The Swiss Lab for Sustainable Finance

MISSION
 

Mission: The Lab will advance sustainable finance research and practice focusing on financing the SDG goals and will produce research that can be applied to their fulfilment.

The Lab’s focus is on the following major question: How can SDG related goals be met through sustainable finance and multistakeholder partnerships?

vision
 

We are setting up the first such collaborative effort in Switzerland, which adds an international dimension to the collaboration through its presence within 'International Geneva' and partnering with international organisations (IFC, ICRC). In our efforts, we will be joining forces with other national sustainability labs to establish an international “network of labs”, enhancing Switzerland's position as a powerhouse of sustainability. Part of our unique offering is that we are factoring in the perspective of low-income countries. We aspire, as part of our vision, to train the next generation of social scientists in sustainable finance and help establish norms of sustainability and responsible finance, in Switzerland and internationally.

areas of focus
 

Impact investing and measurement
Assembling data to measure impact. How is impact measured across different dimensions? Conducting research on the fundamental dual bottom-line (financial returns and impact). What is the impact of different types of instruments?

Markets and market participants and assets
The role of institutional investors in the space of sustainable finance. Assessing sustainable financial instruments.

Environment and society
Sustainable finance and the environment. Analysing practices focusing on sectors and respective financial performance. Complementarities between environmental and socially sustainable financial investments. Exploring the role of climate finance in climate and conflict affected countries.

The social dimension: welfare and inequality
How do (sustainable) investments impact poverty as well as (gender) inequality and social mobility? Issues of financial inclusion. Do business models reflect these aspects? What is the role of innovative finance in fragile settings?

Governance (governments and the private sector) and regulation
The focus will be on governments, international organisations, business, and civil society. Have impactrelated models penetrated their policies and generated additional organizational readiness to deliver? Is it just “talk” (i.e. greenwashing)?

Technology and innovation
The role of technological innovation in developing sustainable finance assets. The role of fintech for impact. Lessons from the use of fintech in less advanced economies and in humanitarian settings.