Mizuho Financial Group, Inc. (President & CEO: Masahiro Kihara) and Mizuho Research & Technologies, Ltd. (President & CEO: Masahiro Otsuka) have endorsed the principles of the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD)*, and have joined the TNFD Forum.
The UN Biodiversity Conference, the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP15) to the Convention on Biological Diversity, is due to be held this year. The lead up to this conference has seen an acceleration in international discussion regarding biodiversity-related efforts. Against this backdrop, there is growing expectation in the private sector for companies to disclose information about the impact of business activities on the natural environment. At Mizuho, we support the TNFD’s objective of supporting a shift in global financial flows toward nature-positive outcomes, and have decided to join the TNFD Forum.
At Mizuho, we recognize that our business activities may have both a direct and indirect impact upon the environment. We also believe that environmental initiatives such as mitigating and adapting to the impact of climate change, preserving biodiversity, and promoting circular economy are essential preconditions for the existence and activities of our company. Being a member of the TNFD Forum means that we can play a part in constructing a framework for nature-related financial information disclosure. It also allows us to contribute to the creation of a sustainable society by proactively implementing environmental initiatives which draw on our capabilities and knowledge as a financial services group.
* Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD):
An international initiative aimed at developing and delivering a risk management and opportunity framework for disclosing nature-related financial information. The TNFD officially launched in June 2021 after a nine-month preparatory phase by an Informal Working Group comprising of 74 members across business, finance, and consortia.
The initiative to bring together the TNFD was led by four Founding Partner organizations: the United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Global Canopy, and the World Wildlife Fund for Nature (WWF).