Sustainable Finance and Trafficking in Persons

This issue paper is a publication of the Inter-Agency Coordination Group against Trafficking in Persons (ICAT). It provides an overview of the intersections between sustainable finance and human trafficking and proposes recommendations and metrics for States, and other actors on how to harness sustainable finance to counter trafficking in persons.

Sustainable finance involves integrating environmental, social and governance (ESG) criteria into financial decisions. Investors often overlook social factors, including the human trafficking risks associated with their investments. Hence, this paper advocates for States to involve the financial sector in counter-trafficking efforts, leveraging its unique position to disrupt traffickers' business operations.

The report provides recommended metrics for States to consider when developing social taxonomies with anti-trafficking objectives, by implementing these measures, States and the financial sector can work together to create a more transparent and accountable investment environment that actively contributes to the prevention of human trafficking and the achievement of decent work.