Spotlight: Financial Services
Welcome to Chapter Zero’s Financial Services Community, which is designed to equip and inspire non-executive directors (NEDs) from across the financial services ecosystem. The aim of these resources is to capture the opportunities of the climate transition, minimise risks, and secure long-term climate resilience for the financial sector.
Here we are bringing together key resources on broad themes relevant to all financial services organisations, as well as more specialist content focused on high-impact finance topics and activities, particular types of organisation, or on particular functions, instruments or products.
Through our programme of events and content, we’ll provide network-building opportunities for financial services NEDs, encourage peer learning, mutual support and experience sharing. To discover our latest resources and recommended reading, please bookmark this page on your browser and ensure you’re subscribed to our member Bulletins where we’ll signpost our latest insights and events.
If you’d like to find out more about our work in this area and you’re not yet a Chapter Zero member, visit: Register - Chapter Zero.
Resources
Transition Finance: A Strategic Imperative for Boards
This briefing paper equips board directors with practical guidance to seize the commercial opportunity of the transition to a low carbon future. Scaling finance to support and enable decarbonisation across the economy is not only a climate imperative, but also a strategic one. This piece translates the landmark report - Scaling Transition Finance: Findings of the Transition Finance Market Review - into actionable steps for boards.
Expert insights: Finance is critical to transition
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.
Beyond compliance: How sustainability regulation is evolving and what NEDs can do about it
Sustainability regulations are evolving at an unprecedented pace. New disclosure standards, transition planning requirements, and the scrutiny on green commitments are redefining expectations for firms globally. For non-executive directors (NEDs), this moment presents both a challenge and an opportunity: to navigate compliance effectively while leveraging regulation as a catalyst for long-term value creation.
Coming Soon: Accelerating resilient, future-fit finance from the boardroom: Insights from FS NEDs and sector experts
Upcoming Financial Services Community Events
Webinar: The Deloitte Academy and Chapter Zero: Unlocking Capital for the UK's Energy Transition
Transforming the UK energy system for a net zero future demands a huge investment of over £200 billion by 2030. But with such a diverse range of technologies requiring funding at different stages of maturity, investors are facing a complex landscape. Join Chapter Zero and the Deloitte Academy for a critical discussion with leading private and public investors.
Webinar: The Deloitte Academy and Chapter Zero: Sustainability Reporting – A perspective from the Financial Conduct Authority
Join Chapter Zero and the Deloitte Academy for this webinar, where we will provide an update on sustainability reporting in the UK. We will also be joined by the Director of Sustainable Finance at the Financial Conduct Authority, who will provide a perspective on the key focus areas for boards in 2025.
The WBA 2025 Benchmark: 5 Actions for FS Boards to Lead
In this special briefing from Chapter Zero, the Climate Governance Initiative and the World Benchmarking Alliance (WBA), attendees will hear first-hand the Financial System Benchmark 2025 results and why the leaders are leading. The session will offer 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 in regards to governance and strategy.
Recommended resources
Key takeaways: How to adopt a value-led approach to accelerating and scaling decarbonisation
In January 2025, Chapter Zero launched its UK Financial Services Community for non-executive directors (NEDs). As part of this new programme, we hosted a masterclass for NEDs in financial services, in partnership with ERM and the Green Finance Institute (GFI).
UNEP FI publishes a guide for insurers on ensuring a resilient nature-positive future
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.
Defining Responsible Banking: Guidance for banks
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.
Revisions to UK Stewardship Code
The Financial Reporting Council (FRC) has launched a public consultation on the revisions to the UK Stewardship Code (‘Code’). The consultation period is from 11 November 2024 to 19 February 2025.
A guide to investing for sustainability impact: drawing on the findings of Legal Framework for Impact
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.
Discover More
Knowledge Hub
Take the Directors' Climate Journey through the Knowledge Hub.
Spotlight: Nature
Developing thinking around nature in the boardroom is a challenge for NEDs across all sectors. But the climate journey has provided a clear architecture for guiding action on nature and we should use it.
Membership
A community stepping forward to take the lead on climate.
