Cerise+SPTF develop standards using a methodology that is by the people and for the people. We write standards because our members ask us to identify what practices they can implement to achieve social and environmental impact, and we answer that question by surveying financial service providers around the world to learn what has worked for them.
Our signature product is the Universal Standards for Social and Environmental Performance Management, or “Universal Standards.” First published in 2012, the Universal Standards are now in their third edition and are used by financial service providers all over the world. Because they were developed, tested, and refined by financial service providers, the Universal Standards are highly practical and have been widely adopted, not only by the providers who implement them, but also by other key stakeholders in the inclusive finance sector, such as investors who incorporate them into their due diligence and monitoring and regulators who develop regulation that protects and benefits consumers. Cerise+SPTF also add modules as the financial service industry evolves—for example, we have an active working group now engaged with developing standards for responsible practices in digital financial services.
