Implement

The Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises are a set of voluntary principles and standards that promote responsible business conduct among multinational enterprises (MNEs). They cover various areas, including human rights, labour relations, environmental protection, anti-corruption and consumer protection, aiming to help MNEs align their business practices with societal expectations, and contribute to sustainable development.

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 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 SDG Action Manager is a digital tool designed to help organisations measure their impact across various sustainability areas, set goals aligned with the SDGs, and track progress over time. The questionnaire, which draws from B Lab’s B Impact Assessment and the UN Global Compact’s 10 Principles, enables organisations to collect performance information on the SDGs that are most relevant to manage, based on its size, sector and geography. It was developed through research and public consultation and so provides an evidence-based starting point for identifying sustainability topics to measure.

Use this resource for the following Actions of Impact Management:

• Governance: Prioritise governance mechanisms that address the organisation’s key sustainability risks and enhance its resilience against potential challenges.
• Identify: Understand the most relevant SDGs to manage based on the organisation’s size, sector, and geography.
• Measure, assess and value: Obtain a set of metrics.
• Set targets and plan: Set specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) targets related to sustainable development. Organisations can align their targets with the specific indicators and targets outlined in the SDGs.

The Natural Capital Protocol is a framework designed to help businesses identify, measure, and value their impacts and dependencies on natural capital. It provides a standardised approach for organisations to integrate natural capital considerations into their decision-making processes, enabling them to better understand and manage their relationship with nature.

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 Social and Human Capital Protocol is a framework designed to assist organisations in identifying, measuring, and managing their impacts and dependencies on social and human capital. It provides a standardised approach for businesses to integrate social and human capital considerations into their decision-making processes, enabling them to better understand and manage their relationships with employees, communities and stakeholders.

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 SDG Impact Standards for Enterprises provide a practical guide and self-assessment tool for integrating the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into organisational decision-making.

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.

“Maximise Your Impact: A Guide for Social Entrepreneurs” proposes a practical approach for social entrepreneurs to understand and maximise the positive social value they create, supporting both the creation and development of impact-oriented organisations.

Use this resource for the following Actions of Impact Management:

• Strategy: Develop a strategy and business model that address the root causes of the problem that the organisation is trying to solve.
• Governance: Set the right governance structure and practices to serve the organisation’s mission.
• Identify: Identify the problems and solutions that the organisation will seek to address, including through qualitative research and stakeholder engagement.
• Measure, assess and value: Check whether the organisation has all the information it needs to assess its impacts. The guidance contains 10 questions that guide impact assessment, functioning as a checklist to ensure all necessary contextual information is collected.
• Set targets and plan: Create an impact goal (the core problem that the organisation is trying to achieve), set targets and forecast changes that the organisation is planning to make towards the impact goal and associated targets.
• Implement: Integrate information on social value into management decision-making.
• Monitor, learn and adapt: Understand how to use the collected information to decide whether to change, stop or scale-up activities, and learn how to develop a set of recommendations about adapting targets.

The Principles of Social Value guide organisations in considering social value in decision-making, aiming to optimise value for all stakeholders materially affected by their activities. The practice standards help organisations to implement each principle to a point where they are accountable for their activities.

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 B Corp Certification is an assessment process that evaluates a company’s social and environmental performance, as well as governance and transparency. Organisations that achieve B Corp Certification demonstrate a commitment to meeting a high standard of responsible business practices and accountability.

Use this resource for the following Actions of Impact Management

• Verification, assurance and certification: Achieve B Corp certification by meeting the standards set by B Lab, demonstrating a commitment to social and environmental performance, accountability and transparency.
• Benchmarking and rating: Compare impact scores and metrics with those of other organiations within the same industry or sector.

The “Investing with SDG Outcomes: A Five-part Framework” provides a high-level framework for investors to shape real-world outcomes in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

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 Responsible Business Conduct for Institutional Investors helps institutional investors implement the due diligence provisions of the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises.

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 GIIN Operating Principles for Impact Management provide a framework for investors and fund managers to manage and measure their impact. The principles outline best practices for impact management across the investment lifecycle, from strategy development to implementation, monitoring and reporting.

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.

The SDG Impact Standards for Private Equity Funds provide a decision-making framework for integrating the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into one or more funds.

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 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 Impact Standards for Financing Sustainable Development (IS-FSD) is a framework for donors, development finance institutions (DFIs) and their private partners to make financial decisions that maximise their positive contribution to the SDGs. The Standards are harmonised with the UNDP SDG Impact Standards.

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 Global Investors for Sustainable Development (GISD) Alliance, steered by UN DESA, reached consensus on a common definition of Sustainable Development Investing (SDI) to help establish norms that differentiate investment strategies.

Use this resource for the following Actions of Impact Management:

• Implement: Refer to key definitions and recommended practices when embedding impact management into strategy, governance and management approach.

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 UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights are a set of guidelines for states and companies to prevent, address and remedy human rights abuses committed in business operations.

Use this resource for the following Actions of Impact Management:

• Strategy: Commit to preserving human rights, observing the states’ duty to protect human rights and corporations’ responsability to respect human rights.
• Governance: Embed human rights considerations into decision-making policies and processes.
• Implement: Set up human rights due diligence.

The CFO Principles on Integrated SDG Investments and Finance guide companies in aligning their sustainability commitments with credible corporate finance strategies geared towards contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Use this resource for the following Actions of Impact Management:

• Implement: Integrate impact management and SDG contribution into the organisation’s corporate finance function.

The Green Bond Principles (GBP) seek to support issuers in financing environmentally sound and sustainable projects that foster a net-zero emissions economy and protect the environment.

Use this resource for the following Actions of Impact Management:

• Implement: Use global guidelines that outline best practices when issuing bonds serving social and/or environmental purposes.
• Verification, assurance and certification: Illustrate alignment with the four core components of the GBP.

The SDG Impact Standards for Bond Issuers are practice standards that provide a common language and a system for integrating sustainable development issues, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and impact management practices into business and investment decision-making.

Use this resource for the following Actions of Impact Management:

• Implement: The standards are designed to transform how enterprises and investors think about value creation, and integrate impact management and contributing positively to the SDGs.

This document sets the SVI Standard to apply Principle 8: Be Responsive. The essence of this Principle is to take action; to make decisions about social value in response to data and measurement.

Use this resource to:

• Implement: Create a structured ‘impact management approach’ that can guide decision making at strategic, tactical, and operational levels to optimise impacts on wellbeing for all materially affected stakeholder groups. This means implementing activities that are designed to maximise the extent and rate of positive changes in wellbeing, whilst also identifying and eliminating activities that result in negative changes in wellbeing as fast as possible.

This paper outlines what voting principles are, why they are needed, how voting principles can align with Active Ownership 2.0 (the PRI’s framework for more effective stewardship). It also explains how voting principles can be developed and applied to govern shareholder resolutions.

Use this resource for the following Actions of Impact Management:

• Implement: Develop and apply high-level principles to govern voting on shareholder resolutions.

Active Ownership 2.0 is a framework for the more ambitious stewardship needed to deliver against beneficiaries’ interests and improve the sustainability and resilience of the financial system.

Use this resource for the following Actions of Impact Management:

• Implement: Shape sustainability outcomes by engaging in more effective and assertive stewardship activities.

Guidance on constructing due diligence questions based on the investor’s impact goals.

Use this resource to:

• Implement: Integrate impact measurement and management into the due diligence process to aid in assessing and managing impact risk.

The ‘ABC’ of impact provides a way to connect these high-level intentions – which are what most enterprises and investors start with – to the more granular dimensions of impact and data categories, which help to measure and manage impact.

Use this resource to:

• Connect high-level intentions – which are what most enterprises and investors start with – to the more granular dimensions of impact and data categories, which help to measure and manage impact.

The Global Investors for Sustainable Development (GISD) Alliance, steered by UN DESA, reached consensus on a common definition of Sustainable Development Investing (SDI) to help establish norms that differentiate investment strategies.

Use this resource for the following Actions of Impact Management:

• Implement: Refer to key definitions and recommended practices when embedding impact management into strategy, governance and management approach.

The Due Diligence for Responsible Corporate Lending and Securities Underwriting provides a common global framework for financial institutions to identify, respond to and publicly communicate on environmental and social risks associated with their clients. Its aim is to advance human rights and positive outcomes for people through investor stewardship.

Use this resource for the following Actions of Impact Management:

• Implement: Cease, prevent or mitigate negative impacts, and provide for or cooperate in remediation where appropriate.

Guidance that provides a set of minimum requirements that investors should meet to prevent negative social or environmental impacts.

Use this resource to:

• Implement: Act on minimum requirements for risk management, labour, resource efficiency, community, land resettlement, biodiversity, indigenous people and cultural heritage.

This paper provides a common framework for financial institutions – and particularly development finance institutions – on how to carry out due diligence to identify, respond to, and publicly communicate on environmental and social risks associated with projects and assets they finance.

Use this resource for the following Actions of Impact Management:

• Implement: Obtain practical recommendations to financial institutions on key aspects of the Responsible Business Conduct due diligence process, including stakeholder engagement, client confidentiality management and remediation processes.

The Impact Standards for Financing Sustainable Development (IS-FSD) is a framework for donors, development finance institutions (DFIs) and their private partners to make financial decisions that maximise their positive contribution to the SDGs. The Standards are harmonised with the UNDP SDG Impact Standards.

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 principles provide guidance for financial institutions and their public and private stakeholders to transition to an impact-based economy that can deliver on people’s needs and aspirations within planetary boundaries. The Principles promote Positive Impact Finance as a key solution for bridging the funding gap required to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Use this resource for the following Actions of Impact Management:

• Implement: Understand key definitions and requirements for the delivery and assessment of positive impact finance.

The Positive Impact (PI) Model Frameworks provide guidance on integrating holistic impact analysis into business processes and decision-making, spanning different business lines and asset types. They can be used by financial institutions and other third parties, such as auditors. The Model Framework covers financial products for corporates where the funds raised or guarantees issued are used at the corporate’s discretion, without any specified use.

Use this resource for the following Actions of Impact Management:

• Implement: Deliver positive impact financial products. The PI Model Frameworks enables financial institutions and intermediaries to develop appropriate framework (or adapt existing frameworks) to inform decision-making (i.e. on financing /investments), support PI financial product development, to continually analyse and monitor portfolios; and verify and/or provide opinions on the PI nature of financial products.

The Model Frameworks provide guidance on integrating holistic impact analysis into business processes and decision-making, spanning different business lines and asset types. They can be used by financial institutions, as well as by third parties such as auditors. This Model Framework covers Financial Products where the funds raised or guarantees issued are used for a specific purpose, in this case Project-related finance within the scope of the Equator Principles.

Use this resource to:

• Deliver positive impact financial products. The PI Model Frameworks enables financial institutions or intermediaries to develop appropriate frameworks or adapt their existing frameworks to serve a number of purposes: for decision-making (i.e. on financing /investments); for the development of PI financial products, or for on-going analysis/monitoring of portfolios; and
  
• Verify and/or provide opinions on the PI nature of financial products.

This guide is the first of its kind globally for managing ESG risks in risk assessment and insurance underwriting. It has an initial focus on non-life insurance business, also known as property and casualty insurance business.

Use this resource for the following Actions of Impact Management:

• Identify: Understand the materiality of ESG risks to various lines of business and economic sectors, including characteristics that might affect the ability to assess and mitigate such risks.
• Implement: Address the growing concerns by stakeholders across society (e.g. NGOs, investors, governments).