UNEP FI’s fourth Regional Roundtable on Sustainable Finance in 2019 for the Latin America and Caribbean region took place last week, with more than 330 delegates from 16 countries in attendance. The two-day event, held in São Paulo on 14-15 October, was co-organised with the Brazilian Federation of Banks (FEBRABAN), and featured a mix of […]

The first in-person exchange, including banks from all over Latin America held in Sao Paulo on 1 and 2 October  proved to be a great success. The two days gave visiting and host banks an opportunity to share and gain knowledge on different topics related to sustainable banking. The participants included hosts FEBRABAN, Santander Brasil, […]

The main actors of the Panamanian financial sector and key actors of the governmental and non-governmental sectors met to establish the “Sustainable Finance Working Group”.

Our network keeps expanding, as three banks and one supporting institution join UNEP FI (English) During the month of August, we welcomed three banks and one supporting institution as new members of UNEP FI in Latin America and the Caribbean. BNF (Banco Nacional de Fomento), BANESCO, Multibank and the institution CECODES (Consejo Empresarial Colombia para […]

On May 25th 2018, the Brazilian National Monetary Council (CMN) published Resolution CMN 4.661/2018, which revised the norm that governs occupational pension funds’ investments. The new norm requires pension funds’ asset managers to consider environment, social and governance (ESG) risks as part of their investment decision making process. This regulatory improvement was one of the […]

At the UK Green Finance Summit in São Paolo on April 26th, Marcelo Seraphim, UNEP FI/PRI Senior Policy Consultant, stressed the importance of a broad adoption of stewardship codes by the Brazilian financial market. This is in line with the recommendations set out in the report Fiduciary Duty in the 21st Century and with the […]

The first meeting of the Chilean Chapter of the Council on Women in Energy & Environmental Leadership (CWEEL for its acronym in English) took place in Santiago de Chile recently where, through working groups, a “roadmap” was generated for the coming years in terms of gender equity in energy and environment. Carolina López from UNEP FI participated.

Chile’s Leading Congress in New Energies (CIREC) will be hosting its 6th edition of CIREC Week in Santiago from 10 to 12 April 2018. Over the past seven years the event has grown and evolved along with Chile’s renewable energy sector.

Jan 2018 | San Salvador, El Salvador

We are pleased to announce the joining of two new banks to the Initiative.
Banco Hipotecario and Banco de Fomento Agropecuaria held events during January of this year to mark their commitment to sustainable finance.

The 3rd Latin American Conference on Responsible Investments (IRlatam2017) will take place on November 21st from 8:30 am to 13:00 at Centro Parque, Santiago de Chile. On behalf of UNEP FI, Carolina López will present on “Positive impact financing: A new business and financing paradigm for sustainable development”.

June 28th, 2017
UNEP FI wishes to extend a warm welcome to ASOBANCA, the Association of Private Ecuadorian Banks (Asociación de Bancos Privados del Ecuador) as the newest supporting institution in the Latin America and Caribbean region. As a member of FELABAN (Latin American Federation of Banks), ASOBANCA has been working to strengthen the Ecuadorian Banking System, represent its interests, provide specialized services and strategic reports, and contribute to the country’s development.

During the last week of April, UN Environment in collaboration with Climate Focus and Forest Trends held a workshop in Bogota, Colombia on business and financing models for more sustainable commodity production.

UNEP FI welcomes FEBRABAN, the Brazilian Federation of Banks as the newest supporting institution in the Latin America and Caribbean region. FEBRABAN represents 122 banks which accounts for 93% of shareholder’s equity and 97% of the total assets of the national banking system in Brazil. The Federation represents one of the most advanced banking sectors […]

UN Environment’s Latin America and Caribbean Office wishes to extend a warm welcome to the Association of Argentine Banks (Asociación de Bancos Argentinos) (ADEBA) – who become the latest Supporting Institution to the UN Environment Finance Initiative, and the second Latin American banking association to join. ADEBA’s mission is to promote the development of banking […]

February 23, 2017 Recent environmental and corporate governance failures in Brazil and their economic impact have focused the attention of investors, regulators and policymakers more closely on corporate governance issues and the need for greater transparency in financial markets. In response to these concerns, the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI), UNEP FI and The Generation […]

On February 15, 2017 the Argentine Ministry of Treasury met with the UN Environment Mission in Buenos Aires to discuss sustainability, finance, and the launching of a strategic roadmap ahead of the country’s G20 troika with China and Germany. The UN Environment report, “The Financial System We Need: From Momentum to Transformation”, was launched last […]

UN Environment’s Latin America and Caribbean Division is proud to announce that the Association of Mexican Banks (ABM) has joined the UN Environment Finance Initiative as a Supporting Institution – the first Latin American banking association to do so. Recently, ABM has played an exemplary role in leading and encouraging its members to engage on sustainability issues, as well as placing sustainable finance on the stakeholder agenda. The Association will act as a leader of sustainability practices in the banking sector in Mexico and will be an example to the region as a whole. It comprises some 50 institutions with whom it works towards developing and strengthening the Mexican banking sector. It also represents the interests of institutions that are looking to advance technically specialized services, information, and leadership exchanges.

On October 11th, UNEP FI, UN-REDD Programme and INCAE met with the National Council of Financial System Supervision (CONASSIF) of Costa Rica to discuss about Sustainable Finance. CONASSIF manages the General Superintendence of Financial Institutions (SUGEF), the Superintendence of Securities (SUGEVAL), the Superintendence of Insurance (SUGESE) and the Superintendence of Pensions (SUPEN). The President of […]

Argentina and Chile expressed interest in knowing how to adopt and promote sustainable finance. Interest in the topic arises in a mission undertaken at the end of July by the UNEP New York Office Director, Elliott Harris and the Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean, Leo Heileman, who exchanged ideas on promoting sustainable […]

Two relevant events on Sustainable Finance took place within the framework of the Public-Private Green Finance Working Group of Chile, led by the Ministry of Finance, in collaboration with the IADB, UNEP FI and the British Embassy Santiago.

The UNEP Finance Initiative Regional Roundtable in Latin America and the Caribbean will be held on the 14-15 October 2019 in São Paulo, Brazil, which will bring together UNEP FI members and sustainable finance practitioners for two days of insights into advances in sustainable finance. The two-day event, co-organised with the Brazilian Federation of Banks […]

The first meeting of UNEP FI’s supporting Institutions in Chile will take place in Santiago on March 18th, 2019. This will be the first time that UNEP FI has held a country event exclusively for its supporting institutions.

The “Climate Financing Day in Mexico”, which was organized by the Climate Finance Group for Latin America and the Caribbean (GFLAC), the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT), and the Climate Initiative of Mexico, took place on September 18. The objective of the event was to facilitate a multi-actor dialogue to support the mobilization, allocation, access, management of resource in order to accelerate climate action and accomplish the commitment of The Paris Agreement.

UN Environment Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) and the Ministry of Finance of Chile, in collaboration with the British Embassy Santiago, held a workshop on “Climate Finance” on the morning of October 3rd at the Ministry of Finance.

There is a new opportunity to learn from your peers in the Latin American and Caribbean region! The in-person exchange provides richer opportunities for UNEP FI members to connect with one another and to share practical “hands-on” experiences implementing sustainable finance work across banks in banks across Latin America.
The exchange will provide “visiting members” insights into the operations and procedures implemented by “host members” regarding good practices around the key environmental, social and governance topics identified in UNEP FI’s Sustainable Banking Guide.

A wide range of Latin America-based stakeholders including leading financial institutions, policy makers and corporates came together to discuss how the private and public sectors can both take advantage of opportunities presented by climate change, and address the risks.  Adaptamericas was a two-day conference which took place in Panama City on May 15 and 16th […]

La Iniciativa Financiera de ONU Medio Ambiente (UNEP FI), la Comisión Económica para América Latina y el Caribe (CEPAL), Doble Impacto / Banca Ética y ALAS 20 / GovernArt llevaron a cabo el exitoso Seminario “Avance de las Finanzas Sostenibles” que tuvo lugar en Santiago de Chile el 24 de mayo de 2018. El Seminario sobre finanzas sostenibles […]

The annual event PROYECTA SOLAR CHILE LATAM 2018 will be held on May 15th at the Intercontinental Hotel in Santiago de Chile. The Chilean Association of Solar Energy (ACESOL) holds this Latin American Gremial Meeting for Solar Development every year and the entire solar sector meets with guests from a different country each year.

(English) UNEP FI will take part in the 2018 Sustainability Week to be held in Lima this year. During this week, several banks that have implemented sustainability strategies will share their experiences applying Environmental and Social Management Systems (ESMS). This year, new sessions will be launched on green lines, impact funds and new technologies to […]

The Principles for Sustainable Insurance (PSI) were launched during the 2012 UN Conference on Sustainable Development in Rio de Janeiro—two decades after the 1992 UN Conference on Environment and Development in Rio—also known as the 1992 Rio Earth Summit.

This May, we’re going back to Rio for another pioneering event—the first PSI regional market event for Latin America.

Carolina López, UNEP FI Representative in Chile, will be participating in the 3rd version of the “Ring the Bell for Gender Equality” organized by the Santiago Stock Exchange and the UN Global Compact Chile

Costa Rican Stock Exchange will host a seminar to promote the use of Green Bonds within the country.

Asobanca and BID Invest, in collaboration with IDE Business School carried out a workshop in Quito, Ecuador, focussed on Sustainable Finance and the integration of sustainability within governance, strategy and financial products.  

UN Environment Subregional Director of the Southern Cone, Jose Dallo, attended the board of sustainable finance forum in February of this year.

The “Chilean Sustainable Finance Working Group” organized by the Sustainability & Climate Change Agency and the Corporate Leaders Group for Climate Change (CLG), in collaboration with the British Embassy Santiago, GIZ and UNEP FI, will be holding an event about the international experience on Green Banks.

The 3rd Latin American Conference on Responsible Investments (IRlatam2017) will take place on November 21st from 8:30 am to 13:00 at Centro Parque, Santiago de Chile. On behalf of UNEP FI, Carolina López will present on “Positive impact financing: A new business and financing paradigm for sustainable development”.

El Workshop “Financiamiento de Energía Solar Distribuida en Chile: Una gran Oportunidad para la Banca PYME Nacional” se llevará a cabo por la primera vez el 16 de noviembre en Santiago de Chile. El taller es organizado por ONU Medio Ambiente Iniciativa Financiera (UNEP FI), Fundación Chile y Fraunhofer Chile.

As UNEP FI celebrates 25 years, join us at the Latin America and Caribbean Roundtable to connect with sustainable finance peers, and raise awareness of the progress made across the banking, insurance and investment industries.

The Brazilian launch of the Principles for Positive Impact Finance will take place in Sao Paulo, Brazil on June 6th, 2017.

UNEP FI will be participating in the Climate week 2017 “Sustainable Santiago – together against climate change” that will take place in Santiago de Chile from 13 to 16 June 2017. This event is being organized by the Foundation Konrad Adenauer, the Ministry of Environment, along with other partners and collaborators. The event will have several panels, throughout the week. On June 16th, UNEP FI will be part of a panel on “Sustainable Finance” with a focus on Sustainable Construction Financing, along with Banco Santander Brazil.

The United Nations Environment Finance Initiative (UNEP FI), along with CAF – Latin American Development Bank, and the Ecobanking project/INCAE Business School, are organizing an Executive Breakfast on Sustainable Finance in Latin America and Chile, which will be held on Tuesday, March 28 from 9h to 11h30 in Santiago de Chile.

UNEP FI is partnering with CLG Chile, Bolsa Comercio Santiago, Cámara Chileno-Británica, Facultad Economía y Negocios Universidad de Chile, British Embassy Santiago, and MEXICO2 on an event that will discuss sustainable finance in Chile and Latin America including a discussion of sustainable development and capital markets, and the role of green bonds in the transition to a lower carbon economy.

15-16 November 2016 | Lima, Perú This event aims to promote a dialogue and exchange of experiences among Financial Institutions from Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) and the Asia-Pacific (APAC) regions about the challenges and opportunities for private investments in energy efficiency to mobilize and deploy adequate and effective financial resources to achieve a […]

4 noviembre 2016 | Santiago, Chile
Este taller tiene como objetivo sensibilizar al personal de las instituciones financieras sobre las consecuencias y oportunidades generadas por la identificación y evaluación de los riesgos socioambientales de sus clientes y/o socios de inversión, y a su vez enseñar a los participantes cómo detectar, disminuir y evaluar dichos riesgos a través de herramientas utilizadas por instituciones financieras internacionales.

Jueves 3 de noviembre de 2016 | Santiago, Chile
Objetivos:

• Crear un espacio de diálogo sobre las Finanzas Sostenibles entre los actores de instituciones financieras del Cono Sur.
• Guiar la construcción de Estrategias Nacionales de Finanzas Sostenibles.
• Compartir las actividades y proyectos de UNEP FI y promover la participación activa del sector financiero de la sub-región.

13 October 2016 | San Jose, Costa Rica
UNEP FI/Ecobanking conducted an Introductory Environmental and Social Risk Analysis in-person training workshop, in collaboration with UN-REDD Programme, Sistema de Banca para el Desarrollo (SBD) and its main operators, and the Superintendence of Financial Institutions (SUGEF).
UNEP FI/Ecobanking organizaron un Taller presencial Introductorio de Capacitación sobre Análisis de Riesgos Ambientales y Sociales (ARAS), en colaboración con el Programa ONU-REDD, el Sistema de Banca para el Desarrollo (SBD) y sus principales operadores, y la Superintendencia General de Entidades Financieras (SUGEF).

2 September 2016 | Asuncion, Paraguay
UNEP FI/Ecobanking conducted an Introductory Environmental and Social Risk Analysis training workshop, in collaboration with the Sustainable Finance Table of Paraguay (“Mesa de Finanzas Sostenibles de Paraguay”), made up of nine banks of the system.

15 July 2016 | Lima, Peru
In Peru, as well as in other Latin American countries, the regulatory framework on environmental issues is advancing rapidly, posing increasingly demanding challenges, which will guide and encourage the implementation of appropriate environmental and social management of the various economic stakeholders, especially financial institutions that aim at taking the lead on financial issues related to the environment. Since January 2016, a new regulatory framework requires Peruvian banks to perform social and environmental risk assessments. UNEP FI/Ecobanking conducted in Peru an Introductory Environmental and Social Risk Analysis training workshop. The event was organised in collaboration with the Finance Mechanisms for Low Carbon Development Project (FinanCC), which is implemented by GIZ Peru, and Fondo Mivivienda .

UNEP FI y BANCOLOMBIA invitan a los miembros signatarios en América Latina a establecer su Semana por la Sostenibilidad del 18 al 25 de abril 2015, y llevar a cabo durante esos días diferentes actividades que promuevan el bienestar ambiental y social. Para mayor información, por favor visita www.ciclosiete.com Ciclo Siete: Sustainability Week Latin America […]

27 June 2012 | Asunción, Paraguay UNEP FI/Ecobanking organized for the first time in Paraguay an Introductory Environmental and Social Risk (ESRA) training workshop in collaboration with the Sustainability Roundtable of Paraguay. This training session took place on the 23th of June at the Sheraton Hotel in Asunción. We convened this workshop as part of […]

7 December 2011 | Bogota, Colombia UNEP FI/Ecobanking organized for the second time in Colombia an Introductory Environmental and Social Risk training workshop, in collaboration with the Banking Association. This training session took place on the 7th of December, in the Hotel Porton de Bogota. We convened this workshop with the aim of sensitizing bankers, […]

14 & 15 September, 2011 | Panama City, Panama UNEP FI – Ecobanking convened the “Advanced ESRA Training Workshop”, seeking to train exclusively risk managers and analysts who already have a basic understanding/experience of environmental risk management and are seeking to step up their ESRM systems. Over one-and-a-half days through a “risk lab” participants from […]

2 June 2011 | Quito, Ecuador An Introductory Environmental and Social Risk training workshop, co-organized by UNEP FI and Ecobanking, took place on the 2 June in Quito, Ecuador, at the Hotel Hilton Colon. The workshop aimed was to sensitize bankers, risk & credit managers and other relevant parties across the financial sector, on the […]

17 & 18 March 2011 | Mexico City This is the third time that UNEP FI, together with the Ecobanking Project, are convening an “Advanced ESRA Training Workshop” in Latin America, as part of the broader Environmental & Social Risk Analysis Training Programme. Aimed specifically at risk managers and analysts who already have a basic […]

12 November 2010 | Montevideo For the first time UNEP FI/Ecobanking convened an Introductory Environmental and Social Risk training workshop in Uruguay, in collaboration with the Private Banking Association and our local member, Banco Comercial. We organized this workshop with the aim of sensitizing bankers, risk managers and other relevant parties across the financial sector […]

25 & 26 October 2010 | Lima, Peru This is the second time that UNEP FI – Ecobanking convened the “Advanced ESRA Training Workshop”, seeking to train exclusively risk managers and analysts who already have a basic understanding/experience of environmental risk management and are seeking to step up their ESRM systems. Over one-and-a-half days through […]

13 September 2010 | Mexico City 80 days before the UN climate change negotiations the UNEP Finance Initiative leads the discussion with the finance sector at a forum in Mexico City entitled “The Financial Sector towards COP16” Over 55 finance CEOs, Managing Directors and Heads of Sustainability join the Nobel Laureate in the climate change […]

24 September, 2009 | Lima, Peru Organised in collaboration with BBVA Banco Continental under the auspices of the Peruvian banking Association (ASBANC), this Breakfast Meeting provided the country’s risk managers with a golden opportunity to gather for a collective reflection on the adoption and implementation of environmental and social risk management policies and practices, in […]

22-23 September, 2009 | Bogota, Colombia Building on the success of the Environmental and Risk Analisis (ESRA) Training Programme developed over the years since 2005 by UNEP FI’s Latin American Task Force and its partner, the Ecobanking Project, the Task Force launched a brand new training workshop which seeks to further complement the Programme. The […]

29 June, 2009 | Bridgetown, Barbados In an effort to engage with the wider Caribbean financial sector, UNEP FI and the Barbados Sustainable Finance Group offered a Regional CEO Breakfast, under the auspices of the Barbados Ministry of Environment, Water Resources and Drainage, and the Barbados Bankers’ Association. This high-level meeting came as a follow-up […]

20-21 May, 2009 | Panama This is the first time the Latin American Task Force convened a training workshop in Panama, seeking to train analysts and managers across the country’s financial sector on how to identify and manage social and environmental risks and opportunities in their lending and investment operations. The one-day workshop was followed […]

26 November 2008 | Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago This was the first time the Latin American Task Force visited Trinidad & Tobago, following a successful Risk Training Workshop and CEO Breakfast the previous days in Barbados. This initial outreach event sought to raise awareness within the local financial sector and with relevant stakeholders, […]

This is the first time the Latin American Task Force convened a training workshop in the Caribbean, seeking to train analysts and sensitise managers across the region’s financial sector on how to identify and manage social and environmental risks and opportunities in their lending and investment operations. A carefully targeted group of some 20 risk […]

29-30 October, 2007 | Caracas This is the first time the Latin American Task Force convened a training workshop in Venezuela, seeking to train analysts and sensitise managers across the country’s financial sector on how to identify and manage social and environmental risks and opportunities in their lending and investment operations. A carefully targeted group […]

4 October 2007 | Mexico City The Seminar was organised by the Nacional Ecology Institute of Mexico (Instituto Nacional de Ecología/INE) and the Mexican Environment Ministry (Secretaría de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales/SEMARNAT), in collaboration with UNEP FI’s Latin American Task Force and HSBC México. The event was aimed at the wider Mexican financial sector […]

29-31 May, 2007 | Santiago de Chile This is the first time the Latin American Task Force convened a training workshop in Chile, seeking to train analysts and managers across the country’s financial sector on how to identify and manage social and environmental risks and opportunities in their lending and investment operations. Together the three […]

8 February, 2007 | Mexico City The first such workshop to be convened by the Latin American Task Force in Mexico, the training workshop sought to assist financial analysts to identify and assess environmental and social risk in credit lending and investment. At the end of the day participants were invited to brainstorm on the […]

18-19 September, 2006 | Guayaquil/Quito, Ecuador The third such workshop to be convened by the Latin American Task Force in the Andean Region (see Colombia Workshop, March 2005 and Peru Workshop, March 2006), this training event sought to assist financial analysts to identify and assess environmental and social risk in credit lending and investment, while […]

15-16 June, 2006 | San Salvador, El Salvador The first training workshop convened by the Latin American Task Force in Central America, this event was marked by the attendance of FI representatives from across the region. Following a day’s training on the 15th, participants pooled ideas and recommendations which were presented at a CEO Breakfast […]

10 May, 2006 | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Organised in fulfillment of the Latin American Task Force’s mission to raise awareness and promote sustainable finance practices, this was the first UNEP FI event to focus specifically on public banks. Reflective of the pioneer role played by public banks in Brazil in this field, the event […]

28-29 March, 2006 | Lima, Peru The second such training workshop convened by the Latin American Task Force in the Andean Region (see Colombia Workshop, March 2005), this event was marked by the Peruvian financial sector’s strong interest in and awareness of the sustainability agenda. Participants pooled ideas and recommendations which were presented during the […]

4-5 May, 2005 | Buenos Aires, Argentina Hosted by ABN AMRO Argentina, the second LATF workshop on environmental and social credit risk brought together 25 participants from a range of Argentinean and international banks. With case studies, group exercises and role plays, the trainers from ABN AMRO and Fundación Ambiente y Recursos Naturales (FARN) inspired […]

9-10 March 2005| Bogotá, Colombia The Colombian financial sector displayed strong interest in the UNEP FI Latin American Task Force‘s (LATF) first training event on environmental and social aspects of credit risk. An executive breakfast, held on March 9, raised awareness of strategic choices related to environmental and social issues at the senior management level. […]

Host   This meeting was hosted by:         ,1/2 July, 2004 | Lima, Peru On 1/2 July, the UNEP FI Latin American Task Force came together for its first meeting in Lima, Peru. Members of the Task Force were joined by invited guests from across the region, as well as two observer […]

26-27 November, 2001 | Santiago, Chile On November 26 – 27, 2001, the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) and the United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiatives (UNEP FI) hosted a roundtable meeting in Santiago, Chile on the role of the financial sector and the foreign direct investment in the sustainable development […]

El presente estudio realizado por la Iniciativa Financiera de ONU Medio Ambiente (UNEP FI) y CAF – Banco de Desarrollo de América Latina, muestra el esfuerzo realizado por las instituciones de la banca nacional e internacionales que operan en Ecuador, las cuales integran prácticas de sostenibilidad en sus operaciones, apoyando de esa forma la transición […]

El presente estudio realizado por la Iniciativa Financiera de ONU Ambiente (UNEP FI) y CAF – Banco de Desarrollo de América Latina, muestra el esfuerzo realizado por las instituciones de la banca nacional y de bancos internacionales que operan en Argentina, en su camino hacia el desarrollo sostenible. La muestra de estudio representa aproximadamente el […]

El presente estudio realizado por la Iniciativa Financiera de ONU Ambiente (UNEP FI) y CAF – Banco de Desarrollo de América Latina, muestra el esfuerzo realizado por las instituciones de la banca nacional y de bancos internacionales que operan en Chile, en su camino hacia el desarrollo sostenible. La muestra de estudio representa aproximadamente el […]

The most far-reaching study on sustainability in the Latin American banking sector ever undertaken

El Desarrollo Sostenible en el Sector Financiero Argentino. Marco Legal & Institucional.

El Desarrollo Sostenible en el Sector Financiero Argentino

An introduction to UNEP FI’s regional activities in Latin America.

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