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“The challenge of sustainability for the financial sector”

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Date: 12th February, 2012

“The challenge of sustainability for the financial sector”

Sustainability for the financial sector can be explained as environmental and social impacts of the financial sector. Approach of sustainability for the financial sectors includes the engagement of financial sectors with environmental, social and financial opportunities and risk associated with it by complying with all related rules, regulations and ethical standards. The sustainability for the financial sector could challenge the core business of the financial sector. The financial sectors have now realized that the practice of sustainability have the positive impact as it could save cost, increase the overall earnings, decrease the risk factors, and also could help to develop human capital for the financial service providers. On the other hand ignorance of the sustainability issue could harm their reputation. - Gerster Consulting (February, 2011)

Many scientific communities have argued to focus on the threat for human beings and the Earth due to running ecological system of earth and the main reason behind this is human activity. Our current international economy and financial sectors need some changes like switching to low carbon products and services etc. Currently 3 to 4 oC climate is now a minimum or acceptable level for healthy and safe human life. -International Climate Conference (2009). To keep the climate of the earth in the acceptable limit levels requires difficult transitions and implication of such transition could arise many challenges for the financial sector. Switching from the goods and services which could harm the climate and human life of the earth needs large investment by the financial sector. Socially responsible investing is a term used by financial sectors which includes ethical investments, responsible and sustainable investments and all kind of investments which fulfills investors objective with the consideration of environmental, social and governance issues.- EUROSIF (2009). Current approach of socially responsible investing involves some challenges for the sustainability of the financial sector. For example, EuroSIF has argued that 17.6% of the assets management industries are engaged in SRI but nearly 14.2% out of it involves investment in weapons, tobacco etc. the other example is social investment forum of USA. It says that 11% of professional management in USA is SRI but nearly 77% of it is simple screening involves investments in tobacco, alcohol and only 1% of the investment of it has been found as strongly sustainable. - Social Investment Forum (2007)

Sustainability in the financial sectors requires the avoidance of the investments in corporations or businesses which causes damage to the environment and human life. - Council on Ethics, (2010). But it is very difficult for the firms to choose the investment funds which can be defined as strongly sustainable. For example, The Norwegian Fund follows the policy of not investing in the companies which could cause high environmental damage but do not excludes investments in business which involves operations that produces high carbon and ecologically unsustainable. Even Sovereign Wealth Funds which is the largest investor of the financial sector involves only 5% investment which can be described as strongly sustainable. - SWF Institute, (2010)

The review of current economic model and above real world examples indicates that there are very few sustainable companies and business to invest in. So, to meet the challenges of sustainability for the financial sectors it is important to encourage the companies which have the aim of being sustainable. And it is required to make some necessary changes in the current standards, principles and benchmarks based on strong sustainability for the financial sector. The main challenge is that current international standards for sustainability are inadequate. Banks could provide funds for the required investment for the transition to sustainability of the financial sector. To meet the challenges of sustainability for the financial sector it is required to focus on the operating and investing activities of the banks which are not doing well or not taking necessary steps for sustainability. One survey of banks indicates that nearly 16 banks of United States and 24 banks from other countries which are holding nearly 60% of overall market capitalization of world banking sector have not done much to elevate the condition of climate change or to reduce the threat to human life due to environmental changes. Such banks should provide necessary funds or investments required to reduce the dangerous impacts of climate change for human being and our earth. -Cogan, (2008). The requirement of investment to meet the challenges for sustainability of financial sectors cannot be achieved through the funds provided by the banks or by the managed funds of different countries and it requires the active role taken by the government. It has been estimated that nearly two percent increase in GDP is required to switch to the low-carbon economy. It is required to establish the Green Investment bank which could work efficiently to meet the challenges for sustainability of financial sector and could take necessary steps to raise the required investment funds as being a part of government policy. - Green Investment Bank Commission, (2010)
It is important to modify the criteria for the selection of companies which have the objective of being strongly sustainable. Many companies and banks are taking necessary steps to deal with the ecological challenges but we can say that the financial sector is not able to meet the challenges of sustainability without the active role of government.

Reference:
Gerster Consulting (February, 2011) “Sustainable Finance: Achievements, Challenges, Outlook” Retrieved on: 12th February, 2012 from http://www.gersterconsulting.ch/docs/sustainable_finance_final_11.02.10.pdf

Cogan, D. (2008) “Corporate Governance and Climate Change: The banking sector.” Retrieved on: 12th February 2012, from www.ceres.org//Document.Doc?id=269

Council for Socially Responsible Investment (2010) “Investment Assistance for the Socially Responsible Investor” Retrieved on: 12th February, 2012 from www.csri.org.nz/documents/SRIinvestrevRH.pdf

Council on Ethics (2010) Retrieved on: 12th February, 2012 from www.regjeringen.no/en/sub/styrer-rad-utvalg/ethics_council/ethical-guidelines.html?id=425277.

EuroSIF (2009) “European SRI Study 2008” Retrieved on 12th February, 2012 from www.eurosif.org/publications/sri_studies. Green Investment Bank Commission (2010) “Unlocking Investment to Deliver Britain’s Low Carbon Future” Retrieved on: 12th February, 2012 from http://www.climatechangecapital.com/media/108890/unlocking%20investment%20to%20deliver%20britain's%20low%20carbon%20future%20-%20green%20investment%20bank%20commission%20report%20-%20final%20-%20june%202010.pdf SWF Institute (2010) Retrieved on: 12th February, 2012 from www.swfinstitute.org.

Social Investment Forum (2007) “Trends Report Executive Summary: Reporting on responsible investing trends in the US” Retrieved on 12th February 2012 from www.socialinvest.org/resources/research/

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