Advisers’ Sustainability Group report launched

I am delighted to be able to share the Advisers’ Sustainability Group report, which was launched yesterday (8 September 2026) at Burges Salmon’s offices in London, with a slew of kind words from Sacha Sadan.

Both the report and the letter to the FCA, that accompanied it, can be downloaded below.

REPORT:  PIMFA-ASG-report-16-270826

LETTER: ASG-Open-Letter-to-the-FCA

Both can also be downloaded from the PIMFA secretariat site, along with our Terms of Reference and other information.

Referenced on FCA website here.

The Advisers’ Sustainability Group report is in four parts:

– Essential Knowledge – a foundation for success
– A Good Practice Framework for advisers (in two parts: business, and advice process)
– A Framework for training and CPD provision
– Appendix (this includes a glossary, and adviser ‘tips’, supporting the above chapters)

*** Please make use of the report, share it – and ask questions if you wish!***

To contact the ASG: advisersustainabilitygroup@pimfa.co.uk

Our aims:

We very much hope the report gives advisers and wealth managers the support and structure they need to advise on this area with greater confidence.  And that the FCA will respond positively to our requests – particularly given what we now know about relevant risks and opportunities!

Some history…

Although this report emerged as a result of SDR and the governments green finance work,  for some of us on the committee this work began over 20 years ago – when we asked the (then) FSA to encourage advisers to consider clients’ ethical (we would now often use the term sustainable) views when offering advice.  At the time we had our (then) UKSIF hats on. The FSA turned this down, however this was taken up by ISO and built into their 2005 best practice standard for financial advisers.

Things are very different now of course, but our view remains that intermediaries should be encouraged to, and equipped to, talk about sustainability and related topics with clients – and that doing so benefits all.

This report is firmly grounded in the present – but from a financial advice perspective there are two core reasons: many people care about such things – so their opinions and preferences should be explored (noting that opinions vary, and not everyone is interested!), and sustainability issues will be increasingly impact investment returns going forward.  These often overlap of course.  These are top of the list in our recommendations for advisers, and request to the FCA.

Next steps:

We will keep you informed about any FCA’s development as they arise, but in the meantime, if you would like to hear more, a number of ASG Committee members will be discussing the report and letter at our (free to attend) annual SRI Services and Partners event on 1 October.

This is an event for advisers, wealth managers, fund selectors and their colleagues – and there are still some spaces available, please join us if you work in a relevant role – and can make it on the day 😉

Julia Dreblow

ASG Vice-Chair