UNEP FI has around 260 members in Europe, accounting for approximately 50% of total UNEP FI membership. Work in the region focuses on fostering leadership amongst members, including those at the start of their sustainability journey, as well as liaising with key partners and stakeholders. We achieve this by working through several engagement and collaboration channels – capacity building, research, workshops, working groups and events.

Key priorities focus on engaging banks, insurers and regulators to ensure that compliance with mandatory regulatory requirements and voluntary commitments made under UNEP FI are complementary, enhancing high levels of sustainability integration. We facilitate peer learning and knowledge exchange in the region and also work together with an extensive network of partners with the objective of growing sustainability and responsible finance practices among European financial institutions.

Highlights
  • UNEP FI Global Roundtable: UNEP FI is bringing the 19th edition of the Global Roundtable to London, to host one of the UN’s largest sustainable finance-focused events during London Climate Action Week (22-26 June). The theme, ‘From Risk to Resilience: Financing the Future’, reflects the growing need across the financial industry to lead with vision, integrity, and impact for a resilient future. For more information, visit this page.

 

Key focus

The workplan for 2026 for the region highlights the following priorities:

Together with the Policy & Regulation Team at UNEP FI, the work on regulation in Europe is focused on:

  • Ensuring members are able to deliver on both their regulatory requirements as well as the commitments made under UNEP FI initiatives
  • Enhancing expertise with regards to regulatory actions through implementation support such as our Regulatory Implementation Support Programme
  • Engaging directly with European regulators, alongside the UNEP FI Policy and Regulation team, to ensure that an ambitious agenda is sustained that enables the achievement of the UN SDGs and Paris Climate Agreement goals.

Given the vast differences between the profiles of European member organizations, our focus is on ensuring that all institutions, big and small, are able to develop and maintain ambitious commitments and targets. We also support members at the start of their sustainability journeys with consistent yet diversified approaches.

A key focus for membership development is on new jurisdictions, continuing our commitment and engagement for sustainable finance development in Central and Eastern Europe, the Balkans, Caucasus and Central Asia.

In order to deliver on our key objectives across Europe, we leverage our supporting institutions, endorsers and other stakeholders to increase sustainability integration into the activities of financial Institutions. We work with partners at all levels and on various projects.

One example for 2026 is our energy efficiency implementation support programme, complementing the European Energy Efficiency Financing Coalition’s activities, while also evolving into a broader platform for engagement and knowledge exchange within the financial sector.

 

Are you already a UNEP FI member? Find the latest regional news, key resources and more in the Members’ Area.

 

Regional Implementation Programme & Training

UNEP FI has a range of training and region-specific activities in online and in workshop formats. For further information on each of these offerings, please visit the Learning and Development for Finance Professionals section.

UNEP FI also offers a wide range of implementation support activities to members, consisting of regionally tailored workshops designed to support finance professionals implement frameworks such as the Principles for Responsible Banking (PRB). These activities cover climate change, nature, financial health and inclusion and human rights. Access the Europe Members‘ Area page to learn about the host of activities including this year’s energy efficiency workshops and Climate Series for Europe. For further questions, please contact the Europe Team.

Public activities for the Europe region can be accessed here.