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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Ocean investment protocol: 2026 revised draft for consultation: A multi-stakeholder plan to enable funding for the Sustainable Ocean Economy

United Nations Global Compact
This report provides a framework for scaling finance towards a sustainable ocean economy. It outlines recommendations for financial institutions, insurers, governments, and central banks to manage risks and capture opportunities. The protocol aims to mobilise the US$1 trillion required by 2030 to protect marine ecosystems and ensure prosperity.
Research
18 June 2026

The role of investors in measuring and achieving lower embodied carbon in real estate and infrastructure

Investor Group on Climate Change
This guidance outlines strategies for Australian investors to manage and reduce embodied carbon in real estate and infrastructure. It details a maturity pathway from benchmarking to achieving reductions, highlighting mandatory reporting requirements and strategic benefits. The document provides specific actions for equity and debt investors to align with net-zero pathways.
Research
25 January 2026

Tips on effective grievance mechanisms for businesses

British International Investment (formerly CDC Group)
This report outlines strategies for businesses to implement effective grievance mechanisms aligned with UN Guiding Principles. It highlights how robust engagement can prevent potential financial losses of $25-40 million. Guidance covers design, internal governance, and maintaining effectiveness in high-risk environments to build stakeholder trust and ensure human rights compliance.
Research
15 July 2025

Responsible investing maturity matrix: Emerging markets

A maturity framework for VC funds and LPs to assess ESG and responsible investment integration across emerging market fund operations.
Online tool/database
1 April 2026

Fair Finance Ghana ESG policy assessment report

Fair Finance International
This report assesses ESG policies across five Ghanaian banks using international benchmarks. Results show low sustainability integration, particularly regarding climate change and transparency. It recommends adopting global frameworks, extending ESG accountability to lending portfolios, and improving standardised reporting to align the sector with international best practice.
Research
1 May 2026

Global energy review series

International Energy Agency (IEA)
The Global Energy Review is an annual benchmark series published by the International Energy Agency (IEA) that assesses trends across the entire energy sector, covering all fuels, technologies, regions, and energy-related CO2 emissions for the preceding calendar year.
Benchmark/series
1 May 2026

Exploring guarantees for resilient and low-carbon cities: Part 2: De-risking urban climate finance series

Cities Climate Finance Leadership Alliance (CCFLA)
This report examines how guarantees can unlock private climate finance for cities. It identifies barriers to uptake in emerging markets, such as high costs and complex structures. Proposed solutions include strengthening governance, standardising products, and expanding regional facilities to mobilise the USD 4.3 trillion required annually by 2030.
Research
27 April 2026

Mapping the landscape of net-zero nature-positive finance: A review of definitions and frameworks

Climate Policy Initiative
This report provides a comprehensive review of definitions and frameworks for net-zero, nature-positive, and climate-nature finance. It identifies alignment areas and implementation gaps, advocating for integrated risk and investment approaches to achieve global sustainability goals under the Paris Agreement and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
Research
15 July 2026

Insurers' resilience toolkit: A practical taxonomy of climate adaptation and resilience measures

Environmental Defense Fund
This research provides a practical taxonomy for the insurance sector to advance climate adaptation and resilience. Analysing over 200 measures, it highlights structural barriers and enabling conditions for scaling initiatives. The report advocates for a shift from post-event compensation towards proactive risk reduction and long-term stakeholder engagement.
Research
13 July 2026

Just transition metrics benchmark

Power Shift Africa
Just Transition Metrics is a benchmark series developed by Shift in collaboration with multiple organisations. It provides a foundational, sector-agnostic set of quantitative metrics designed to assess the 'justness' of companies' climate-related transition plans, covering workforce, communities, and value chain impacts.
Benchmark/series
14 April 2026

The Asian international bond markets: Issuance trends and dynamics series

International Capital Market Association
A benchmark series published by ICMA examining issuance trends and dynamics in Asia's international bond markets. The series covers regional issuance volumes, deal nationality, arrangement locations, currency and tenor distribution, debut issuances, and sustainable bond activity across key Asian jurisdictions.
Benchmark/series
27 March 2026

Rate the raters series

ERM SustainAbility Institute
Rate the Raters is a benchmark series by the ERM Sustainability Institute tracking corporate perceptions of ESG rating agencies. It examines quality, usefulness, trust, and engagement with ESG raters across regions and industries, offering a longitudinal view of the evolving ESG ratings landscape for companies and investors.
Benchmark/series
8 December 2025

Plastic footprint guidelines

EarthAction
The Plastic Footprint Network's guidance document presents a science-based methodology for assessing corporate plastic footprints. Developed by over 100 professionals from 35 organisations, the framework comprises 11 modules covering macroplastics and microplastics, providing practitioners with a step-by-step process for measuring plastic leakage and reporting results.
Research
1 November 2023

Ratings insights: Understanding the global green bond index

Sustainable Fitch
Sustainable Fitch maps its framework and entity-level ratings to the Bloomberg MSCI Global Green Bond Index, covering 88% of index bonds. While index constituents show stronger framework quality and ICMA alignment than the broader market, many high-quality and transition-relevant bonds sit outside the benchmark due to financial eligibility constraints.
Research
20 May 2026

Global Project Tracker

Mission Possible Partnership (MPP)
MPP's Global Project Tracker maps the global pipeline of commercial-scale, net-zero-aligned clean industrial plants across materials, chemicals and fuels sectors.
Online tool/database

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.
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