Library | Sustainable Finance Practices

Industry standards and guidance

Voluntary standards, non-legislative frameworks, methodologies, and best-practice guidance that support financial institutions in achieving sustainability objectives.

Refine
Resource type
Sustainable Finance Practices
ESG issues
SDGs
SASB Sustainability Sector
Finance relevance
Asset Class
Location
TAG
260 results
REFINE
SHOW: 16

Urban planning for the circular economy: A spatial turn in theory and practice

European Commission
This report examines how urban planning can operationalise the circular economy by addressing spatial dimensions. Drawing on European city experiences, it explores circular developments, infrastructure, land management and multi-level governance. It provides strategic directions for integrating circularity into core planning instruments to support systemic, territorially grounded transitions.
Research
13 April 2026

Climate-related transition planning: Voluntary guidance

Australian Government
This voluntary guidance from the Australian Treasury helps organisations develop climate-related transition plans. It details a four-stage process—assessing position, setting ambitions, planning actions, and implementation—to manage risks and align with Australia’s net zero targets, building on international standards and domestic policy to enhance business resilience.
Research
17 August 2026

Off the books: Practical guidance for business

Walk Free
This report provides practical guidance for Australian businesses to identify and address migrant worker exploitation. Based on a survey of 9,963 temporary visa holders, it highlights risks like ABN misclassification, casual employment, night shifts, and misleading payslips. It offers due diligence tips and remediation steps to ensure compliance.
Research
3 August 2026

BSI Net Zero Barometer Report Series

The British Standards Institution (BSI)
This benchmark series examines the UK business landscape's transition to net zero. It tracks commitment levels, drivers, and barriers among senior decision-makers. The research explores how organisations are reframing sustainability as a commercial necessity and highlights the demand for government support, financial incentives, and standardised guidance to achieve 2050 targets.
Benchmark/series
14 April 2026

OECD Due Diligence Policy Mapping Tool

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)
The OECD Due Diligence Policy Mapping Tool compares global responsible business conduct legislation against the OECD's six-step framework. It helps users identify regulatory convergence and differences in mandatory due diligence requirements.
Resource hub

What do sustainability disclosures disclose?

This research analyses over 15,000 sustainability disclosures from Russell 3000 firms. It finds that while reporting has surged since 2015, informative quality has declined. Adoption of voluntary standards yields mixed results, correlating with reduced 'fluff' but lower narrative specificity. Improvements primarily reflect selection effects rather than organisational learning.
Research
29 January 2026

SUSREG annual report series

World Wide Fund for Nature (World Wildlife Fund – WWF)
This benchmark series provides a comprehensive assessment of sustainable financial regulations and central banking activities. It tracks progress across global jurisdictions in integrating climate, environmental, and social risks within banking, insurance, and capital markets sectors, supporting the transition towards a net-zero and nature-positive global economy.
Benchmark/series
9 December 2025

Handbook: Harmonised framework for impact reporting for social bonds

International Capital Market Association
This handbook provides a harmonised framework for impact reporting on social bonds. It outlines core principles, recommendations, and sector-specific metrics for categories including affordable housing, essential services, and basic infrastructure. The document aims to enhance transparency and integrity in the social bond market through standardised reporting practices.
Research
18 June 2026

How certain can we be about NGFS Climate Scenarios?

This research analyses uncertainty in Network for Greening the Financial System (NGFS) climate scenarios across four vintages and 254 variables. It finds that revisions to initial conditions and model recalibration often exceed scenario and model uncertainty, requiring cautious interpretation in financial risk assessments.
Research
9 July 2026

Best practice transition plans for listed equity asset managers

Most listed equity managers now have a target. Fewer have a plan that shows how it will be met. By January 2024, 264 Net Zero Asset Managers signatories had had their targets reviewed. Method is no longer the hard part.
Article
4 September 2026

Disaster resilience scorecard for cities: Addendum for extreme heat risk management

United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDDR)
An addendum to the Disaster Resilience Scorecard for Cities, this tool helps local governments assess and strengthen extreme heat risk management. It uses 18 indicators to evaluate governance, infrastructure, and financial planning to build long-term urban resilience against rising temperatures.
Online tool/database
5 November 2025

ASEAN sustainable finance state of the market series

Climate Bonds Initiative
This series by the Climate Bonds Initiative examines the development of sustainable finance markets across ASEAN. It covers green, social, sustainability and sustainability-linked debt instruments, alongside market structures, taxonomies, transition finance and policy developments supporting sustainable capital markets across the region.
Benchmark/series
9 May 2023

Business-led blended finance: A practical playbook

United Nations Global Compact
This report examines business-led blended finance, which grew to US$24 billion in 2024. It provides a practical playbook for companies to move from passive recipients to active deal architects, addressing the US$4 trillion SDG financing gap through risk management toolkits, sector analyses, and eight global case studies.
Research
25 June 2026

Climate-related disclosures: Insights from our reviews 2026

Financial Markets Authority (FMA)
This Financial Markets Authority report reviews 62 climate statements from the second reporting period in Aotearoa New Zealand. It identifies improvements in reporting structures but highlights gaps in physical risk analysis and assurance compliance. Future monitoring will focus on education to improve data substantiation and risk disclosure quality.
Research
26 May 2026

Coller FAIRR seafood index methodology: May 2026

Farm Animal Investment Risk and Return (FAIRR)
The Coller FAIRR Seafood Index Methodology outlines the framework for assessing 20 global companies across 16 material topics. It details a bottom-up scoring process, ranging from 0 to 100, and a four-step production cycle. The index measures corporate maturity in response to environmental and social risks in the seafood industry.
Research
1 May 2026

Templates in the EU Inc. regulation proposal

Leibniz Institute for Financial Research SAFE
This research evaluates the European Commission’s Proposal for an optional 28th corporate law regime. It argues that proposed model articles of association fail to support venture capital-backed firms. The authors identify four shortcomings regarding scope, process, logic, and safe-harbour effects, suggesting a dedicated drafting track and broader coverage.
Research
18 May 2026
PREV
1 of 17
NEXT
Join or sign in to use Alma, Altiorem’s AI Agent. While the Altiorem library is free, Alma is exclusive to paying subscribers.