Spotlight: Financial Services

This briefing paper equips board directors with practical guidance to seize the commercial opportunity of the transition to a low carbon future. It translates the landmark report - Scaling Transition Finance: Findings of the Transition Finance Market Review - into actionable steps for boards.

Finance has a critical role to play in both enabling and accelerating the climate transition. That is why Chapter Zero has launched its UK Financial Services Community, says Chapter Zero Strategic Advisor, Mark Manning.

Sustainability regulations are evolving at an unprecedented pace. In part 1 of this two-part insights piece, Chapter Zero Fellow David Carlin explores how boards can get ahead of the changes and harness reporting to drive business value.

By steering their organisations beyond compliance, NEDs can help harness sustainability reporting as a lever for resilience, innovation, and long-term leadership. Part 2 of this two-part insights piece, from Chapter Zero Fellow David Carlin, explores three key ways that boards can leverage their approach to regulatory changes to gain competitive advantage.

The Climate Governance Initiative held a group discussion November 2024 regarding different pathways to change and how the global finance sector specifically faces climate-related risk. Read more to learn about three main routes to unlocking the transition for the FS sector.

This online session, delivered in partnership between the Climate Governance Initiative (CGI) and Chapter Zero, is designed for financial services Non-Executive Directors. Combining expert insights with interactive discussions, it will equip NEDs of financial services firms, particularly from banks, asset managers and asset owners, to scrutinise scenario models, challenge assumptions, and understand how scenario models inform transition planning and influence financing and risk management decisions.

In May 2025, the Network for Greening the Financial System (NGFS) has released the first vintage of short-term scenarios - a tool for analysing the potential near-term impacts of climate policies and climate change on financial stability and economic resilience.

The United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) has released a first-of-its-kind global practical guide for insurance industry to assist insurers in addressing nature-related risks. The guide explores how insurance can negatively impact nature and contribute to nature loss, which in turn affects insurance business and its financial resilience.

The United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) has released a guidance for banks on implementation of six Principles for Responsible Banking: alignment; impact & target setting; clients & customers; stakeholders; governance & culture; transparency & accountability.

In November 2024, UN Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) created a guide for asset owners and investment managers, explaining how they can leverage the investing for sustainability impact (IFSI). The guide is built on the findings of Legal Framework for Impact (LFI), a report authored collaboratively by the PRI, UNEP FI, the Generation Foundation, and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer.

Chapter Zero hosted a masterclass for NEDs in financial services, in partnership with ERM and the Green Finance Institute (GFI). The session focused on adopting a value-led approach to climate transition planning, exploring how boards can unlock the strategic potential of the net zero transition and enhance commercial outcomes.

Chapter Zero held an exclusive online session as a part of our Financial Services Community Programme, together with the Transition Finance Market Review and the City of London Corporation.

In this online session from Chapter Zero, the Climate Governance Initiative and the World Benchmarking Alliance​ (WBA), our speakers presented the Financial System Benchmark 2025 results and why the leaders are leading. The session offered Financial Sector (FS) Board members and executive teams a clear view of their institution's performance relative to peers and how this has been measured, particularly regarding governance and strategy.

Transition Planning resources for NEDs

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