This series is supported by our partner Aegon Asset Management. It explores how financial institutions are using the SDGs in their financial products across a range of asset classes. The series also includes briefings on the move from ESG to the SDGs and the SDG Impact Standards.
Scotland was among of the first countries in the world to adopt the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the world’s official developmental agenda, in 2015. Later in 2018, to localise the SDGs, the Scottish Government launched a refreshed National Performance Framework. But more needs to be done to encourage financial institutions to consider SDGs in financial decision making.
Financial institutions are now offering financial products aligned with the SDGs. Some financial products explicitly labelled as ‘SDG’ have been introduced, such as HSBC’s SDG Bond and Federated Hermes’ SDG Engagement Equity Fund.
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SDG Financial Products was launched at COP26 by GEFI and showcases commercial financial products that are aligned to the SDG in order to share learnings and grow the ecosystem of SDG aligned financial products across asset classes.
The SDG Impact Standards provide guidance on developing an appropriate strategy, management approach, transparency and governance to assist businesses and investors in contributing positively to sustainable development and achieving the SDGs. The Impact Standards also provide a decision-making framework to make sense of existing relevant principles, frameworks and tools.
