Context:
The United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) has launched the UNEP FI Impact Centre, consolidating its work on SDGs and impact finance into a dedicated global knowledge and implementation hub.
This reflects growing global emphasis on aligning financial systems with sustainability outcomes.
What is UNEP FI?
- A partnership between United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and global financial institutions.
- Works to integrate environmental, social and governance (ESG) considerations into financial decision-making.
- Includes banks, insurers, and investors worldwide.
What is the UNEP FI Impact Centre?
A specialised centre of expertise designed to help financial institutions:
✔ Measure their environmental and social impact
✔ Align investments with sustainability goals
✔ Integrate impact management into business operations
It institutionalises UNEP FI’s work on impact finance and SDG alignment.
Core Objective
To transform finance from:
Risk management only → Impact-driven financial system
The centre aims to ensure that financial flows actively support:
- Sustainable development
- Climate goals
- Social inclusion
Key Goals
- Embed impact management in financial institutions
- Integrate sustainability into strategy and operations.
- Align global finance with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
- Manage environmental and social risks systematically
- Balance financial returns with societal outcomes
