Final Impact Disclosure Guidance released, aimed at scaling up financing for the UN Sustainable Development Goals

Market-led initiatives could drive more capital for investments that promote sustainable development where the need is greatest

NEW YORK, October 23, 2024–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The Impact Disclosure Taskforce, a market-led initiative co-chaired by JP Morgan and Natixis Corporate & Investment Banking, has completed its latest voluntary Impact Disclosure Guidelinesafter a public consultation period. The Impact Disclosure Guidance helps companies and sovereign entities provide transparency about their efforts to reduce poverty and inequality in communities that still lack access to basic human needs. It also helps spread information among institutional investors who are looking for investments that offer both financial and social returns.

Drawing on existing resources, the final guidance outlines a five-step process for companies and governments to measure and disclose the development impact of their business strategies or national development plans. The guidelines, while voluntary, apply to entities in both developed and developing countries, as a means to measure their impact on underserved communities at home and abroad, and to attract impact-oriented investors to fund their efforts. Important aspects of the guidance include:

Entity level but context specific: Assesses the entity’s overall strategy in the focus countries, measuring how the entity’s products, services and activities are expected to address the most acute development gaps in each country;

With the release of the final guidelines, the Impact Disclosure Taskforce encourages the following:

The Impact Disclosure Taskforce, which first met in April 2023, is a network of more than 80 financial institutions and industry stakeholders, aiming to bring greater impact transparency to financial markets. While the Taskforce continues to expand its network, it remains a resource for stakeholders seeking to implement the voluntary Impact Disclosure Guidance. In addition, the group is now working to build a market infrastructure to help disseminate and analyze the impact information made public.

Gergana Thiel, Global Co-Head of Macro Sales, JP Morgan:

“Institutional investors who prioritize impact in their investment strategies are more varied and nuanced than traditional ESG investors. While some investors seek impact on financial inclusion, others on water and sanitation, and still others on gender equality; all require better disclosure of the impact of entities. This guidance will expand investment opportunities across all themes, giving investors more choice to invest in accordance with their financial and non-financial criteria.”

John Ploeg and Armelle de Vienne, co-heads of ESG Research for PGIM Fixed Income:

“Historically, ESG publications have focused primarily on financially material ESG risks/opportunities; However, with some asset owners increasingly seeking positive environmental and social impacts from their investments, the need for issuers to adopt a standardized approach to reporting impact is critical for asset managers to assess suitability for these determine customers. This guidance strikes a good balance between standardization and giving issuers the flexibility to report on what is most material to them.”

Dan Grandage, Chief Sustainability Officer, Investments, Abrdn:

“This guidance addresses a neglected global engagement issue and provides a practical framework for companies to report on the positive impact. Making this data accessible, consistent and comparable has helped with the impact analysis and reporting of emerging market bonds, an asset class where access to data plays a major role. substandard or difficult to access. We hope it will help support the growth of investments aimed at contributing to the UN SDGs, a goal abrdn is committed to achieving through our SDG-aligned fund offering.

Cédric Merle Hamon and Leisa Cardoso De Souza, Expertise and Innovation Center within the Green and Sustainable Hub of Natixis Corporate & Investment Banking:

“The guideline is a new instrument to shape a contribution to the UN SDGs in a way that is readable for financiers. It provides a step-by-step methodology and will encourage companies and sovereign entities to set forward-looking objectives. It also paves the way for fruitful engagement in delivering and optimizing impact, but also in recovery as this entails negative impacts.”

For more information, visit https://www.icmagroup.org/assets/documents/Sustainable-finance/Impact-Disclosure-Guidance-October-2024-181024.pdf.

View the source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241023147754/en/

Contacts

Media contacts:
Charlotte Powell, JP Morgan, [email protected]
Ashley Frost, JP Morgan, [email protected]

Final Impact Disclosure Guidance released, aimed at scaling up financing for the UN Sustainable Development Goals

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