The 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015 and provide a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future. The ambition is that the SDGs are achieved by 2030 and it is estimated that c.US$3.7 trillion per annum of additional funding is required to deliver this.
SDG Financial Products is the result of a collaboration between the Global Ethical Finance Initiative (GEFI) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to facilitate the development of innovative financial products that are SDG aligned. Further information on the journey can be found here.
GEFI and UNDP believe that private sector led solutions are required to deliver the SDGs. In a market of increasing virtue signalling, financial products listed are prequalified and we only partners with financial institutions that demonstrate a genuine commitment to the 2030 SDG agenda.
We work with partners throughout the product lifecycle to share learnings and build the ecosystem of SDG aligned financial products across asset classes.
If you are a financial institution interested in becoming a partner please email info@globalethicalfinance.org.
SDG Insight Series
On 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 SDGs and the SDG Impact Standards.
Supporting financial institutions offering new or existing SDG aligned products that require:
Authenticity
Enhanced authenticity through the unique collaboration with established NGOs.
Technical Expertise
Additional bandwidth and technical expertise to augment in-house teams using our proprietary frameworks to further refine the product. This can include guidance on areas such as monitoring & reporting, alignment, engagement, impact measurement and embedding the SDGs in organisational culture.
Global Network
Access to our global network to showcase innovative products, share knowledge and promote leading practice.
Partners
The Fund invests in government bonds from countries which are demonstrating significant progress towards meeting the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
The Fund leverages Aegon AM’s proprietary research methodology and multi-decade expertise as active owners of sovereign debt. The managers utilise country-level analysis and top-down assessments to optimise regional and SDG-specific concentrations.
Aegon AM bases its sustainability methodology on the works of the Bertelsmann-Stiftung and Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) partnership, sponsored by the United Nations. The transparent scoring methodology is based on more than 100 indicators per country and covers 172 countries across the world.
Aegon AM is proud to work with GEFI to introduce the new fund at COP26. The alignment of sovereign portfolios with a global sustainability agenda can help to facilitate responsible capital allocation, which has a long-term social and environmental impact.
Aegon AM is a global leader in responsible investment. It launched its first ethical fund in 1989 and today manages US$245 billion in specialist responsible investment portfolios across its fixed income, equity, real assets and multi-asset investment platforms.
Aegon AM believes that incorporating sustainability alignment into a sovereign bond investment strategy can help to mitigate risk, promote sustainable growth and deliver competitive long-term performance for investors in the Fund.
Text c.100 words on:
- What is the product?
- How are the SDGs embedded?
- Why did you partner with the platform?
- Partner 1 broader sustainability products / approach
- What change do you hope to drive with this product?
Text c.100 words on:
- What is the product?
- How are the SDGs embedded?
- Why did you partner with the platform?
- Partner 1 broader sustainability products / approach
- What change do you hope to drive with this product?
Upcoming Products
Text c.100 words on:
- What is the product?
- How are the SDGs embedded?
- Why did you partner with the platform?
- Partner 1 broader sustainability products / approach
- What change do you hope to drive with this product?
Text c.100 words on:
- What is the product?
- How are the SDGs embedded?
- Why did you partner with the platform?
- Partner 1 broader sustainability products / approach
- What change do you hope to drive with this product?
Text c.100 words on:
- What is the product?
- How are the SDGs embedded?
- Why did you partner with the platform?
- Partner 1 broader sustainability products / approach
- What change do you hope to drive with this product?
DashboardRegistration
The dashboard providers further technical information on each of the products.
"We are delighted to be selected by GEFI as a leading example of sustainable investing. We are proud to work with them and our partners at Aegon UK to promote the new fund at COP26."
Brunno Maradei
Head of Responsible Investing at Aegon Asset Management
Key Questions for Partners
- Are you committed to the 2030 SDG agenda?
- Do you have an existing innovative SDG aligned product, or are you looking to launch one?
- Do want to differentiate your product from the increasingly busy sustainability market / stand out from the crowd?
- Do you value technical insight from sustainability experts to augment your in-house sustainability teams?
- Do you want to show enhanced authenticity or third-party assurance?
If you are a financial institution interested in becoming a partner, please email info@globalethicalfinance.org.
Resources
Islamic Finance and the UN SDGs: Retail banking customer perspectives
The Islamic Finance Council UK (UKIFC), Global Ethical Finance Initiative and Dubai International Finance Centre (DIFC) conducted a pioneering global survey that gauges the understanding and awareness of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) amongst retail consumers of Islamic finance products.
Attitudes of banking customers towards the UN SDGs
This report is the second in a two-part series looking at the attitudes of banking customers towards the UN SDGs. Part 1 focuses on aspects of the survey specific to Islamic finance. Part 1 details survey methodology and provides contextual information for this survey and thus this report should be read in conjunction with part 1. This report forms a key output from the Global Islamic Finance & UN Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) Taskforce launched by UK Government’s HM Treasury department and UKIFC in 2020.
