Driving Finance for Sustainable Food Systems: A Roadmap to Implementation for Financial Institutions and Policy Makers

Food systems play a central role in all societies and are fundamental to sustainable development. The environmental and social impacts of the global food system are interconnected and affect diverse areas of impact ranging from climate change mitigation, adaptation, biodiversity, resource efficiency and circular economy, as well as social dimensions including human rights, working conditions and gender equality.

Financial institutions with significant portfolio exposure to the agri-food sector have a critical role to play in addressing the world's most pressing challenges. They can influence customers and suppliers along value chains to improve their policies and practices, demand accurate quantitative tracking and reporting of the companies in which they invest, and drive financial flows towards more sustainable food systems.

This report aims to:

1) to raise awareness of the importance and role of the agri-food sector in the solution of the triple planetary crisis, as well as in contributing to sustainable development;

2) provide an overview of key opportunities for financial institutions to improve financial flows towards sustainable food systems (through impact and target management, risk mitigation strategies, and financial innovation); and

3) foster an enabling environment to drive capital towards sustainable food systems.