Clean Finance and Trade, Green India | CUTS Calcutta Resource Centre

Background:

Financial systems and global trade increasingly shape how natural resources are used and managed. Investments and trade in forest-risk commodities can have significant environmental and social implications, influencing patterns of deforestation, land use, and the livelihoods of forest-dependent communities. As sustainability and responsible finance gain prominence globally, there is a growing need to better understand how financial flows interact with forest ecosystems and how policy and regulatory frameworks can address associated risks.

The Clean Finance and Trade, Green India initiative responds to this challenge by promoting greater transparency, stronger environmental, social and governance (ESG) standards, and more responsible financial practices. Through research, policy analysis, stakeholder dialogue, and capacity-building activities, the initiative seeks to strengthen the evidence base on deforestation-linked finance and support informed engagement between financial institutions, regulators, industry stakeholders, and civil society.

By fostering collaboration and knowledge exchange, the initiative aims to encourage financial systems that support sustainable trade practices, improved environmental stewardship, and more accountable decision-making in sectors linked to forest resources.

About Project

Project Brief

Project Objective:

The project seeks to promote responsible financial practices and improve transparency in financial flows linked to forest-risk commodities. Through research, policy engagement, and stakeholder dialogue, it aims to support more sustainable and accountable finance and trade systems.

Generate evidence and analysis on financial flows associated with forest-risk commodities to strengthen transparency and informed decision-making.
Promote the integration of stronger environmental, social and governance (ESG) practices within financial institutions.
Facilitate dialogue and engagement with regulators, industry stakeholders, and civil society to support responsible finance and sustainable trade practices.

Project Activity:
The project will implement a structured set of research, stakeholder engagement, and capacity-building activities to strengthen transparency and responsible financial practices linked to forest-risk commodities. Through evidence generation, policy dialogue, and targeted outreach, the activities will support improved ESG integration within financial institutions and encourage more sustainable finance and trade practices. These activities will be carried out in phased stages to ensure effective research development, stakeholder participation, and dissemination of policy recommendations.

Project duration:
The project is being implemented between 2026-2029

Expected Outcomes:

The project will improve understanding of trade-related and deforestation-linked financial flows, enabling financial institutions to better identify, assess, and manage forest-risk exposure. As a result, participating institutions can strengthen their ESG frameworks, disclosure practices, and due diligence systems in alignment with responsible and sustainable finance principles.
Through sustained engagement and technical dialogue, the project will contribute to progress in regulatory alignment, including the strengthening of disclosure norms, supervisory guidance, or policy refinements that integrate sustainability and forest-risk considerations within financial and trade oversight frameworks.
Capacity-building, structured consultations, and proactive media engagement will enhance the technical knowledge and awareness of financial sector professionals, finance and trade regulators, civil society, and journalists, thereby equipping them to engage on nature-related risk aspects in discussions on sustainable finance and trade, supporting the longer-term institutionalisation of responsible financial practices.

Output

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Event

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Media

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Glimpses

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Contact Us

CONSUMER UNITY & TRUST SOCIETY (CUTS)
D–217, Bhaskar Marg, Bani Park, Jaipur 302016, Rajasthan, India
Ph: +91 141-2282821/22/23
Fax: +91 141 2282485
Email: cuts1@cuts.org

Kolkata Office
Consumer Unity & Trust Society
Calcutta Resource Centre
6/1/1E 1st Floor, Anil Maitra Road,
Opposite Durgabari, Near South Point School (Senior Section)
Ballygunge Place, Kolkata – 700019
Contact – +91 33 4068 3154
Fax No. +91 33 2460 4987
Email: calcutta@cuts.org