The UNEP FI is a partnership between UN Environment and financial institutions from across the globe, with aims to inspire, inform and enable financial institutions to improve people’s quality of life without compromising that of future generations.

UNEP FI work with members from the banking, insurance and investment industries, technical experts and key stakeholders, to convene ambitious collective action, facilitate shared learning and co-develop practical resources. To facilitate change and educate the finance industry the UNEP FI produces resources, training and events spanning topics such as banking, insurance, investment, climate change, ecosystems, positive impact and social issues.

The Positive Impact Initiative was established to address the gap in mainstream finance in terms of better understanding the impact of economic, environmental and social pillars of sustainable finance. The principles define positive impact business and finance as “that which serves to deliver a positive contribution to one or more of the three pillars of sustainable development (economic, environmental and social), once any potential negative impacts to any of the pillars have been duly identified and mitigated.”

UNEP FI supports global finance sector principles to catalyse integration of sustainability into financial market practice. The frameworks UNEP FI has established or co-created include:

• Principles for Responsible Banking (PRB) launched with more than 130 banks collectively holding USD 47 trillion in assets.
• Principles for Sustainable Insurance (PSI), established 2012 by UNEP FI and today applied by one-quarter of the world’s insurers.
• Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI), established in 2006 by UNEP FI and the UN Global Compact, are now applied by half the world’s institutional investors.

These frameworks establish the norms for sustainable finance, providing the basis for standard-setting and helping to ensure private finance fulfils its role in contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals and Paris Agreement on Climate Change.

One of UNEP FI’s initiative includes the UNEP Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) Round Table on Sustainable Palm Oil is a collaborative platform that brings together financial institutions and stakeholders to promote sustainable practices in the palm oil industry. It aims to enhance transparency, reduce deforestation, and support the transition towards sustainable palm oil production through shared knowledge and responsible investment strategies.

To bring about systemic change in finance to support a sustainable world, and is highlighted in its motto, Changing finance, financing change.

The UNEP FI is a member based organisation and is largely funded by annual membership fees and receives funding as an entity of the United Nations.

Memberships contribute fees on an annual basis, and fees are calculated based on:

• Banks – total assets of your company
• Investors – total assets under management (AUM)
• Insurers – Risk carriers: total gross premiums written; Intermediaries and other insurance service providers – other assets; Other companies – total assets

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