UNEP FI is partnering with ECOFACT to host a series of webinars on key thematic issues in emerging sustainable finance regulation and banking supervision. Our second webinar will explore the increased regulatory momentum for human rights and environmental due diligence requirements for banks globally.

Human rights and environmental issues have become a core consideration for corporations’ business decisions, include those of banks. Banks can have a significant influence over their clients’ corporate governance and human rights practices. Many leading banks have hence begun to integrate human rights and environmental due diligence as part of lending and investment decisions. Such momentum has been guided by international “soft law” like the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human rights. An increasing number of jurisdictions is also mandating such due diligence across their real economies and financial sectors. Notably, the EU is finalizing legislation on corporate governance and human rights and environmental due diligence, namely it’s Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD).

This webinar will cover: 

• Overview of jurisdictions that have formally mandated human rights and environmental due diligence, including how and where these requirements apply to financial institutions.
• The state of alignment between “soft law” / voluntary and regulatory approaches.
• Challenges around defining value chains for financial institutions, in particular banks.
• Banks’ implementation challenges and what strategies they use to address these.
• Potential future developments banks might expect.

The webinar will bring together the latest research and analysis on regulatory developments, provides in-depth knowledge from practitioners in regulatory authorities and banks, as well as demonstrates practical tools with which banks better understand and implement regulatory requirements.