United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative

The Principles for Sustainable Insurance function as a global framework that guide the insurance industry in addressing risks and opportunities related to environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors.

Use this resource for the following Actions of Impact Management:

• Strategy: Commit to considering ESG risks and opportunities in insurance practices, and to working with other industry participants to do the same. These Principles are relevant to insurers in their dual role as both corporates entities conducting operations, and as organisations with investment activities.
• Governance: Embed ESG issues into decision-making processes and policies.

The Principles for Responsible Banking (PRB) guide banks in aligning their business strategies with society’s goals, as well as promoting sustainability. These principles aim to encourage banks to play a crucial role in achieving global sustainable development objectives, including addressing climate change, promoting financial inclusion and fostering sustainable economic growth.

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 Corporate Impact Analysis Tool helps banks and investors understand the actual and potential impacts of their clients and investee companies, as part of their impact management strategy and processes.

Use this resource for the following Actions of Impact Management:

• Implement: Banks and investors can use the Tool’s findings to carry out portfolio management and client engagement. Additionally, the Tool can be used by enterprises themselves to integrate impact management into their own strategic planning and business development practices.

This tool is designed to help banks and investors holistically understand and manage the actual and potential impacts of their portfolios.

Use this resource for the following Actions of Impact Management:

• Identify: Understand the impact areas and topics associated with a bank’s portfolio, based on portfolio composition and context; and identify the bank’s most significant impact areas.
• Measure, assess and value: Assess current practice and performance vis-à-vis most significant impact areas, by combining the tool’s ‘Identification’ outputs with additional data; use the assessment as a basis for target-setting and defining the bank’s action plan.
• Set targets and plan: Define relevant and meaningful targets and action plans.
• Implement: Inform and carry out impact management process.
• Monitor, learn and adapt: Monitor practice and performance; and use the assessment to make improvements and adjust targets.