Three integrity pitfalls putting sustainable finance under pressure

Sustainability is everywhere in the financial sector – but that doesn’t mean it’s easy to get it right. On the contrary: conversations with professionals reveal that practice often falls short of ambition.

DSI and The Can Do Company spoke with experts from across the sector about the tension between sustainability goals and the realities of day-to-day work. From these conversations, three recurring integrity pitfalls emerged – striking in both their persistence and their familiarity. These have been captured in the dialogue document Between the Lines, designed to raise awareness among professionals and spark honest, constructive conversations.

Three recurring areas of tension

1. Managing expectations: Who is responsible for driving sustainability – companies, investors, governments? Sustainability may appear measurable and controllable, but system pressures and a false sense of certainty often lead to greenwishing rather than real impact.

2. Communicating effectively How can we make the trade-offs and complexity of sustainability understandable? More data and more transparency don’t automatically create clarity or sound advice – especially when knowledge gaps stand in the way of meaningful dialogue.

3. Safeguarding integrity
   How can we prevent rules and regulations from unintentionally blocking real progress? Hopeful slogans and checklist-driven compliance can replace solid reasoning – putting both genuine impact and trust at risk.

What now?
Between the Lines is used as part of DSI’s permanent education programme and as a conversation starter within financial organisations. It is not a conclusion, but an open invitation to reflect and engage.

Want to learn more or connect with the initiators?
Download the document at www.dsi.nl/en/susfin or get in touch with DSI.