The world depends on global finance making the right choices to deliver the UN's Sustainable Development Goals
The Global Ethical Finance Initiative has been a partner of choice for the UN to connect with the finance sector to deliver finance for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Since 2018 GEFI, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Scottish Government have collaborated on a project to finance nature and the SDGs.
The project is focused upon market analysis and providing practical solutions to financial institutions from across the globe to allow them to generate a financial return at the same time as supporting the delivery of the Global Goals.
Overview
Finance for Nature Series
Our Finance for Nature Series has brought together nature experts and the finance industry to discuss the most effective solutions to financing nature and biodiversity.
Past and planned events include a physical summit in 2019, to 2020’s virtual global series, to a dedicated session at our Ethical Finance 2021 summit, to events at COP26 on the banks of Loch Lomond.
Report
A major report entitled Mobilising Private Sector Capital in Support of the UN Sustainable Development Goals from GEFI and R.J. Fleming & Co. concluded that ‘business-as-usual’ in the financial services sector will not deliver the 2030 target to achieve the SDGs.
SDG-aligned financing initiative
Building on the report on mobilising private sector capital in support of the UN SDGs, GEFI is looking for an investment partner to deliver an SDG aligned financing initiative.
The initiative will target financial returns as well as social and / or environmental ones and will help build the ecosystem and drive more private sector capital to the SDGs.
About the SDGs
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a set of 17 social and environmental goals, which were adopted in 2015 and developed after the UN carried out the largest stakeholder engagement program in its history.
Project Development
In 2018 GEFI facilitated a multi-year programme of collaboration between the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Scottish Government (SG) that aims to develop a financial instrument that allows private capital to be diverted into nature-based, SDG-aligned investments.
Get Involved
Interested in learning more about the programme or investing in nature-based solutions to climate change and the SDGs? Get in touch with us.
Overview
Finance for Nature Series
Our unique Edinburgh Finance delcaration put together a coalition of Christian and Muslim leaders, including the Church of Scotland and renowned Sunni scholar Amir Rizwan, to understand the shared values underlying different faith groups’ approaches to finance.
By bringing together diverse faith groups, we can build bridges and unlock the power of moral leadership and endowment stewardship within finance.
Report
A major report entitled Mobilising Private Sector Capital in Support of the UN Sustainable Development Goals from GEFI and R.J. Fleming & Co. concluded that ‘business-as-usual’ in the financial services sector will not deliver the 2030 target to achieve the SDGs.
SDG-aligned financing initiative
Building on the report on mobilising private sector capital in support of the UN SDGs, GEFI is looking for an investment partner to deliver an SDG aligned financing initiative.
The initiative will target financial returns as well as social and / or environmental ones and will help build the ecosystem and drive more private sector capital to the SDGs.
About the SDGs
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a set of 17 social and environmental goals, which were adopted in 2015 and developed after the UN carried out the largest stakeholder engagement program in its history.
Project Development
In 2018 GEFI facilitated a multi-year programme of collaboration between the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Scottish Government (SG) that aims to develop a financial instrument that allows private capital to be diverted into nature-based, SDG-aligned investments.
Get Involved
Interested in learning more about the programme or investing in nature-based solutions to climate change and the SDGs? Get in touch with us.
Finance for Nature Series
2021 Path to COP26
Following the 2020 Finance for Nature Virtual Global Series, a global coalition of partners, including GEFI, UNDP, UNEP, Climate Advisers and the New York Declaration on Forests Global Platform are developing a programme of events leading in to COP26, and aligned with GEFI’s Path to COP26.
2020 Virtual Global Series
Following the success of the inaugural “Finance for Nature Global Summit”, GEFI, UNDP, UNEP, the New York Declaration on Forests Global Platform and Climate Advisers convened the Finance for Nature Virtual Global Series to accelerate momentum on nature-based finance in advance of the UN Climate and Biodiversity COPs in 2021.
Taking place via Zoom on 20/21 July 2020, the summit brought together industry champions from finance, insurance, consumer goods companies and standard-setting regulators to drive practical commitments on investing in nature.
2019 Global Summit
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Scottish-Government backed Global Ethical Finance Initiative (GEFI), together with the New York Declaration on Forests Global Platform, gathered experts in Edinburgh, Scotland today to develop financial solutions that drive socially inclusive and environmentally sustainable development.
The two-day “Finance for Nature Global Summit,” hosted by independent investment manager Baillie Gifford, brought together Government officials, financial institutions, consumer goods corporations, supply chain intermediaries and conservation organisations to explore a new investment paradigm aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Report: Mobilising Private Sector Capital in Support of the UN Sustainable Development Goals
If you are interested in downloading this report, please click here
A major report from GEFI and R.J. Fleming & Co. concluded that ‘business-as-usual’ in the financial services sector will not deliver the 2030 target to achieve the Global Goals
With sustainability and impact quickly moving from being specialist subjects to being core drivers of investment strategies worldwide the report calls for a ‘step-change’, identifying a private equity fund-of-fund solution that provides the required scale to attract new capital from institutional investors. The new independent managed platform, a global impact fund-of-funds, will fill the gap between specialist impact fund managers and mainstream investors.
UNDP- & GEFI-backed SDG-aligned financing initiative
Building on the report on mobilising private sector capital in support of the UN SDGs, GEFI is looking for an investment partner to deliver an SDG aligned financing initiative.
The initiative will target financial returns as well as social and / or environmental ones and will help build the ecosystem and drive more private sector capital to the SDGs and promote ethical finance in global capital markets. We are looking for an investment partner with a genuine desire to support an initiative aligned to the SDGs and a commitment to the ESG / responsible investment agenda.
This initiative need not necessarily be asset class confined and we are looking to the selected institutional partner to propose the structure and type of investment. However, the structure should allow GEFI to evaluate the impact delivered by the initiative. The partner would work with GEFI and UNDP from design, to proof of concept, and finally to launch.
In return for participation, select partners would benefit from the collaboration, PR and credibility from UNDP and GEFI.
To learn more about this exciting opportunity, please get in touch.
About the SDGs
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were developed after the UN carried out the largest stakeholder engagement program in its history where it asked business, academia, NGOs, civil society and others about what they should include. This broad buy-in gives the SDGs essential credibility and traction. The Goals were agreed and adopted UN in September 2015 as part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
The 17 quantitative and qualitative Global Goals reflect the aspirations of the people around the world. They are designed to address global economic, social, governance and environmental challenges, providing a common framework for shared action across all sectors and countries. 193 countries (including Scotland) have adopted the SDGs since September 2015 with the target date of 2030.
Achieving the SDGs requires a US$5-7 trillion p/a investment. With an estimated US$2.4 trillion p/a shortfall, the private sector is poised to fill the gap. However, only a fraction of the worldwide invested assets of banks, multinational enterprises, pension funds, insurers, as well as philanthropists and foundations is SDG-relevant.
Business-as-usual in the global financial arena will not deliver the 2030 Agenda. A step-change in private investment in SDGs is required.
Project Development
In 2018 GEFI facilitated a multi-year programme of collaboration between the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Scottish Government (SG) that aims to develop a financial instrument that allows private capital to be diverted into nature-based, SDG-aligned investments.
The project is a learning journey focused upon two key pillars of activities:
- Market analysis (completed December 2019):
- Understand the appetite amongst the investor community for supporting the SDGs
- Identify the key challenges that investors face in this space
- Identify the main drivers for increasing such investment.
- Practical solution
- Identify and review potential solutions from market analysis
- Select and develop preferred investment structure
- Implement a pilot in cooperation with GEFI, SG and UNDP.
The programme will provide financial institutions from across the globe with an innovative financial structure that allows them to generate a financial return at the same time as supporting the delivery of the Global Goals.
Programme Announced by UNDP / Scottish Government at the Ethical Finance 2018 Conference (Oct 22-23, 2018) in Edinburgh.
Click to read the press release – Scottish Government and UN Development Programme Collaborate to Mobilise Private Capital for Sustainable Development
Get Involved
To discuss the programme in more detail please email info@globalethicalfinance.org