28 March 2019 | Hanoi, Vietnam

State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) and GIZ hosted a UNEP FI’s Principles for Responsible Banking Consultation Workshop in Hanoi, Vietnam. The workshop was chaired by Assoc. Prof. Nguyen Kim Anh, Deputy Governor of the SBV. Over 60 participants including representatives from 17 financial institutions attended. During the workshop, SBV also presented the results from the […]

EU policy makers achieve political agreement on investor disclosures and ESG

7 March 2019

The EU has taken an important step forward on advancing sustainable finance. On Thursday 7 March 2019, the EU Parliament and Council achieved political agreement on requiring ESG integration by financial market participants. Clarifying the fiduciary duties of investors has been a priority for UNEP FI for many years. These rules are an essential part […]

Leading insurers, ocean conservationists, Oceana and UNEP FI issue first-ever guidelines to combat pirate fishing

27 February 2019

Today, UN Environment, Oceana and leading insurers issued a checklist of warning signs for pirate fishing activity, as part of a global insurance industry effort to curb illegal fishing. The risk assessment guidelines, launched at an international conference organised by UN Environment’s Principles for Sustainable Insurance Initiative (PSI) and the global insurer Allianz, were developed […]

Give feedback on first ever global guidance for the non-life insurance industry on integrating sustainability

27 February 2019

The first ever guidance designed for the global insurance industry to integrate sustainability into industrial and commercial business has launched for public consultation today. The result of a multi-year initiative co-led by UNEP FI’s Principles for Sustainable Insurance and leading insurer, Allianz, the guide is designed to manage environmental, social and governance risks in insurance […]

Join the group of investors developing a legal framework for sustainability impact in investor decision-making

21 February 2019

A legal framework for the consideration of sustainability impact in investor decision-making Within the next decade, assessing and accounting for the sustainability impact of investment decision-making needs to be a core part of investment activity. In other words, consideration of how the investment decision affects sustainability issues, not just how sustainability issues affect the investment […]

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) […]

Principles for Responsible Banking on track to become industry standard as over 65 organisations now endorse

19 February 2019

Today 12 more banks are endorsing the UNEP Finance Initiative’s Principles for Responsible Banking, bringing the total number of banks supporting the new framework to 49. Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group, Itaú Unibanco, CaixaBank, Wema Bank, Banco Galicia, BCC Grupo Cooperativo Cajamar, Banco De Fomento Agropecuario, Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Holdings, Spare Bank, Arion Bank, ALEXBANK, and […]

Call for feedback from investors on new IOPS guidelines on ESG integration in pension funds

12 February 2019

The International Organisation of Pension Supervisors (IOPS) has opened a public consultation on Supervisory Guidelines on the integration of ESG factors in the investment and risk management of pension funds. The consultation is open for feedback until 11 March 2019. IOPS is an independent international standard-setting body representing those involved in the supervision of private pension arrangements. […]