Practice Assurance Standards for SDG Bonds

About the Public Consultation

These Practice Assurance Standards for SDG Bonds will be subject to an initial public consultation period of three months. Another shorter period of public consultation will follow, after the Standards have been revised to account for initial feedback.

What the Standards cover

The Standards apply to defined SDG Bond Programs, including:

• Use-of-Proceeds bond programs issued under the International Capital Markets Association’s (ICMA) Green/ Social/ Sustainability (GSS) Bond Principles and Voluntary Process Guidelines for Issuing GSS Use-of-Proceeds Bonds, certified by the Climate Bonds Institute, or issued under the proposed EU Green Bond Standard
• SDG-linked bonds where the coupon payable by the bond issuer is linked to achieving targets against specific SDG outcomes.

The consultation process meets both the UNDP Principles for social and environmental standards and ISEAL Alliance’s international benchmarks for design, impact and consultation. An engagement plan seeks feedback from a broad range of Stakeholders, including the investment and business community, civil service organizations, organizations expert in human rights and the rights of indigenous peoples, other United Nations bodies and initiatives, and relevant industry groups.

Our approach is to engage with stakeholders early and provide draft Standards for people to react to, work with and relate to their work and goals.

Download the Standards

Download the Practice Assurance Standards for SDG Bonds

Download the Public Consultation Guiding Questions

Download the FAQs

Download the Feedback Submission and Standards Self-Assessment Form

How you can contribute

The Practice Assurance Standards for SDG Bonds are now available on this page. We encourage robust feedback and input through the public consultation process. Organizations may also elect to pilot the Standards. Provide your feedback to sdgimpact.standards@undp.org by 17 July 2020.

Reference Group for Bonds