This month many of us gathered in Geneva at Building Bridges 2022 to discuss, learn and network across institutions and sectors. Reflecting on the progress made since last year, I am glad about some key achievements and the leading role taken by the financial industry in COP26 surrounding GFANZ net-zero commitments. However, our world is currently in a plural of crises. We have breached 5 out of 8 planetary boundaries. We are experiencing a global climate crisis, an acute energy shortage and a stream of refugees linked to various conflicts. In order to overcome such problems we must foster global solutions - and the financial sector has to be part of them. Yet, closer cooperation with other parts of the economy and politics are a prerequisite for effective answers to the issues we all face. I hope the Building Bridges week managed to illustrate that joint action has started and many seeds of change have already been sewn. Since last year, we have made good steps forward, but must now commit to tackling these crises with urgency and speed. To delay further is no option.

Some key initiatives highlighted in this newsletter such a first template for the Swiss Climate Scores, the Swiss Consultation Group for the TNFD and the launch of NatureFinance were announced at Building Bridges. The large event SFI and SSF held in Zurich, complemented the rich series of events. Read about these and other important developments below.

We look forward to continue working with our great network in further accelerating the needed change.

> Read more about these and other SSF activities

Swiss News

• The Federal Finance Administration has successfully issued the inaugural green Confederation bond amounting to CHF 766 million.

EU News

• The EU Commission currently has an open call for applications for members for the new mandate on the Platform on Sustainable Finance. The current mandate ends in October and completed applications can be submitted until 9 November.
• EU Commission Platform on Sustainable Finance published two reports; Final Report on Minimum Safeguards and Recommendations on Data and Usability of the EU Taxonomy

International News

• From 19 to 25 September the New York Climate Week took place in New York. The event gathers leaders to discuss urgent climate action needed. Read the summary here.
• During Building Bridges Summit 2022 Finance for Biodiversity (F4B) relaunched as NatureFinance. Three approaches to creating impact underlie NatureFinance: effective policy advocacy, market engagement and innovation and incubation activities.

Market News

• Ethos published its positive impact methodology, which groups ten activity themes that play a role in the transition towards a sustainable economy.

We are happy to welcome the following organisation as new SSF members:  

• AXA Investment Managers Schweiz AG (Asset Manager)
• Bellevue Group AG (Asset Manager)
• Constellation Capital AG (Asset Manager)
• Pensionskasse Kanton Solothurn (Pension Fund)

The full list of our members and network partners, now standing at 221, can be found here.

• AZEK has launched a new online educational program on sustainable lending. It is accredited for SAQ recertification.

For more information on current educational programmes focusing on sustainability and finance, visit the SSF landing page on Evrlearn.

• 28 October 2022, Zurich, Nachhaltigkeitsregulierung: Zielkonflikte der Unternehmen und Rolle des Rechts
• 2 November 2022, Zurich, ZHAW/ SSF, Big Data and AI for Sustainable Investing – from Biodiversity Risks to Sustainable Gold
• 8 November 2022, Zurich, SSF Annual Sustainable Finance Education Forum
• 9 November 2022, Geneva, SSF Annual Sustainable Finance Education Forum
• SAVE THE DATE: 17 November, SSF Webinar, EU Regulatory Update (SFDR/Taxonomy/MiFID II) with Eurosif
• SAVE THE DATE: 25 November, SSF Webinar with EY, Practitioners’ Guide on the Integration of Sustainability Preferences into the Advisory Process for Clients with guest speakers and insights on practical implementation

• 10 October 2022, Nachhaltige Finanzindustrie unter Druck, SRF 1
• 7 October 2022, Swiss Sustainable Finance launches biodiversity consultation group, Citywire
• 7 October 2022, Les données, jugées essentielles mais pas déterminantes contre récoblanchiment, L'AGEFI
• 7 October 2022, Is Sustainable Investment Broken?, Finews
• 6 October 2022, SSF und UN Global Compact spannen mit der TNFD im Bereich Biodiversität zusammen, Finanzen.ch
• 5 October 2022, AMAS et SSF présentent un modèle pour le calcul des Swiss Climate Scores, Allnews.ch
• 5 October 2022, «Nous pourrions aussi lancer un indicateur sur les solutions climatiques»,  L'AGEFI
• 4 October 2022, La finance durable à la recherche d’un nouveau souffle, Le Temps
• 3 October 2022, Building Bridges: pour distancier Genève du «greenwashing», Le Temps

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