During the 2026 Financing for Development (FFD) Forum recently held in New York, UNEP FI released a briefing paper on Bank Contribution clarifying the role that banks can play in relation to sustainability and sustainable development based on the inherent nature and characteristics of their activities and exploring what “contribution” means in a banking context, and how bank contribution can be measured and assessed.

Key messages from the paper are:

• Banks are enablers – While certain aspects of banks’ own operations are relevant to sustainability, the majority of their impacts occur downstream, are indirect, and are mediated through the activities they finance.
• Expectations and measurement approaches must be bank‑specific – Assessments of bank contribution to sustainability should reflect the distinctive nature of banking and the location of its principal impact drivers.
• A sector‑specific private‑sector focus is essential beyond 2030 – Accelerating global progress will require dedicated attention to the role of private actors, including banks, in shaping and delivering the next phase of the sustainability agenda.
• The foundation already exists – A range of established resources, initiatives, and networks—including those of UNEP FI—can be mobilized to support this work.

The paper is accompanied by a Bank Indicator Repository, which brings together sustainability and impact management indicators that are bank-specific, covering Climate Change, Nature and Biodiversity, Circular Economy, Gender, Human Rights, Financial Health and Financial Inclusion. Indicators are mapped to SDGs and systematically categorized by sustainability issues.