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ARTICLE · 05 NOVEMBER 2020

UNDP Releases SDG Impact Standards For Private Equity Funds

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On 6 October 2020, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) issued a new set of voluntary standards (the Standards) for private equity, debt and venture capital fund managers to...

GlobalFinance and Banking
Mark Uhrynuk
Mark Uhrynuk
Alexander W. Burdulia
Alexander W. Burdulia
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On 6 October 2020, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) issued a new set of voluntary standards (the Standards) for private equity, debt and venture capital fund managers to contribute to the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through their investment funds. The Standards "outline a clear system and a common language to help [fund managers] achieve significant social and/or environmental impact through their investments."1

This Legal Update discusses how these new Standards provide a practical framework for fund managers to better translate the non-financial impact of a fund to the market through the lens of the SDGs. We discuss the broader spectrum of sustainable investing approaches for fund managers and investors, ranging from impact investment to ESG integration, and provide additional practical advice in our comprehensive article, "Private Equity for the Public Interest: The Evolution of ESG and Considerations for Asset Managers and Investors.

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