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.

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SHOW: 16

Human rights assessment of the AI data supply chain

Business for Social Responsibility (BSR)
This BSR report assesses human rights impacts in the AI data supply chain. It identifies structural risks like buyer concentration and precarious platform models. Key findings highlight inadequate wages and psychological harm, offering strategic recommendations for companies to improve visibility and governance across their global sourcing practices.
Research
13 July 2026

Systems Change Learning Handbook

The Systems Change Learning Handbook is a digital resource by the School of System Change. it offers frameworks, tools, and methodologies to help professionals understand and navigate complex systemic challenges, including environmental and economic transitions.
Resource hub

Supervisory Toolkit for AI Use in Capital Markets

A practical framework from IOSCO designed to help financial regulators and firms manage the risks associated with AI in capital markets, focusing on governance, trading, and transparency.
Online tool/database
1 September 2024

Sound practices for responsible adoption of artificial intelligence (AI): Final report

Financial Stability Board (FSB)
This report by the Financial Stability Board identifies 12 sound practices for the responsible adoption of artificial intelligence in financial institutions. It details organisation-wide governance and lifecycle management, highlighting benefits like enhanced efficiency alongside risks such as third-party dependencies, cyber threats, and explainability challenges in complex systems.
Research
15 October 2026

2026 global analysis of planned data centres for physical climate risk and resilience

Cross Dependency Initiative (XDI)
This report analyses physical climate risk for 2,595 planned data centres globally. It identifies South East Asia and France as major hotspots and highlights that indirect infrastructure dependencies increase operational disruption risk ten-fold. It advocates for integrating climate resilience into early site selection and engineering standards.
Research
3 June 2026

Addressing insurability: A playbook for investing in place-based resilience

World Economic Forum
The global insurance landscape faces a risk management crisis, with natural catastrophe losses exceeding $100 billion annually. This report outlines four interventions to improve place-based resilience: improving risk-decision data, creating innovative financing structures, establishing trusted metrics, and realising co-benefits through multi-stakeholder coalitions to enhance insurability.
Research
15 September 2026

Energy system digitalization report

The British Standards Institution (BSI)
This report examines the global transition towards digitalised energy systems, noting a $2.3 trillion investment in 2023. It explores how smart grids, digital twins, and the Common Information Model (CIM) enhance efficiency and integrate renewables, while outlining the standards and challenges essential for modernising energy infrastructure.
Research
23 March 2026

Adaptation & resilience impact: A measurement framework for investors

United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI)
This report provides a practical framework for investors to assess the positive impact of climate adaptation and resilience investments. It applies the 'Five Dimensions of Impact' to private finance, categorising outcomes across people, planet, and economy. The guidance offers clear metrics to help scale and manage adaptation portfolios.
Research
1 April 2024

Adaptation planning for business: Navigating uncertainty to build long-term resilience

World Business Council for Sustainable Development
This report provides a framework for businesses to build climate resilience through strategic adaptation planning. It details a four-step process—scoping, designing, implementing, and monitoring—to manage physical risks and unlock opportunities. Integrating these efforts into core operations is essential for protecting long-term value and competitive advantage.
Research
16 June 2025

Climate City Contract 2030 climate neutrality investment plan: Guidance and explanations

NetZeroCities
This guidance document assists Mission Cities in developing a 2030 Climate Neutrality Investment Plan. It provides a systematic framework to quantify capital requirements, identify funding sources, and establish enabling policies. The plan integrates with the Climate City Contract to mobilise investment for city-wide decarbonisation efforts.
Research
10 October 2022

Circular solutions to achieve nature targets: circular economy as an enabler for Responsible Banking

United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI)
This guidance details how circular economy strategies help banks achieve nature-related targets under the Principles for Responsible Banking. It identifies specific circular interventions across marine, freshwater, and terrestrial ecosystems, highlighting the business case for financing transitions that reduce resource dependency and manage nature-related physical and transition risks.
Research
10 September 2026

Conceptual framework for sustainability risk integration

United Nations Environment Programme
This report presents a jurisdiction-neutral framework for integrating sustainability risks into bank management. Treating sustainability as a transversal risk driver, it outlines seven core elements including risk strategy, governance, and appetite. Data shows 90 per cent of surveyed banks seek such a structured approach to bridge implementation gaps.
Research
21 July 2026

Understanding I-PEPs: a framework for steering portfolio decarbonisation and supporting real-economy transition

EDHEC Climate Institute
This policy note introduces Indicators for Portfolio-related Emission Performance (I-PEPs). Developed for the Green Finance Alliance, these performance-based metrics enable financial institutions to steer portfolio decarbonisation. The framework focuses on year-on-year emission changes, providing a resource-efficient alternative to traditional accounting-based financed emissions for real-economy transition.
Research
9 June 2026

A World Bank Group strategy for engaging in fragility, conflict and violence affected settings (2026-2030)

The World Bank
This report outlines the World Bank Group 2026-2030 strategy for fragility, conflict, and violence-affected settings. It introduces four strategic shifts: anticipating risks, adopting differentiated approaches, unifying the jobs agenda, and enhancing operational toolkits. The strategy aims to scale impact through flagship initiatives and improved human resource practices.
Research
5 June 2026

Code of practice on transparency of AI-generated content

European Commission
The European Union's Code of Practice on Transparency of AI-Generated Content provides guidance on meeting AI Act transparency obligations. It addresses machine-readable marking, detection, labelling of deepfakes and AI-generated text, technical reliability, compliance processes and disclosure requirements for providers and deployers of artificial intelligence systems.
Research
10 June 2026

How exchanges can integrate nature into markets: An action plan

Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD)
This report provides an action plan for stock exchanges to integrate nature-related considerations into capital markets. It outlines a framework—establish, activate, enable, and educate—to help market participants manage dependencies and risks while mobilising capital for nature-positive outcomes and resilient economies.
Research
19 October 2026
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