Assurance is a critical component of Peace Finance, playing a vital role in maintaining the integrity and credibility of the Peace Finance Standard and Certification Scheme.
Why assurance matters
Investor confidence: assurance provides investors with confidence in the consistency and integrity of certified Peace Finance instruments.
Transparency and accountability: the process ensures transparency and accountability in Peace Finance, aligning with our commitment to fostering sustainable peace through financial instruments.
The assurance aspects in Peace Finance
Certified Peace Finance instruments: all certified Peace Bond and Peace Equity instruments undergo rigorous checks by an approved Peace Finance Verifier, who provides a formal assurance report [link].
Assurance framework: The framework is designed to facilitate smooth and efficient assurance engagements, ensuring consistency across different verifiers and a clear understanding of the issuer’s responsibilities and the verifier’s evaluation criteria.
Verifier–issuer relationship: verifiers providing assurance must be listed as approved verifiers by the Peace Finance Standards Committee. The issuer engages and compensates the verifier under commercial terms. The assurance report is submitted to the Peace Finance Standards Committee and made available to stakeholders.
Verifier-Peace Partner relationship: The verifier-Peace Partner relationship is crucial for the credibility and success of Peace Finance instruments. Verifiers collaborate closely with Peace Partners to understand local contexts and specific peacebuilding needs, ensuring that the verification process accounts for unique socio-political dynamics and conflict sensitivities. Peace Partners provide essential insights to ensure that projects do no harm and contribute positively to peacebuilding efforts. They also assist in monitoring and evaluating the project's impact, enhancing transparency and accountability. This partnership ensures that Peace Finance instruments meet the required standards and contribute meaningfully to sustainable peace.
Becoming an approved verifier
Approval criteria: the Peace Finance Standards Committee approves third-party Peace Finance Verifiers based on a set of criteria available here.
Directory of verifiers: Approved verifiers will be included in a directory available to issuers, [available shortly].
Assurance roundtable discussions
Collaborative platform: regular assurance roundtable discussions will be held, offering a collaborative platform for approved verifiers to share experiences and discuss principles, approaches and practicalities of assurance under the Peace Finance Standard and Certification Scheme.
