UNDP convened a high-level panel discussion titled “Unlocking Private Finance” during the 2025 INFF Facility Partner Meeting, held on 22 January 2025 in Barcelona. The session explored innovative solutions for mobilizing private sector capital in support of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), addressing the urgent need to bridge the over USD $4 trillion SDG financing gap and scale impactful investments in developing markets.
Moderated by Dr. Şebnem Şener, Head of Private Finance for the SDGs at UNDP’s Sustainable Finance Hub (SFH), the panel featured experts from government, international organizations, and the private sector. Discussions centered on how Integrated National Financing Frameworks (INFFs) are enabling countries to align financing policies with sustainable development priorities while driving private investments.
Panelists included: Antti Karhunen, Director for Sustainable Finance, Investment and Jobs at the European Commission; Luhur Fajar, Project Development and Matchmaking Specialist at Indonesia’s Ministry of National Development Planning; Etemore Maria Glover, CEO of the Impact Investors Foundation (Nigeria); Fernando Jiménez-Ontiveros, Director of Multilateral, Horizontal and Financial Cooperation at the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID); and Javier Garcia, Vice-President of Technical Management at the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).
Opening the discussion, Dr. Şener reflected on the transformative power of collaborative action: “We are all here today because we are changemakers. And our change, our hope, is putting us all on a path to a more sustainable future.” She also praised the role of INFFs as a “game-changer for driving private finance for the SDGs.”
The panelists shared insights into key challenges and opportunities for mobilizing private finance. Mr. Fajar highlighted Indonesia’s progress in building SDG investment pipelines, emphasizing the importance of strong partnerships to advance sustainable development. Ms. Glover spoke about the need to create ecosystems where impact is at the heart of decision-making. She underscored that impact investing can align profitability with social and environmental goals, while cautioning against the risks of “impact-washing.”
Mr. Garcia explained how the ISO/UNDP partnership is equipping organizations with tools to integrate sustainability into their operations. He noted that the forthcoming ISO/UNDP Management System Standards (MSS), modeled on ISO’s widely used quality management frameworks, will provide a practical pathway for organisations of all sizes to align their strategies with the SDGs. He highlighted the potential for these standards to drive greater private sector alignment with sustainable development.
Mr. Jiménez-Ontiveros reflected on Spain’s evolving approach, observing a shift from corporate philanthropy to a model where risk, return, and impact are interconnected. He also underscored the importance of technical assistance in making projects more bankable and ensuring they can attract financing at scale.
The discussion underscored the strong partnership between UNDP and ISO, which has already led to the launch of the ISO/UNDP Guidelines for the SDGs and will include in the release of the Management System Standards in 2026. These initiatives are helping organizations measure sustainability impacts, integrate SDGs into decision-making, and create long-term value.
The session reflected UNDP’s broader commitment to mobilizing private finance for sustainable development, fostering partnerships to create enabling environments, identify investment opportunities, and ensure that capital delivers measurable SDG impact.
UNDP and ISO Co-Host Side Event to Advance Private Sector Sustainability Practices
In addition to the main panel discussion, UNDP and ISO co-hosted a side event to explore practical tools for embedding sustainability into private sector operations and investment decisions. This session focused on the development of the ISO/UNDP Management System Standards (MSS), currently under development, and their alignment with the SDGs.
Marcos Neto, UN Assistant Secretary-General and Director of UNDP’s Bureau for Policy and Programme Support, emphasized the importance of creating conditions that enable private sector investment, including in underserved geographies. “We need the private sector, and we need the trillions of dollars they can mobilize,” he said. “But this must be done with integrity. It’s not a PR exercise — it’s about real impact.”
Mr. Garcia highlighted the potential of the MSS to bridge the gap between investors and businesses. He noted that many businesses, especially small and medium enterprises, are familiar with ISO standards and could use the MSS to integrate sustainability into their strategies. “The ISO/UNDP partnership is creating the tools businesses need to align with the SDGs while building trust with investors,” he said.
This side event builds momentum for deeper discussions on sustainability and impact integrity at the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FFD4) to be held in June in Seville, Spain.
