Guidelines on Environmental Management and Reporting for the Financial Services Sector

Although not typically regarded as major contributors to current environmental problems, financial-service businesses — like all businesses — have an environmental impact. How can these impacts be assessed and reported? And what can be done to reduce these impacts? This report from the U.K.-based FORGE Group addresses these questions and provides guidelines for using environmental management systems and reporting practices.

The guide includes step-by-step instructions for implementing an environmental management system in the financial-services sector — from developing evidence and gaining support for an EMS to assessing the program once it’s in place. Also included are “Business Activity Guidelines” for integrating environmental management and reporting into key processes, such as risk-control surveying, commercial lending, and retail banking. A series of reference sheets at the end of the report discuss climate change, sustainable development, and environmental labeling in relation to the financial-services sector.