Recognising the crucial role banks can play in protecting and restoring nature and the environment, the Principles for Responsible Banking Academy (PRB Academy) has introduced a new course titled “Applying Nature-Responsible Banking.” This course focuses on practical strategies for banks that are currently engaged with or considering engagement with nature-focused initiatives.
As our world grapples with the triple crisis of climate change, pollution, and biodiversity loss, the World Economic Forum (WEF) estimates that a nature-positive approach could generate over US$10 trillion in new annual business value. This underscores the importance of banks stepping up to address the biodiversity funding gap.
The course aims to guide banks on how to mitigate their negative impacts on nature and shift towards positive contributions. Its primary objective is to provide individuals with the essential knowledge and skills to navigate the transition to nature-positive practices, ultimately benefiting the environment, banks, and their customers.
Aligned with The Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) framework, which encourages the integration of nature into strategic and capital allocation decisions, the course uses a fictional bank case study. Participants will assume the role of a sustainability expert, addressing nature-related issues pertinent to the bank, such as evaluating impacts, dependencies, and risks associated with a hypothetical loan portfolio, and making recommendations for a nature-focused strategy.
PRB Academy is an initiative of the United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI).
