Standard on applying Social Value Principle 8: Be Responsive

Last updated: 2022

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.

Global guidance on the integration of environmental, social and governance risks into insurance underwriting

Last updated: 2020

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).

Making voting count: principle-based voting on shareholder resolutions

Last updated: 2021

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.

A Legal Framework for Impact

Last updated: 2021

This legal review found that while there are differences across jurisdictions and investor groups, where investing for sustainability impact approaches can be effective in achieving an investor’s financial goals, the investor will likely be required to consider using them and act accordingly.

It also provides an extensive suite of options for policymakers wishing to facilitate investing for sustainability impact, including changing investors’ legal duties and discretions, such as allowing the pursuit of sustainability goals as long as financial return goals are prioritised, and a presumption in favour of investor collaboration in tackling sustainability challenges.

Use this resource to:

  • Strategy: Understand whether the law permits, encourages, or even requires investors to manage the sustainability outcomes of their investments.

Investment mandates: Embedding ESG factors, improving sustainability outcomes

Last updated: 2021

Informed by interviews with asset owners and investment consultants, and data on industry practice, this report outlines common approaches and challenges to incorporating ESG considerations and sustainability outcomes in new or existing investment mandates.

Use this resource to:

  • Strategy: Explore how and to what extent asset owners can consider ESG factors when developing and designing investment mandates. Understand common approaches and challenges to incorporating ESG considerations and sustainability outcomes in new or existing investment mandates.

Driving meaningful data: financial materiality, sustainability performance and sustainability outcomes

Last updated: 2020

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.

Discussing divestment: Developing an approach when pursuing sustainability outcomes in listed equities

Last updated: 2022

This paper sets out how investors wanting to pursue sustainability outcomes may need to adjust how they make a divestment decision or formulate an overall approach to divestment.

Use this resource to:

  • Implement: Understand how to make a divestment decision or to formulate an overall approach to divestment in order to pursue sustainability outcomes.

Active Ownership 2.0

Last updated: 2019

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.

An Introduction to Responsible Investment: Policy, Structure and Process

Last updated: 2019

Guidance on how an investor can develop a responsible investment policy.

Use this resource to:

  • Governance: Develop investment policies and incorporate sustainability considerations into the investment process.

Impact Mappings

Last updated: 2024

The excel-based Impact Mappings are standalone versions of the research embedded in UNEP FI’s Impact Analysis Tools, split into two parts. The first part, Sector Mappings, shows the strength of connection between economic activities (using ISIC classification) and positive and negative impacts (using UNEP FI’s Impact Radar). The second part, Needs Mappings, tracks a selection of indicators at global, country and local levels as a way to estimate the sustainable development needs in different geographies.

Use this resource for the following Actions of Impact Management:

  • Identify: Use the Sector-Impact map to understand the impact areas and topics associated with different economic activities, understand positive and negative associations, and identify key sectors for different impact areas and topics.