Principles for Sustainable Insurance

Last updated: 2012

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.

Principles for Responsible Banking

Last updated: 2019

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.

Principles for Positive Impact Finance

Last updated: 2017

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.

Responsible Business Conduct for Institutional Investors

Last updated: 2017

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.

Maximise Your Impact: A Guide for Social Entrepreneurs

Last updated: 2017

“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.

Report Assurance Standard

Last updated: 2018

Report Assurance standard that provides criteria to assess the application of SVI’s Social Value Principles as evidenced in a report. Assurance is conducted acting in the interests of the affected stakeholders, an important distinction versus other assurance standards that are currently available.

Use this resource to:

  • Assure a report that has been prepared in accordance with the Principles of Social Value. The Principles of Social Value and associated practice standards help organisations measure and manage the social value generated through their business activities. This means the assurance standard is best applied to a report that has been prepared in accordance with the principles from the outset. The assurance standard is used to assess application of the principles, it does not assure accuracy of performance information.

Social Value Management Certificate

Last updated: 2021

This certification process assesses to what extent the Principles of Social Value are embedded in an organisation’s systems and processes. The certificate has three levels that set out a progression pathway for organisations looking to continuously improve how they optimise social value for their stakeholders.

Use this resource for the following Actions of Impact Management:

  • Verification, assurance and certification: Certify that an organisation’s systems and processes adhere to the Principles of Social Value.

Impact Management Norms

Last updated: 2018

The Impact Management Norms provide a common logic to help enterprises and investors measure and assess their social and environmental impacts. They aim to promote a consistent approach to impact assessment, enabling organisations to better understand, communicate and improve their impact performance. The Norms comprise – among others – the Five Dimensions of Impact, ABC of Impact and Investor Contribution.

Use this resource for the following Actions of Impact Management:

  • Measure, assess and value: Use the norms to quantify and evaluate the social and environmental impacts of the organisation’s activities.

The Guide to Social Return on Investment (SROI)

Last updated: 2012

This guidance document provides a framework for calculating Social Return on Investment (SROI), which can be used by anyone interested in measuring, managing and accounting for social value or social impact

Use this resource for the following Actions of Impact Management:

  • Measure, assess and value: Monetise the social value an organisation creates, preserves or erodes for its stakeholders. This methodology guides an organisation through the process of valuing impact from the perspective of all affected stakeholders.

AA1000 Assurance Standard

Last updated: 2020

A set of criteria that demonstrates adherence to AccountAbility’s four principles: inclusivity, materiality, responsiveness and impact. Assurance using this assurance standard can cover an organisation’s practices as well as sustainability performance information.

Use this resource to:

  • Verification, assurance and certification: Assure a report or the organisation’s practices with reference to the AA1000. The subject matter for an assurance engagement is not pre-defined in the AA1000, meaning this assurance standard is commonly used to assure external reports prepared according to other reporting standards.