Careen Abb

United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI)

Programme Lead, Impact & SDGs

Bio

Careen leads UNEP FI’s Impact & SDGs work stream, a think-and-do space within UNEP FI focused on closing the $2.5 trillion SDG financing gap. Careen managed the process leading to the Principles for Positive Impact (PI Principles), released in January 2017 and marking the beginning of the Impact & SDGs work stream at UNEP FI. In 2018 she co-authored Rethinking Impact to Finance the SDGs, which spells out UNEP FI’s unique theory of impact, positing that impact can and will become a core business driver, and advocating for holistic impact analysis and management as the gateway to an impact-based economy. She has since managed the development of a unique holistic impact management methodology, leading to the release of suite of tools; the Portfolio Impact Analysis Tools, a Corporate and a Real Estate Impact Analysis Tool. The Bank Portfolio Tool is built to support banks in achieving compliance with UNEP FI’s 2019 Principles for Responsible Banking, which further promote an impact-focused approach. Careen is responsible for managing UNEP FI’s involvement in the Impact Management Platform, of which it is currently the Co-Chair. Her current focus tops 17 years at UNEP FI, during which she also helped develop and expand the sustainable finance agenda in emerging markets, namely by supporting the development of strong in-country sustainable finance networks and via the creation of a well-established training programme on environmental & social risk management.