7 December 2011

The IFC has updated its Sustainability Framework, which includes the newly revised Performance Standards, and the IFC will be applying them from 1 January 2012. Consistent with the current Equator Principles (EP) framework, the EP Association Steering Committee has agreed that the newly revised IFC Performance Standards will also take effect for EP Association Members on 1 January 2012. Accordingly Exhibit III of the EPs (which refers to the 2006 IFC Performance Standards) will be updated on 1 January 2012 to reflect their implementation by EP Association members under the current EP framework.

8 November 2011

The Equator Principles Association, World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and the Business and Biodiversity Offsets Program (BBOP) today announced the launch of a pioneering training program to help banks incorporate the value of nature into their lending decisions.

The Biodiversity for Banks (B4B) program is designed to help financial institutions overcome the challenges of incorporating risks associated with biodiversity and ecosystem services – all of the valuable resources provided by nature including safe drinking water – into their lending decisions.

4 November 2011

Export Development Canada (EDC) announced today that it was elected to the Steering Committee of the Equator Principles (EP) Association  last week. The Equator Principles are a financial industry benchmark for determining, assessing and managing social and environmental risk in project financing.  Currently 73 financial institutions in 27 countries have officially adopted the EPs, covering over 70 percent of international project finance debt in emerging markets. EDC first adopted the EPs in 2007, reflecting EDC’s ongoing commitment to conduct its international business in a socially and environmentally responsible manner.   EDC is the first export credit agency and the first Canadian financial institution to be represented on the Steering Committee. Read More.