Anderson takes up reins at UNEP FI

Charles Anderson is the new director to head the United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI).

The UNEP FI platform brings together the United Nations and the global financial sector, and promotes the integration of sustainability concerns into the mainstream financial system.

Anderson has more than 30 years of experience in the financial sector and has played key leadership roles in integrating Environmental, Social and Governance concerns into the private sector. As ceo of Sovereign, New Zealand’s largest life and health insurance business, he successfully chartered the public-private divide, and was active in the global process that produced the landmark Principles for Sustainable Insurance (PSI).

Previously he worked at Aviva as md for Asia Pacific and was an associate of UK based Leader’s Quest, a not-for-profit promoting social change. He has also served as a Board member of the New Zealand Council for Sustainable Business Development and as Deputy Chair of the Financial Services Council in New Zealand.

UNEP FI is committed to supporting leadership from both the private and public sectors and is deeply involved in developing and sharing best practice, in establishing new institutions such as the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) the Principles for Sustainable Insurance (PSI), and has been intimately involved in global policy making from the 2012 UN Conference on Sustainable Development to the upcoming Climate Summit in September 2014.

UNEP FI is also contributing to the recently launched UNEP Inquiry into the Design of a Sustainable Financial System by drawing on the commitment and wealth of practical expertise from its 235 financial institutional members, as well as from its networks of partners, including finance industry associations, policy makers, financial regulators and other Sustainable Finance Initiatives.