Measure, assess and value

This guidance provides practical information on how core indicators can be measured in a consistent manner and in alignment with countries’ needs on monitoring the attainment of the SDG agenda. It intends to assist entities to provide baseline data on sustainability-related issues in a consistent and comparable manner, which would meet the common needs of different stakeholders.

Use this resource for the following Actions of Impact Management:

• Measure, assess and value: Collect information on the core indicators covering areas of economic, environmental, social and institutional performance. For each indicator, the guidance provides a definition, measurement methodology, and potential sources of information. The guidance also explains the links and alignment with relevant macro SDG indicators.
• Communicate: Provide baseline data on sustainability-related issues in a consistent and comparable manner.

The Impact Protocol provides a step-by-step guide of how to analyse and manage a bank’s portfolio impacts, as per UNEP FI’s holistic impact approach and in alignment with the requirements of the Principles for Responsible Banking. The Protocol provides an overview of the impact management process as a whole and is complemented by other UNEP FI resources including the Impact Management Tool and the Thematic Target-Setting Guidance, which can be used to operationalise the Protocol.

This is a cross-cutting resource, meaning that it supports the internal impact management process as a whole, rather than one or a few of the Actions of Impact Management.

The Core Characteristics of Impact Investing define the growing approach of impact investing, and offer the financial markets greater clarity on what constitutes credible impact investing.

This resource is for the following Actions of Impact Management:

• Strategy: Intentionally contribute to positive social and environmental impact by using evidence and impact data in investment design, enabling the investor to manage impact performance and contribute to the growth of impact investing overall.

This paper sets out how investors can ensure they respect human rights across all their investment activities, as defined by the UN and OECD.

Use this resource to:

• Measure, assess and value: Understand the extent to which investors are facilitating human rights harm; the extent to which they could or should have known; and the quality of any mitigating steps.

A framework that incorporates financial materiality and sustainability performance calibrated to progress on sustainability outcomes. This resource also considers sources of data needed to complete this picture across entities such as companies, governments and global institutions and activities.

Use this resource to:

• Identify: Identify current and forward-looking information that assesses the range of sustainable risks and opportunities.
• Measure, assess and value: Assess and interpret a company’s sustainability performance and alignment in the context of long-term sustainability goals and thresholds.

The Guidance provides practical support to enterprises seeking to implement of the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises, through plain language explanations of its due diligence recommendations and associated provisions.

This is a cross-cutting resource, meaning that it supports the internal impact management process as a whole, rather than one or a few of the Actions of Impact Management.

The Finance Sector Supplement is a specialised framework, in addition to the Natural Capital Protocol, to guide financial institutions in measuring and valuing natural capital impacts and dependencies across the entities and portfolios that they finance, invest in or underwrite.

This is a cross-cutting resource, meaning that it supports the internal impact management process as a whole, rather than one or a few of the Actions of Impact Management.

The GRI Standards are a modular system of interconnected standards for reporting on sustainability performance, covering a wide range of sustainability topics, including climate change, human rights, labour practices and product responsibility. They enable organisations to measure, manage and communicate their sustainability performance effectively.

Use this resource for the following Actions of Impact Management:

• Communicate: Report to all stakeholders on material topics that reflect the organisation’s most significant impacts. GRI’s standardised metrics help the organisation and its stakeholders compare performance with others.

The B Impact Assessment is an evaluation tool used by businesses to measure and manage their social and environmental impact. It assesses performance across various impact areas, including governance, workers, community, environment and customers.

This is a cross-cutting resource, meaning that it supports the internal impact management process as a whole, rather than one or a few of the Actions of Impact Management.