Guidelines and collaborations
We ensure a robust sustainability framework through clearly defined commitments and well-established forms of collaboration.
Guidelines, frameworks, and agreements
SEK adheres to established international guidelines, frameworks, and agreements that ensure our operations are conducted responsibly.
The Ten Principles of the UN Global Compact
A framework consisting of ten fundamental principles concerning human rights, labor rights, as well as environmental and anti-corruption standards, which are directed at all companies.
The UN Sustainable Development Goals, including the Paris Agreement and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework
These goals focus on reducing poverty, protecting the environment and climate, promoting peace, equality, and good health, as well as ensuring the sustainable use of the Earth’s resources.
The UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights
The Principles clarify the responsibility of businesses to respect human rights and the duty of states to protect these rights. They are based on three pillars: protect, respect, and access to remedy.
The Equator Principles
The Equator Principles are an international risk management framework for financial institutions. The framework is used to identify, assess and manage environmental and social risks in the financing of large-scale projects and project-related transactions.
As an Equator Principles Financial Institution, SEK has undertaken to integrate the Equator Principles into relevant internal processes, guidelines and credit assessments. This means, among other things, that SEK assesses projects’ environmental and social risks, sets relevant requirements and follows up on how these requirements are managed during the tenor of the financing.
The Equator Principles are based on internationally established standards, including the IFC Performance Standards and the World Bank Group’s Environmental, Health and Safety Guidelines. SEK reports annually to the Equator Principles Association on projects covered by the framework and publishes information on its application in accordance with the Principles’ transparency requirements.
Read more in Equator Principles Implementation Report 2025 and on the Equator Principles website.
OECD Recommendation of the Council on Common Approaches for Officially Supported Export Credits and Environmental and Social Due Diligence
SEK applies the OECD’s Common Approaches for Officially Supported Export Credits and Environmental and Social Due Diligence to relevant officially supported export financing. The guidelines provide export credit agencies with a common approach for identifying, categorising, assessing and managing environmental and social risks in projects and project-like transactions.
The aim is to promote consistent and transparent risk management across countries and stakeholders, and to help ensure that financed projects are implemented in line with internationally recognised standards. The framework refers, among other things, to the IFC Performance Standards and the World Bank Group’s Environmental, Health and Safety Guidelines as key reference frameworks for environmental and social due diligence.
In practice, this means that where the guidelines apply, SEK assesses the project’s potential impact on people, the environment and the climate, sets relevant requirements before a credit decision is made, and follows up on agreed measures during the tenor of the financing.
OECD Guidelines for Sustainable Lending in Exports to Low-Income Countries
Guidelines for integrating sustainability considerations into lending and export credit financing to low-income countries, with a focus on minimizing negative impacts and supporting long-term development.
OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises
Guidelines for multinational enterprises covering, among other things, human rights and labor conditions. They are directed at both states and multinational companies and are similar in scope to the UN Guiding Principles.
OECD Conventions and Guidelines on Anti-Corruption
Collaborations
Collaboration with clients, banks, and other partners is an important component for sharing experiences and knowledge, discussing challenges, and finding solutions to various sustainability-related issues. Below is a selection of the collaborations in which SEK participates.
The Equator Principles Working Groups and OECD Working Groups
SEK’s participation in the OECD working groups on social and environmental considerations for officially supported export credits, as well as the Equator Principles working groups, is valuable for the exchange of experience regarding project due diligence and the application of guidelines.
Net Zero Export Credit Agencies Alliance (NZECA)
SEK is a founding member of NZECA, launched at the UN Climate Conference in 2023. NZECA is a collaboration between export credit agencies with the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions financed through export credits. This is achieved by developing standards and principles, and supporting the global net-zero emissions target through sustainable finance.
Partnership for Carbon Accounting Financials (PCAF)
In 2025, SEK joined PCAF, a global partnership of financial institutions that develops standardized methods for measuring and reporting greenhouse gas emissions from loans and investments.
SEK’s and EKN’s Scientific Climate Council
The Climate Council is an advisory expert body that supports the Swedish export finance system in aligning with the Paris Agreement’s 1.5-degree target.
The focus of the Climate Council’s work is the impact of export financing on global greenhouse gas emissions. The Council provides strategic expertise and serves as a discussion partner to SEK and EKN on matters of principle. It has no operational role in individual business decisions.
Read more about SEK’s and EKN’s Scientific Climate Council.
Mistra BIOPATH
Since 2023, SEK has participated in the Mistra BIOPATH research programme, whose vision is to integrate biodiversity as a natural part of all decision-making within the financial system and the business community.
