The Impact of Sustainability Codes of Conduct in the Financial Sector

CIGI Paper No. 92

February 22, 2016

This paper analyzes the impact of four major financial sector sustainability codes of conduct, the UN Environmental Programme Finance Initiative, the UN Principles for Responsible Investment, the Equator Principles and the Global Alliance for Banking on Values  with regard to their impact on the sustainability of their members. The codes of conduct focus on the integration of environmental, social and governance criteria into financial decision making in lending, investment, asset management and project finance. corporate sustainability voluntary codes of conduct have a positive impact on their members. The effectiveness, however, depends on the quality and content of a code, as well as on implementation and compliance mechanisms.

About the Authors

Olaf Weber is a CIGI senior fellow and an expert on sustainability and the banking sector. He is currently a professor in the School of Environment, Enterprise and Development at the University of Waterloo and a University of Waterloo Research Chair in Sustainable Finance.

Emmanuel Acheta was a research financial analyst at the University of Waterloo before becoming a doctoral student at the University of Waterloo’s School of Environment, Resources and Sustainability in the sustainability policy and governance program.

Ifedayo Adeniyi has a master's degree in sustainability management from the University of Waterloo.