Butch Bacani
Programme Leader UN Environment’s Principles for Sustainable Insurance Initiative
Butch Bacani leads UN Environment’s Principles for Sustainable Insurance Initiative (PSI), the largest collaborative initiative between the UN and the insurance industry. Endorsed by the UN Secretary-General and insurance industry CEOs, the PSI serves as a global framework for the insurance industry to address environmental, social and governance issues—as risk managers, insurers and investors—and a global initiative to strengthen the industry’s contribution to building resilient, inclusive and sustainable communities and economies.
Butch leads PSI activities supporting the UN Sustainable Development Goals, Paris Agreement on Climate Change, Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, and the Financial Stability Board’s climate risk disclosure recommendations (TCFD). He co-led the development of the first-ever global sustainability guide for insurance underwriting, led the creation of the Insurance Industry Development Goals for Cities, forged the PSI’s partnership with the world’s microinsurance community, and co-led the creation of UN Environment’s Sustainable Insurance Forum for regulators. Butch is involved in the G7 and G20-backed InsuResilience Global Partnership, Vulnerable 20 Group of Finance Ministers, Sustainable Blue Economy Finance Initiative, the UN Secretary-General’s Climate Resilience Initiative, and the Insurance Development Forum.
Butch led the global process that created the PSI in 2012 and UN Environment’s insurance and investment programmes from 2006 to 2010, including activities with the Principles for Responsible Investment. He has shaped global insurance industry commitments, guidance and initiatives to address climate change, disaster risks, tobacco risks, illegal fishing and plastic pollution; to protect World Heritage Sites; and to develop sustainable insurance roadmaps. Butch has authored pioneering studies on sustainable insurance and responsible investment. Before the UN, he was in the insurance industry for over a decade, working with leading insurers and reinsurers worldwide.