Financial institutions have a key role to play in driving global sustainability through directing financing towards measures to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Climate Agreement and through seeking to avoid and address environmental and social risks associated with their activities.
Broadly recognised environmental and social standards have previously not existed for corporate lending and underwriting transactions, although they represent the vast majority of banking finance activity. Due Diligence for Responsible Corporate Lending and Securities Underwriting provides a common global framework for financial institutions to identify, respond to and publicly communicate on environmental and social risks associated with their clients.
Developed in close consultation with leading global banks, civil society and trade unions, and approved by 48 governments, the report helps banks and other financial institutions implement the due diligence recommendations of the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises in the context of their corporate lending and underwriting activities.
The report was released during the sixth OECD Forum on Green Finance and Investment on 29-30 October, 2019 at the OECD in Paris.