Could you help make finance more sustainable?
17 April 2019 at 5:10 pm
People from all corners of society are being encouraged to join some of the big finance players and civil society leaders to help guide the finance sector toward a more sustainable future.
The Australian Sustainable Finance Initiative, launched at the end of March, has brought together executives from the big four banks, insurance companies, lawyers and leaders in civil society to realign the sector to deliver on environmental and social goals.
The group will deliver a “roadmap” in 12 to 18 months, outlining how finance could invest in projects to tackle climate change and assess the financial impacts of human rights abuses, and violations of community expectations.
The project has now opened up to broader society, where representatives from a range of sectors and backgrounds can apply to be a part of working groups to help develop the roadmap.
Co-chair of the initiative Jacki Johnson told Pro Bono News successful applicants should be knowledgeable in their area of expertise, be persuasive communicators and courageous.
“This is important to ensure they’re able to provide their input throughout the process,” Johnson said.
She said people from sectors as far ranging as agriculture, Indigenous affairs, health, education and arts, and culture were encouraged to apply in order to inform a finance system that represented people from diverse backgrounds, experiences, and circumstances.
“Since this initiative is bottom-up and industry-led we need this process to be as inclusive as possible and we need to have representation and inputs from across different industries and sectors,” she said.
“The process is designed to be inclusive and the roadmap that will be delivered must be informed and implementable.”
There will also be a separate civil society advisory group, which Johnson said was crucial to the success of the project, as it would keep the road-mapping process grounded and related to the real economy.
“The group will ensure solutions benefit people, communities, the broad society, and environment,” she said.
Expressions of interest for the working group can be made here, and close on 26 April.
