Derivatives exchanges invited to join UN SSE

Derivatives exchanges invited to join UN SSE

13 July 2021

Throughout the last decade, the role of stock exchanges and equity markets in driving sustainable development has been well-explored and we have seen the number of SSE members rise from 5 founding signatories to over 100 today. Meanwhile, the potential of derivatives exchanges and the derivatives market is less understood.  To fill this gap, the SSE, together with the World Federation of Exchanges (WFE), published a new report this year, which provides an action menu on how derivatives exchanges can promote sustainable development. Now, the SSE is taking the next step by starting a new derivatives exchanges network. This new network will allow derivatives exchanges to become SSE Partner Exchanges and work together with the initiative and its international network to further their sustainability efforts. The new derivatives network and its founding signatories will be announced in October 2021 as part of the UNCTAD World Investment Forum.  If your exchange is interested in being a founding signatory of the SSE derivatives network, please contact the SSE team for more information at info@sseinitiative.org.   

Frequently Asked Questions

What does it mean to be an SSE Partner Exchange? Joining the SSE is a voluntary commitment to promote more sustainable and transparent  markets. There is no set time or financial commitment connected to being an SSE Partner Exchange. However, we do expect our partners to participate in work streams that are relevant to their market and take part in meetings and webinars as appropriate. Our activities are threefold: 1) conducting evidence-based policy analysis; 2) facilitating a network and forum for multi-stakeholder consensus-building; and 3) providing technical guidelines, advisory services and training. Much of this work is done virtually with our exchanges, however, we also hold in-person meetings and encourage exchanges to participate if and when their resources and global health circumstances allow.  How to become an SSE Partner Exchange? To become an SSE Partner Exchange, please have your CEO or Chairperson sign the SSE derivatives exchange public commitment letter which is addressed to the UN Secretary General. A template for this letter is attached. It is similar to the commitment already signed by over a hundred stock exchanges who are SSE Partner Exchanges, but has been specifically tailored to derivatives exchanges. To find out more about how we operate and what it means to be an SSE Partner Exchange please visit our detailed FAQ section. What topics does the SSE work on? Like many UN initiatives, the SSE looks to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to help focus its activities. The SDGs cover a broad range of environmental and social topics categorized into 17 goals and 169 targets. The SSE provides targeted research, guidance and technical assistance to exchanges, regulators and the markets they serve, around some key SDG themes, namely: You can find out more about our work on our website under “what we do”. While the work tailored to derivatives exchanges has just started, we expect more work to follow in the coming years. In the meantime, all our publications and guidance documents can be found here. We also collect sustainability information on each of our Partner Exchanges in the form of “Fact Sheets” which collectively form the largest database of its kind on stock exchange sustainability activities. By providing a completed version of the attached Fact Sheet, you will help us to build a similar database for derivatives exchanges.   

Next steps

If your exchange would like to make a voluntary commitment to further the sustainability of financial markets and become a founding signatory of the SSE’s derivatives exchanges network, please contact us and let us know! We would be happy to assist you along the way and set up a call to discuss any questions you might have.   

About the SSE

​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.