About | SSE Initiative

Mission

The SSE initiative is a UN Partnership Programme organised by UNCTAD, the UN Global Compact, UNEP FI and the PRI. The SSE’s mission is to provide a global platform for exploring how exchanges, in collaboration with investors, companies (issuers), regulators, policymakers and relevant international organizations, can enhance performance on ESG (environmental, social and corporate governance) issues and encourage sustainable investment, including the financing of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The SSE seeks to achieve this mission through an integrated programme of conducting evidence-based policy analysis, facilitating a network and forum for multi-stakeholder consensus-building, and providing technical assistance and advisory services.

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Organizers

The SSE initiative is a UN Partnership Programme organised by UNCTAD, the UN Global Compact, UNEP FI and the PRI. The SSE’s mission is to provide a global platform for exploring how exchanges, in collaboration with investors, companies (issuers), regulators, policymakers and relevant international organizations, can enhance performance on ESG (environmental, social and corporate governance) issues and encourage sustainable investment, including the financing of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The SSE seeks to achieve this mission through an integrated programme of conducting evidence-based policy analysis, facilitating a network and forum for multi-stakeholder consensus-building, and providing technical assistance and advisory services.

United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) Division on Investment and Enterprise

The Division is recognized as a global centre of excellence on issues related to investment and enterprise for sustainable development. Built on several decades of successful experience, its staff provide international expertise on research and policy analysis, inter-governmental consensus-building, and technical assistance to over 150 countries. Its flagship product is the annual World Investment Report and its main global stakeholder event is the biennial World Investment Forum.

For more information about UNCTAD and its work with the SSE initiative, please contact Anthony Miller at [email protected].

United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP-FI)

UNEP-FI is a unique global partnership between the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the global financial sector. UNEP FI works closely with over 200 financial institutions who are Signatories to the UNEP FI Statements, and a range of partner organisations to develop and promote linkages between sustainability and financial performance. Through peer-to-peer networks, research and training, UNEP FI carries out its mission to identify, promote, and realise the adoption of best environmental and sustainability practice at all levels of financial institution operations.

For more information about UNEP FI and its work with the SSE initiative, please contact Jesica Andrews at [email protected].

United Nations Global Compact

The UN Global Compact is a strategic policy initiative for businesses that are committed to aligning their operations and strategies with ten universally accepted principles in the areas of human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption. By doing so, business, as a primary driver of globalization, can help ensure that markets, commerce, technology and finance advance in ways that benefit economies and societies everywhere.

For more information about The UN Global Compact and its work with the SSE initiative, please contact Claire Baumann at [email protected].

Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI)

The United Nations-supported Principles for Responsible Investment Initiative is a network of international investors working together to put six Principles for Responsible Investment into practice. The Principles provide a voluntary framework by which all investors can incorporate ESG issues into their decision-making and ownership practices and so better align their objectives with those of society at large.

For more information about PRI and its work with the SSE initiative, please contact Margarita Pirovska at [email protected].

The SSE’s Vision

A world where capital market signals align with public policy goals on sustainable development.

The SSE’s Mission

To build the capacity of stock exchanges and securities market regulators to promote responsible investment in sustainable development and advance corporate performance on environmental, social and governance issues.

History

As part of its work with the financial community, in 2004 the UN Global Compact initiated a meeting at UN Headquarters in New York with a number of global stock exchanges. This initial dialogue led to a joint statement by the Global Compact and ten exchanges, expressing a commitment to explore further collaboration.

In 2008, UNCTAD and the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) collaborated on two meetings at UN Headquarters in Geneva with investors, financial information providers, stock exchanges and public policy officials, which sought to promote responsible investment in emerging markets and examine the corresponding policy context.

This groundwork laid out by the Global Compact, UNCTAD and PRI helped inspire a significant United Nations Initiative: The Sustainable Stock Exchanges (SSE) initiative.

In 2009 UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon opened the first SSE Global Dialogue in New York City. Participants were comprised of stock exchanges, institutional investors and representatives of the WFE and IOSCO.

Governance

The SSE SSE Governing Board is the main governance and oversight body of the SSE. The role of the Board is to provide policy direction, overall operational guidance and technical supervision to the SSE Partnership Programme. The Independent Advisory Committee is comprised of capital market leaders whose role is to provide the Governing Board advice and feedback on the work of the Partnership Programme.

In addition to its Governing Board and Independent Advisory Committee, the SSE is coordinated by its operational team which is led by the SSE’s Chief Coordinator.

Capital market stakeholders play a crucial role in setting the strategic direction and informing the substance of the SSE’s work. The SSE Consultative Group is the main stakeholder body for the SSE, primarily composed of SSE Partner Stock Exchanges, but also involving of members of specialized working groups, including the Regulator Working Group, the Investor Working Group and the Corporate Working Group. The SSE engages the Consultative Group via quarterly webinars to solicit inputs and share information on SSE activities and provide technical assistance on thematic topics. In addition, members of this group contribute to specific SSE outputs based on their expertise or stakeholder group.