Global PSSL Calls for Greater Dialogue on How Islamic Finance Principles Can Strengthen Global Market Governance — with ABC Score™ Paper Preview Release
Washington, DC – 17 October 2025: Global PSSL CIC has used its visit to Washington, DC to expand international dialogue on how principles from Islamic finance can enhance transparency, proportionality and risk governance in modern financial markets.
The organisation previewed its forthcoming paper, Equilibrium Across Uncertainty: Islamic Perspectives on Governance of Modern Financial Markets – Insights for the ABC Score™, which explores how long-standing Islamic finance concepts can inform the practical governance of post-issuance markets and refine Global PSSL’s ABC Score™ (Assess – Balance – Calibrate).
The paper introduces research exploring how long-standing ethical and governance concepts derived from Islamic finance, such as the prohibition of excessive uncertainty (gharar), can inform practical governance models for post-issuance financial markets.
The work aims to refine the ABC Score™ (Assess – Balance – Calibrate) framework, advancing it as a universally applicable tool for promoting transparency and proportional decision-making across global finance.
The paper will be formally developed through Global PSSL’s forthcoming Education for Resilience Council and will directly inform the subsequent Beyond Issuance report, benefiting the work of both the Asset Owners Council and the Investment Advisors Council.
Radek Stech, CEO of Global PSSL, Founder of the ABC Score™, and Senior Academic at Exeter Law School, said: “This initiative invites deeper collaboration between Islamic finance scholars and global market practitioners. Our aim is not to prescribe, but to learn from traditions that have long promoted balance, transparency and the use of the best available knowledge to manage uncertainty. These insights can help shape a more resilient financial system.”
Kevin Chen, Adjunct Professor at New York University and guest speaker at Harvard University, commented: “Applying academic knowledge and analytical rigour to practical market tools is visionary. This initiative shows how intellectual capital can directly inform the ABC Score™ and advance transparent, evidence-based governance in global finance.”
Rob Gleave, Professor of Arabic Studies in the Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies, University of Exeter added “Connecting Islamic legal and ethical concepts with modern financial governance invites reflective learning that bridges traditions, disciplines, and global perspectives.”
Key discussion points in Washington, DC:
- How can Islamic finance traditions help define practical boundaries for managing uncertainty in modern markets?
- What lessons from the implementation of key concepts, such as gharar, can guide global efforts to improve post issuance transparency in achieving equilibrium on the markets?
- How can sustainability and Islamic finance perspectives complement each other in pursuit of balanced market conduct?
- What role should education and shared learning play in embedding these principles through the incoming Education for Resilience Council?
- How might fintech tools and data-driven approaches support more predictable, knowledge-based post issuance practices?
- How can these lessons improve the development of the ABC Score™?
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Contact Information regarding this press release:
Dr Radek Stech: radek.stech@gpssl.org
About Global PSSL
Global Principles for Sustainable Securities Lending (Global PSSL) is the fundamental global mechanism for aligning securities lending with transparency and sustainable finance. It has been co-created by Dr Radek Stech, prominent asset owners, asset managers, sovereign wealth funds, banks, hedge funds other stakeholders committed to positive change since 2018. Global PSSL has received significant funding from the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), part of UK Research and Innovation, through the Sustainable Finance – Law – Stakeholders (SFLS) Network at Exeter Law School in addition to some financial assistance from some industry stakeholders. The ESRC grant request was designed based on earlier engagement with stakeholders shaping values-based banking, green bonds and sustainable project finance as well as continuous contact, research and discussions with staff from the World Bank (the official partner on the grant). In order to preserve its impartiality, the Global PSSL framework is based within its own independent community interest company.
