This guide explores the role of the bond market – the largest asset class in the global financial markets – in the realization of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). With US$ 6.7 trillion of annual issuance, bonds can provide a cheap, reliable and scalable source of capital for a variety of stakeholders involved in the implementation of Agenda 2030, including companies, governments, cities and public-private partnerships. SDG bonds also provide an answer to the lack of SDG investment opportunities for institutional investors. A diverse portfolio of SDG Bonds, including sovereign, municipal, corporate and project bonds across developed and emerging markets could fulfill mainstream investors’ growing demand for impact while matching their risk-return appetite.

Investors, governments, and other stakeholders are increasingly demanding that companies demonstrate sustainable strategies aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This guide seeks to support companies looking to integrate the SDGs into their financial strategy and business model. A credible SDG strategy allows a company to clearly communicate its impact, facilitates easier access to the growing market for SDG financing, and connects investors with a pipeline of potential opportunities to address the SDG investment gap. 

Coping, shifting, changing features recommendations focused on measures that companies can adopt to address the problems caused by market short-termism, and actions that investors can take to support companies in those efforts

Highlights why CEOs should ensure their corporate pension plans should mirror their own sustainability values and the associated benefits including improved investment performance, fulfilling fiduciary duty and managing regulatory risk and boosting corporate sponsor credibility.

Contains inspiration and recommendations for Boards of Directors on adoption and oversight of corporate sustainability.

Showcases industry-specific examples and ideas for corporate action related to the SDGs. Presented in a series of publications, each matrix will highlight bold pursuits and decisions made by diverse companies for each SDG.

Internationally-accepted frameworks now exist that define the responsibility of all companies with respect to human rights. This also extends to investors, who increasingly are looking to integrate human rights effectively and consistently into investment decision–making and corporate engagement. The webinar focuses on a new report, Investing the Rights Way: A Guide for Investors on Business and Human Rights, which aims to assist investors in evaluating human rights–related issues across their portfolios.

Features recommendations on how corporate reporting on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) can best address investors’ information needs. By helping inform investors' decision-making process, corporate SDG reporting can stimulate more investment in sustainable business solutions to help advance the Global Goals.

Examines how institutional investors across the world are beginning to interact with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and paint an early picture of investors’ current and future plans to engage with these Goals. The study also identifies barriers investors face to supporting the SDGs, and provides recommendations for how these could be overcome.

Strong rule of law is essential as a foundation for economic and social development. The Framework seeks to advance the rule of law by engaging responsible business to support the building and strengthening of legal frameworks and accountable institutions – serving as a complement to, not substitute for, government action.

Provides an overview of lessons learned, and recommended next steps derived from the ESG Investor Briefing Project. During the project, a series of high-level investor calls similar to quarterly earnings calls, were convened that focused on the company's environmental, social and governance (ESG) value drivers. The value proposition for a company to hold an ESG value driver call, and guidance for how to do so, are outlined.

The ESG Investor Briefing is a joint project of the UN Global Compact and the UN-supported Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI). The project is designed to improve company-investor communications on material environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) information. Building on the model of a quarterly financial call, companies presented how their ESG strategies and performance translate into financial value to an audience of mainstream investors.