Library | Sustainable Finance Practices

Industry standards and guidance

Non-legislative frameworks, voluntary standards, and best practice guidance for financial institutions in achieving sustainability objectives.

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Water footprint assessment tool

Water footprint network
The Water Footprint Assessment Tool is a free online application that enables businesses, governments, investors, NGOs and researchers to calculate and map green, blue and grey water footprints, assess sustainability, efficiency and equitable water use, and identify strategic actions to improve water management.
Online tool/database

Water footprint implementation

Commercial Research Providers
Water Footprint Implementation supports companies and governments with water accounting, sustainability assessment and water-footprint compensation. A spin-off of Water Footprint Network research, it delivers actionable insights for ESG reporting, water stewardship, water-footprint benchmarking and tailored reduction strategies to enhance resilience, reduce risk and foster sustainable water management.
Organisation
1 research item

Joint Research Centre

Government Sponsored / Multilateral Organisations
Joint Research Centre (JRC) is the European Commission’s science and knowledge service. It provides independent research and data to support EU policies on climate change, energy, health, food security, digital innovation and safety. JRC delivers scientific evidence to help policymakers address global challenges with reliable analysis and solutions.
Organisation
1 research item

Chatham House

Finance / Corporate Focused NGOs & Think Tanks
Chatham House, known formally as Royal Institute of International Affairs, is an independent policy institute in London. It delivers rigorous research, analysis and dialogue on global issues—such as international relations, climate change, security and economics. Its mission: help governments and societies build a sustainably secure, prosperous and just world.
Organisation

Transition Pathway Initiative

Finance / Corporate Focused NGOs & Think Tanks
Transition Pathway Initiative (TPI) is a global, asset-owner-led initiative assessing companies’ preparedness for the low-carbon transition. Featuring open-access ESG benchmarks, it evaluates Management Quality and Carbon Performance across high-emitting sectors, aiding investor decision-making and promoting climate-aligned corporate governance and transparency.
Organisation

Greenhouse Gas Protocol

Finance / Corporate Focused NGOs & Think Tanks
GHG Protocol (Greenhouse Gas Protocol) sets globally recognised greenhouse-gas accounting standards and guidance. Developed by World Resources Institute and World Business Council for Sustainable Development, it enables businesses, governments and cities to measure, report and manage emissions—covering operations, value chains and mitigation actions across Scopes 1, 2 and 3.
Organisation
17 research items

Guidance for leveraging the Singapore-Asia taxonomy in green and transition financing

Singapore Sustainable Finance Association (SSFA)
This report provides practical guidance for applying the Singapore-Asia Taxonomy (SAT) in green and transition financing. It addresses data gaps, evolving criteria, transition plans, and scenarios where full alignment with SAT is not possible, promoting credible financing practices across Southeast Asia’s key sectors.
Research
10 July 2025

Unlocking the sustainable transition for agribusiness

United Nations Environment Programme
This report examines how entrenched political and market structures hinder agribusinesses from transitioning to sustainable models. It identifies three systemic “lock-ins” and outlines how policy reforms, financial incentives, and political commitment can unlock agribusiness potential to drive food system transformation at scale and pace.
Research
1 July 2025

Mobilising institutional capital towards the SDGs and a Just Transition

Impact Investing Institute
This report outlines pathways for mobilising institutional capital towards the Sustainable Development Goals and a Just Transition. It focuses on investment vehicles, emerging markets, and private asset classes, providing practical recommendations, case studies, and frameworks to integrate environmental, social, and community considerations into scalable, impactful financial strategies.
Research
17 December 2021

GHG protocol calculation tools and guidance

World Resources Institute
The GHG Protocol’s calculation tools and guidance details Excel‑based, cross‑sector, sector‑specific, and country‑specific tools, including those for cities and countries. Each tool includes step‑by‑step guidance and emission factors to support accurate GHG inventory development in line with the Protocol’s standards
Online tool/database

Interpreting the corporate standard for U.S. public sector organizations

World Resources Institute
This guide interprets the Greenhouse Gas Protocol Corporate Standard for U.S. public sector organisations. It provides standardised methods for accounting and reporting greenhouse gas emissions, supports inventory quality, and addresses public sector-specific scenarios such as leased assets, joint operations, and regulatory compliance.
Research
13 October 2010

Guidelines for quantifying GHG reductions from grid-connected electricity projects

World Resources Institute
These guidelines provide a standardised, policy-neutral framework for quantifying greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions from grid-connected electricity projects. They cover both generation and electricity reduction activities, using simplified methods to estimate baseline emissions and avoided emissions. Intended for project developers and programme designers, the guidelines emphasise accuracy, transparency, and conservativeness.
Research
31 July 2007

Greenhouse gas protocol land sector and removals initiative: Project overview

World Resources Institute
The greenhouse gas protocol’s land sector and removals initiative aims to develop internationally accepted corporate guidance for accounting and reporting emissions and removals from land use, bioenergy, and carbon removal. It seeks to improve transparency, support target-setting, and align with climate goals through a multi-stakeholder, science-based process.
Research
18 October 2024

The GHG protocol for project accounting

World Resources Institute
This report outlines standards and procedures for quantifying and reporting greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions from mitigation projects. It provides a framework to estimate baseline emissions, assess additionality, and apply consistent accounting principles. The guide supports transparency, credibility, and harmonisation across project-based GHG initiatives.
Research
6 December 2005

A recommended methodology for estimating and reporting the potential greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuel reserves

World Resources Institute
This working paper presents a methodology for fossil fuel companies to estimate and disclose potential greenhouse gas emissions from their reserves. It outlines seven steps for calculating emissions, addressing combustion, leakage, and storage factors, with the aim of improving transparency and enabling comparison across companies and alignment with climate targets.
Research
23 March 2023

GHG protocol agricultural guidance: Interpreting the corporate accounting and reporting standard for the agricultural sector

World Resources Institute
The GHG protocol agricultural guidance provides a framework for agricultural companies to develop greenhouse gas (GHG) inventories aligned with the Corporate Standard. It offers sector-specific methodologies to account for direct and indirect emissions, carbon stock changes, and unique agricultural factors such as land use change and biological processes. The guidance enhances consistency, transparency, and usability of agricultural GHG data for decision-making and reporting.
Research
26 May 2014
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