ESG Today

JUNE 5, 2023

Key sources of greenwashing risk identified by the regulators included claims about sustainability impact and company engagement made by asset managers, litigation risk related to misleading ESG claims made by banks, and misleading product claims by pension and insurance providers.

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Greenwashing Banking Sustainable Investment Decarbonize 82

Chris Hall

JANUARY 30, 2024

The global investment community is walking a “tightrope” between greenwashing and green blushing as it strives to stay abreast of regulatory developments that continuously ramp up accountability on sustainable investing, industry sources have sad. That pace of change is here to stay.”

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ESG Today

FEBRUARY 24, 2023

ESMA unveiled the proposed rules in November 2022, aimed at providing asset managers with clear criteria for the use of ESG or sustainability-related terms for funds, in order to ensure that investors aren’t misled about the investment products’ ESG characteristics. Click here to access EFAMA’s response to the ESMA consultation.

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Chris Hall

MAY 19, 2023

The report said greenwashing as a key concern for asset owners, with asset managers “overstating or providing unclear messaging” on their level of commitment to sustainability. million) to over €6 billion – 57% of which possessed AuM between €1 billion and €5 billion. consider ESG a top product development initiative.

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Chris Hall

NOVEMBER 16, 2022

The European Supervisory Authorities (ESAs) have issued a Call for Evidence to stakeholders on greenwashing. . The ESAs have also asked for any available data to help them gain a more concrete sense of the scale of greenwashing and areas of particularly high risk. .

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Chris Hall

NOVEMBER 14, 2023

Industry bodies align on key sustainable finance-related definitions to offer end-users greater “consistency and clarity”. The growing use of ESG-related language in fund names and documentation without transparency and underlying evidence increases greenwashing risk, ESMA warned.

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Greenwashing Impact Investing Sustainable Investment Negative Screening 109

Chris Hall

JUNE 7, 2022

Asset managers should expect and prepare to be challenged on the sustainability credentials of their ESG-labelled funds as financial markets watchdogs clamp down on greenwashing, according to regulatory experts. . The SEC has also recently fined BNY Mellon Investment Adviser US$1.5

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Chris Hall

JUNE 1, 2022

The US SEC and Germany’s BaFin last year launched separate investigations into allegations made by Fixler that DWS was overstating its use of sustainable investing criteria. were not taken into account at all in a large number of investments,” the prosecutors’ office said, calling the potential wrongdoing “prospectus fraud”.

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Chris Hall

OCTOBER 19, 2023

Research by the European regulator shows that ESG-related named fund s attract more inflows , raising concerns about potential greenwashing. Mazzacurati noted that the introduction of SFDR did lead to more extensive disclosure in investment fund documentation concerning ESG characteristics or sustainable investment objectives.

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Environmental Finance

JANUARY 26, 2023

Industry experts have welcomed the UK Financial Conduct Authority's (FCA) proposed Sustainability Disclosure Requirements (SDR) and sustainable investment labels - but voiced concern at the potential impact of some of its definitions.

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Chris Hall

DECEMBER 19, 2023

Market participants flag importance of double materiality to enhance Article 8/9 definition alignment, stress need to recognise transition strategies. Risk of uncertainty French asset manager Mirova’s response said the current definition of Article 8 products is “too broad”, while the definition of Article 9 is “too narrow”.

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Sustainable Investment Net Zero Greenwashing Green Investing 61

Chris Hall

MARCH 27, 2023

Advisory group outlines its recommendations on addressing SFDR Article 9 downgrades and greenwashing regulatory uncertainty.

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Corporate Knights

NOVEMBER 28, 2022

For more than a decade, responsible investing in Canada experienced steady upward growth. A new report says that trend has reversed itself in the last two years, as the industry struggles to respond to allegations of greenwashing and a tougher regulatory environment. . More to be done on responsible investing.

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Chris Hall

APRIL 25, 2023

The EC’s responses were to questions raised by the European Supervisory Authorities (ESAs) on SFDR in September last year, which asked for clarification the definition of “sustainable investments” and what it means to “consider” PAIs.

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Sustainable Investment Greenwashing Climate Change Development 52

Chris Hall

FEBRUARY 27, 2023

Proposed sustainable investment thresholds risk divergence from SFDR. Market participants have called for a delay to the European Securities and Markets Authority’s (ESMA) draft rules for sustainability and ESG fund labels until there is more clarity on terminology and interoperability with existing disclosure standards.

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Sustainable Investment Greenwashing 52

Chris Hall

SEPTEMBER 14, 2022

One such, unheard of a few short years ago, is “greenwashing”, the practice of dressing up products, services or investments as being in full conformity with ESG principles – in contradiction of the underlying reality. It may be a bit strong to say firms are fearful of being accused of greenwashing. topped 90% of the fund.

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Greenwashing Sustainable Investment Analytics Development 52

3BL Media

JANUARY 18, 2024

Financial institutions and market participants will be able to refer to a common set of definitions under the CGT to facilitate sustainable development in markets covered by the CGT. Next steps: The anti-greenwashing rule will come into effect from May 31, 2024. Firms can use the investment labels from July 31, 2024.

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Green Bonds Greenwashing Net Zero Climate Change 147

Chris Hall

MARCH 2, 2022

European efforts to bring transparency to ESG funds haven’t addressed fears of greenwashing. Almost a year since the European Commission introduced the Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR), the European investment community remains divided over how to classify the ESG risks and impacts of their investments.

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Greenwashing Negative Screening Sustainable Investment Paris Agreement 98

Chris Hall

NOVEMBER 1, 2023

Difficulties in definition continue to thwart efforts to demonstrate the financial benefits of sustainable investments. Sustainable fund flows attracted US$37 billion of net new money in Q4 2022, with global sustainable fund assets reaching a total of US$2.5

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Chris Hall

JANUARY 6, 2023

Until the European Commission clarifies its definition of ‘sustainable investment’ under the Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR) , asset managers will continue to exercise caution in their compliance with disclosure requirements for Article 9-labelled funds, including resorting to increased reclassifications. .

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Chris Hall

JANUARY 23, 2023

And significantly, market participants warn EU’s beleaguered Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR) could overlap, and potentially conflict with, ESMA’s plans for labelling rules. ESMA is also, separately, calling for evidence on greenwashing. It is currently reviewing submissions on this.

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ESG Today

DECEMBER 18, 2023

The update follows the launch of a consultation on the guidelines in November 2022, which the regulator said was aimed at protecting investors from greenwashing risk, by ensuring that fund names that include terms such as “ESG” or “sustainability” fairly reflect funds’ actual investment policies and objectives.

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Greenwashing Sustainable Investment 94

Chris Hall

DECEMBER 8, 2022

Plans to introduce minimum investment thresholds could create two-tier Article 8 classification. . Proposed anti-greenwashing rules from the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) risk confusing investors holding Article 8 funds under the Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR). . Clouded definitions .

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Sustainable Investment Greenwashing Development 52

Chris Hall

NOVEMBER 15, 2023

Industry experts have stressed the need for simplicity and clarity around Europe’s ESG fund labelling, as the European Commission’s Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR) consultation deadline looms. The SDRs were due to be introduced on 30 June, but following various delays are now expected in H2 2024.

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ESG Today

OCTOBER 31, 2022

By Sustainable Fitch. Investor thirst for sustainable investments across all asset classes has seen fixed income issuance creation and supply skyrocket year-over-year to meet the demand. This comparison is essential to be able to execute investment strategies – exclusion, integration, tilt, best in class or impact.

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We Mean Business Coalition

AUGUST 23, 2023

The EU Green Taxonomy was designed to accelerate the flow of money into green companies and projects, while simultaneously protecting investors from greenwashing accusations. The EU Green Taxonomy represents an ambitious and commendable endeavour to guide financial flows towards sustainable companies and projects and combat greenwashing.

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Greenwashing Green Bonds Sustainable Investment Green Investing 52

Corporate Knights

OCTOBER 3, 2022

and Canadian banks and large investment managers. . Greenwashing is truly a clear and present danger.”. But in the last 12 months, there has been heavy criticism over the lack of climate action by GFANZ’s leading members, most notably U.S. Former U.S.

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Net Zero Banking COP26 Greenwashing 360

Chris Hall

JULY 21, 2023

Article 9 funds are considered the most sustainable, requiring portfolios with 100 per cent sustainable investments. The advantages of Article 9 funds lie in their ability to provide clear signals to investors regarding their commitment to sustainability.

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Sustainable Investment Greenwashing Climate Change Paris Agreement 52

Corporate Knights

JULY 14, 2022

EE: There’s a general concern about greenwashing and the dissonance between what many companies say they believe about ESG issues and what they are actually doing. Do you feel corporate greenwashing has increased or decreased from the 1970s and ’80s? And what can investors do about it?

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Divestment Ethical Investment Greenwashing Negative Screening 269

Chris Hall

APRIL 3, 2024

Under the EU Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR) , Article 8 funds are meant to promote environmental and/or social characteristics, while Article 9 refers to products with sustainable investment objectives and which meet the standard of “do no significant harm”.

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Greenwashing Sustainable Investment Development 57

Chris Hall

NOVEMBER 2, 2022

Although the EU Taxonomy and SFDR were designed to increase transparency and reduce opportunities for greenwashing, it’s still early days, and there is much work to do. When it comes to sustainable investment exposure, asset managers should explain how they calculate it. Lack of definition. targeting an allocation of 50%.

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Sustainable Investment Green Bonds Greenwashing Manufacturing 52

Chris Hall

JUNE 23, 2022

Assets in European impact funds increased by 50% in 2021 compared to 2020, as demand for the classification increases in the wake of greenwashing claims against funds elsewhere in the sustainable investment universe. of total European funds’ net assets currently follow an impact investing approach.

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We Mean Business Coalition

SEPTEMBER 12, 2022

We need better global convergence, better definitions –and then we need a more phased-approach. The current ESRS-drafts are not yet technically compatible with the International Sustainable Standards Board (ISSB) and Global Reporting Initiative (GRI). Combat greenwashing by focusing on the most mature metrics and KPIs.

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Greenwashing Development Sustainable Investment 52

Jon Hale

JANUARY 7, 2022

End of Week Notes How Bloomberg Businessweek’s takedown of MSCI’s ESG Ratings got it wrong Sustainable investing has attracted its share of criticism lately. Further complicating matters, sustainable investing has not sprung forth as a unified, fully developed investment approach. To the contrary, this idea?—?that

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Sustainable Investment Green Bonds Greenwashing Development 52

Chris Hall

DECEMBER 9, 2022

This is a big step for foreign investors who are eager to invest in China’s domestic green bond market but have concerns about greenwashing—inadvertently buying ‘green’ bonds that, in fact, support non-green projects. A key amendment requires 100% of the proceeds to fund green projects, instead of 50-70% previously.

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Green Bonds Greenwashing Green Investing Sustainable Investment 52

Chris Hall

SEPTEMBER 11, 2023

Levick also noted that the taxonomy could be employed via initiatives such as a net zero test, which the UK might apply to all its public investment decisions, utilising the taxonomy to evaluate whether investments align with the its definition of ‘green’.

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Chris Hall

NOVEMBER 30, 2022

Efficient, reliable and trusted benchmarks can cut the cost of sustainable investment, as they allow passive, index-based strategies to support sustainable investment objectives. Passive funds, she said, account for roughly 40% of all US sustainable investment assets under management.

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