Fundamentals of Sustainability Reporting for Banks

Course Overview

Corporate social responsibility and sustainability have risen up the agenda for many international financial institutions as Boards of Directors and senior management integrate sustainability within their strategic objectives and – in some jurisdictions – new laws and regulations such as the EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive have come into force with profound implications for banks and their corporate clients. At the same time, reporting standards such as the IFRS International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) framework have been adopted by a great majority of the worlds’ leading corporate and financial institutions, whilst many of the key players in the banking sector are using the Partnership for Carbon Accounting Financials (PCAF) as the basis for their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reporting.

The impacts for the banking sector are being felt across retail, corporate and investment banking and in structured finance such as project financing of the development of new infrastructure to support the transition to a sustainable future. Reporting requirements for banks transcend their own activities and behaviours which range from overall governance, banking business ethics, community support through to other types of social benefits such as financial inclusion and education. Banks and other financial institutions are also generally expected to report on their “financed emissions” as well as other environmental and social impacts.

This comprehensive programme provides delegates with a deep appreciation of the key elements of sustainability reporting for contemporary banking businesses, enabling them to identify those issues critical to their own business units but also those of their key clients in order that material sustainability issues can be effectively reported on.