Overview

The Regulatory Implementation Support Programme (RISP) provides UNEP FI members with resources that will help them implement and comply with sustainable finance regulations and reporting requirements. The programme is designed to ensure that members’ priorities are effectively addressed and that programme offerings are highly responsive to their needs and feedback. In-depth support for members on specific challenges through members-only programming will be complemented by public sessions on topics of interest for an array of stakeholders.

RISP’s initial focus is on providing targeted implementation support to enhance coherence and usability of the EU sustainable finance framework—expanding over time to additional regions as sustainable finance approaches evolve. A series of members-only webinars in 2025 explores key aspects of Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive / European Sustainability Reporting Standards (CSRD / ESRS) implementation.

UNEP FI members: visit the UNEP FI Members’ Area to watch previous recordings and register for upcoming sessions.

CSRD / ESRS implementation support webinar series

These webinars focus on the challenges banks and insurers face at different stages in the compliance process. Tailored sessions empower members with practical guidance from the EU’s regulators, peer-learning opportunities through implementation case studies, and insights on how to leverage UNEP FI tools and guidance for regulatory compliance. The series also delves further into how CSRD connects with other aspects of the EU Green Deal and Pillar III implementation.

The CSRD / ESRS implementation support webinar series covers the following:

  • Technical introduction to CSRD / ESRS with clarifying elements related to its scope, applicability, timelines and interconnections with other standards and regulatory frameworks.
  • Impact and financial materiality in financial institutions, including how to leverage UNEP FI’s impact tools for compliance.
  • Data management by financial institutions, specific needs and regulatory requirements, preparing and leveraging digital reports, including XBRL tagging and its applications.
  • Topical standards deep-dive for financial institutions, processes and tools to correctly assess your environmental and social impacts.

If you are a UNEP FI member, visit the UNEP FI Members’ Area to watch previous recordings and register for upcoming sessions. For questions, please reach out to Daniel Bouzas, Regional Lead for Europe, and Guilherme Cassaro, CSRD Implementation and Regulatory Engagement Expert.

Note: UNEP FI does not aim to provide legal advice. Rather, our aim is to provide an informative and welcoming space where discussions on best practices, common challenges, and new developments aid members in their regulatory compliance.

 

Background

The EU sustainable finance framework created comprehensive mandatory reporting requirements for banks and insurers on their sustainability performance. It includes requirements to share information on financial institutions’ double materiality analysis, with an emphasis on dependencies, impacts, risks, and opportunities across a broad range of environmental and social areas. A double materiality analysis serves multiple compliance purposes within the EU sustainable finance framework, and, in the case of financial institutions, the analysis is significantly reliant on data from downstream third parties such as clients, suppliers, local communities, and other stakeholders. This information is still difficult to access due to the initial phase of mandatory reporting, and financial institutions need further guidance on how to operate in light of this and other sector-specific challenges.

Compliance with the CSRD / ESRS has become a top priority for banks and insurers in Europe and beyond due to its comprehensive requirements, novel concepts, and extraterritorial impact. UNEP FI has been actively involved in this process, collaborating with EU policymakers and leveraging previously developed UNEP FI tools and methodologies to assist regulators in the development of their guidance for financial institutions. UNEP FI is an active member of the EU Platform on Sustainable Finance and EFRAG Banking Advisory Panel.