Integrity at every level of our operations

ESG & Compliance Standards

We adhere to Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) best practices and comply with ICMA, UN PRI, and Luxembourg Green Exchange (LGX) sustainability standards.

Our governance ensures full traceability and ethical alignment across all our financial instruments.

Learn More About Our ESG & Compliance Framework

At Black River and Co Neutral Finance S.A., we believe that sustainable finance must be anchored in ethics, accountability, and transparency.

Our ESG & Compliance Framework serves as the foundation of every financial instrument, investment partnership, and project we develop, ensuring that climate integrity and good governance remain central to our mission.

1️⃣. Environmental Stewardship (E)

We integrate rigorous environmental criteria into all our investment decisions and project evaluations.

Our environmental standards align with the EU Sustainable Finance Taxonomy, ICMA Green Bond Principles, and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

We prioritize projects that:

  • Protect and restore forests, peatlands, and biodiversity across the Congo Basin

  • Promote renewable energy, biochar, and hydrogen cookstove technologies

  • Support verified carbon removal and reduction initiatives under Verra, Gold Standard, and Article 6.2, 6.4 frameworks

Each project undergoes independent verification to ensure it delivers real, additional, and permanent climate benefits.

2️⃣. Social Responsibility (S)

We are committed to building a just and inclusive green economy.

Our social approach is grounded in the Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) principle and the empowerment of Community Forest Concessions (CFCLs).

Through this framework, we:

  • Ensure communities participate fully in governance and benefit-sharing

  • Promote gender equity, education, and local employment

  • Reinforce climate resilience through community-led initiatives

  • Allocate a share of carbon revenues to social infrastructure and livelihood programs

Every project we finance is designed to generate measurable social co-benefits alongside environmental outcomes.

3️⃣. Governance & Integrity (G)

Integrity is the cornerstone of our operations.

We apply international best practices in transparency, anti-corruption, and ethical business conduct.

Our governance structure includes:

  • Independent oversight of project selection and fund allocation

  • Annual audits conducted by certified third parties

  • Conflict of interest and whistleblowing policies

  • Full compliance with AML/CFT and EU SFDR (Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation) requirements

All financial instruments including Green Bonds, Green Sukuk, and Carbon Impact Bonds are structured under strict ESG reporting obligations, ensuring traceability and accountability to our investors and partners.

4️⃣. Compliance & Reporting

We maintain continuous alignment with:

  • Luxembourg Green Exchange (LGX) sustainable listing requirements

  • ICMA (International Capital Market Association) standards

  • UN Principles for Responsible Investment (UN PRI)

  • OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises

Our annual Transparency Report discloses environmental, social, and financial performance indicators, verified by independent auditors.

5️⃣. Our Commitment

Our ESG & Compliance Framework is not a formality, it is a living standard guiding every decision we make.

By integrating science-based targets, ethical governance, and local participation, we ensure that each euro invested contributes to measurable, verifiable, and lasting impact.

Sustainability, integrity, and shared prosperity define who we are and how we act, transforming financial capital into climate resilience and social progress.

Logo Black River