Publication of final guidance on impact disclosure, aimed at scaling up funding for the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals

The market-led initiative could generate more capital for investments that support sustainable development in places with the greatest need

NEW YORK, October 23, 2024–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The Impact Disclosure Taskforce, a market-led effort co-chaired by JP Morgan and Natixis Corporate & Investment Banking, released its final voluntary Impact Disclosure Guideafter a period of public consultation. The Impact Disclosure Guide helps corporate and sovereign entities provide transparency in their efforts to reduce poverty and inequality in communities that still lack access to basic human needs. It also helps disseminate information to institutional investors looking for investments that offer both financial and social returns.

Building on existing resources, the final guidance outlines a five-step process for corporate and sovereign entities to measure and disclose the development impact of their business strategies or national development plans. The guide, although voluntary, applies 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 focused investors in the impact to fund their efforts. Key aspects of the guide include:

At the entity level but specific to the context: assesses the entity’s overall strategy in the focus countries, measuring how the entity’s products, services and operations are envisioned to address each country’s most acute development gaps;

With the publication of the final guidance, the Impact Disclosure Working Group encourages:

First convened in April 2023, the Impact Disclosure Taskforce is a network of more than 80 financial institutions and industry stakeholders whose goal is to bring more impact transparency to financial markets. While continuing to expand its network, the Task Force remains a resource for stakeholders seeking to implement the Voluntary Impact Disclosure Guidance. In addition, the group is now working on building a marketplace infrastructure to help disseminate and analyze the impact information disclosed.

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 may seek impact in financial inclusion, others in water and sanitation and others in equality gender; all require better disclosure of securities issuance. This orientation will increase investment opportunities in all subjects, providing investors with more options to invest according to their financial criteria and not financial”.

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

“Historically, ESG disclosures have focused on financially significant ESG risks/opportunities; however, as some asset owners increasingly seek to generate positive environmental and social impacts from their investments, the need for issuers to adopt a standardized for reporting impacts is paramount for asset managers to determine suitability for these clients This guidance strikes a great balance between standardization and giving issuers the flexibility to report on what is most important to they

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 positive impact. Making this data accessible, consistent and comparable has helped impact analysis and debt reporting of emerging markets, notoriously an asset class where access to data has been poor or difficult to access We hope it will help support the growth of investments dedicated to contributing to the United Nations SDGs, a goal which it commits to through our range of SDG-aligned funds.”

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

“The guide is a new toolbox for coming up with a contribution to the UN SDGs in a way that is readable by financiers. It provides a step-by-step method and will encourage companies and sovereign entities to set goals for the future. It also it paves the way for fruitful participation in contributing and optimizing impact, but also in correction, as it includes negative effects.”

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

View the source version at businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241023147754/ca/

contacts

Contacts with media:
Charlotte Powell, JP Morgan, [email protected]
Ashley Frost, JP Morgan, [email protected]

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