Sustainable Finance

This project aims to develop the knowledge and tools necessary to help pension funds integrate biodiversity considerations into their investment decisions.

The WEF estimates that humans derive about $125trn of value from natural ecosystems each year and that this value is at risk due to rapidly deteriorating ecosystems. The integration of biodiversity for institutional investors e.g. pension funds is an increasingly important issue, yet knowledge and implementation is lacking.

This project aims to establish a dynamic and engaged community focused on promoting sustainability in the financial industry by bringing together experts from USE, Copernicus, and the Sustainable Finance Lab. In addition to addressing the proposed topic, this project will serve as a catalyst for building relationships between these previously unconnected groups, paving the way for future shared projects.

The incubator project will place a strong emphasis on community building by mapping out agendas and interests to identify common ground and goals for collaboration. Moreover, the team recognize the importance of engaging with external stakeholders such as pension funds and investee firms to fully  understand the specific challenges and “walk the talk” together in understanding the specific problems and mapping how the financial sector can become part the solution.

Project Update 

In November 2023, the team organised an event that brought together sustainable finance experts. One of the key takeaways from this event was, that although navigating the landscape of biodiversity finance can feel like a jungle, there's a wealth of knowledge and tools available. The next crucial step is to raise awareness, skill-up finance professionals and better mainstream these resources.