The Social Bond Principles are a set of guidelines that issuers can follow if they want to make a Social Bond. These guidelines are meant to protect the integrity of the Social Bond market. The Social Bond Principles have four main parts: the Use of Proceeds, the Evaluation and Selection Process, the Management of Proceeds, and the Management of Proceeds. The Use of Proceeds describes how the money will be used to solve or lessen a specific social problem or to help a specific group of people (making available periodic information on amounts invested and their expected impact).
Some examples are investments in basic infrastructure (like water, sanitation, and energy), affordable essential services (like healthcare and education), microfinance, affordable housing, and food security. In June 2020, the International Capital Markets Association published the Social Bond principles.