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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APLMA: Green and Sustainable Lending Microsite

Asia Pacific Loan Market Association (APLMA)
The APLMA Green and Sustainable Lending Microsite provides documentation, principles, guidelines, and market data for sustainable lending.
Resource hub

Navigating nature-related data: Metrics, sources and uses

Network of Central Banks and Supervisors for Greening the Financial System (NGFS)
This NGFS information note examines available nature-related data resources and methods for integrating them into financial risk assessment. It reviews metrics and indicators against five key criteria, presents four case studies, and identifies data quality, availability, and standardisation challenges. Public-private collaboration and targeted investment are recommended to address data gaps.
Research
2 April 2026

The TISFD framework: Recommendations for disclosure of people-related information by businesses and financial institutions

Taskforce on Inequality and Social-related Financial Disclosures (TISFD)
The TISFD Framework (Beta Version 0.1) presents draft disclosure recommendations for businesses and financial institutions on people-related impacts, dependencies, risks and opportunities. Building on ISSB, GRI and ESRS standards, it covers governance, strategy, and impact and risk management pillars, with metrics and targets to follow in future iterations.
Research
11 June 2026

Stablecoins in Africa: Translating global principles into local regulatory practice

Alliance for Innovative Regulation (AIR)
This paper is the African Chapter of GDF's Global Stablecoin Regulatory Playbook. It examines how global stablecoin regulatory principles can be applied across Africa's diverse markets, addressing reserve management, consumer protection, AML/CFT compliance, and cross-border coordination, while accounting for local financial infrastructure, dollarisation risks, and varying supervisory capacity.
Research
1 May 2026

SRI Connect – Market buzz: SRI/ESG market trends & dynamics

SRI-Connect
This resource provides an introductory overview of Sustainable and Responsible Investment (SRI) and ESG, explaining key concepts, motivations, terminology, market developments and investment strategies. It is designed to help newcomers understand how sustainability considerations are incorporated into investment practice and the broader sustainable investment industry.
Resource hub

The G7 Net Zero Temperature Check

The British Standards Institution (BSI)
BSI's G7 Net Zero Temperature Check benchmarks corporate net zero progress across G7 nations, surveying over 7,000 business leaders on climate strategy and commitments.
Online tool/database

SME Climate Hub

We Mean Business
Free platform helping SMEs measure emissions, build climate action plans, and report progress toward net zero by 2050.
Online tool/database

The accountability framework operational guidance series

Accountability Framework initiative
The Accountability Framework Operational Guidance series provides practical guidance for companies on implementing responsible agricultural and forestry supply chains. The series covers environmental protection, human rights, workers’ rights, Indigenous Peoples’ and local communities’ rights, supply chain management, reporting, remediation, and compliance with voluntary commitments and applicable law.
Benchmark/series
4 April 2024

The progress report: Climate risk reporting in the U.S. insurance sector series

Ceres
This benchmark series assesses the quality and comprehensiveness of climate risk reporting by U.S. insurance companies against the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) framework. It tracks industry-wide reporting practices, disclosure maturity, governance, strategy, risk management, and metrics over time to evaluate progress in climate-related financial risk disclosure.
Benchmark/series
20 May 2026

Sustainability-related disclosure guidance

Financial Markets Authority (FMA)
New Zealand's Financial Markets Authority guidance on sustainability-related disclosure for financial product issuers. Covers fair dealing obligations under the Financial Markets Conduct Act 2013, addressing greenwashing and greenhushing risks, with practical guidance on clear claims, substantiation, consistent messaging and third-party management.
Research
18 May 2026

Beyond net zero: The rise of transition plans and what they tell investors

Sustainable Fitch
This Sustainable Fitch report examines the rise of corporate transition plans, driven by regulatory requirements and investor demand. It reviews six mainstream transition planning frameworks, finding alignment on core principles but variation in detail, and analyses around 40 entities, revealing strong Scope 1 and 2 targets but patchy Scope 3 commitments and limited transition revenue.
Research
13 April 2026

From fragmentation to insight: Why data convergence matters for scaling impact

Global Impact Investing Network (GIIN)
This report examines the need for data convergence in impact investing to address fragmentation. It advocates adopting a structured, Theory of Change-based data model to standardise information across portfolios. Such a structure enhances interoperability, streamlines data management, and enables advanced analytics, ultimately improving decision-making and scaling impact effectively.
Research
24 April 2026

Making your city investable: A practical guide to green finance

ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability
This guide outlines how local governments can access green finance by shifting from ad hoc initiatives to embedded institutional strategies. Highlighting successful international examples, it emphasises the importance of transparent governance, predictable project pipelines, and standardised reporting to build investor confidence and secure long-term climate capital.
Research
10 March 2026

Cracking the code: Using nature data to understand the impact of the ASX200

Biodiversity Council
This report analyses the nature-related impacts of Australia's ASX200 companies. It finds that utilities, energy, and materials sectors exert the highest direct environmental pressures, whereas financials and retail sectors possess significant supply chain impacts. The report advocates for TNFD-aligned disclosures and proactive investor stewardship to mitigate systemic risks.
Research
27 May 2026

Reliability of sustainability claims: Addressing greenwashing through regulations

International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD)
This report analyses 23 regulatory instruments across 12 jurisdictions to assess global responses to greenwashing. It highlights the reliance on cross-sectoral consumer protection laws and identifies challenges in substantiation. Recommendations include adopting proportionate approaches, investing in data infrastructure, and clarifying the role of voluntary sustainability standards.
Research
13 May 2026

OHCHR Knowledge Gateway

Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
The OHCHR Knowledge Gateway provides access to human rights knowledge, practices, and resources to support implementation of international standards.
Resource hub
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