Find an Adviser Sign up to our Newsletter
FEM logo
Fund EcoMarket

the sustainable, responsible and ethical investment information hub

EU Announces Sustainable Finance Action Plan

March 15th, 2018

EU HLEGOn 8 March 2018 the EU published its response to the Sustainable Finance HLEG (High Level Expert Group) report issued in January.

 Go to the new EU Sustainable Finance information here.

The report is accompanied by an action plan and an event which will be live streamed on 22 March.

I am yet to digest the report, however this excerpt from their published information appears to be the most pertinent:

===

Commission action plan on sustainable finance

The recommendations of the HLEG form the basis of the action plan on sustainable finance adopted by the Commission in March 2018.

The action plan sets out a comprehensive strategy to further connect finance with sustainability. Its key actions include

  • establishing a clear and detailed EU classification system – or taxonomy – for sustainable activities. This will create a common language for all actors in the financial system
  • establishing EU labels for green financial products. This will help investors to easily identify products that comply with green or low-carbon criteria
  • introducing measures to clarify asset managers’ and institutional investors’ duties regarding sustainability
  • strengthening the transparency of companies on their environmental, social and governance (ESG) policies. The Commission will evaluate the current reporting requirements for issuers to make sure they provide the right information to investors
  • introducing a ‘green supporting factor’ in the EU prudential rules for banks and insurance companies. This means incorporating climate risks into banks’ risk management policies and supporting financial institutions that contribute to fund sustainable projects

The Commission is organising a live streamed high level conference on 22 March 2018 .

 

===

Sign Up to our Newsletter

If you are a Financial Services Industry professional you can sign up for our newsletter

Click Here

Latest News

SRI Services shortlisted for Investment Week ESG Awards
September 9, 2021

I am truly delighted to be able to announce that SRI Services has been shortlisted for two Investment Week (Incisive Media) awards this year. The two categories we entered & are shortlisted for are: Best Sustainable & ESG Research & Ratings Provider Best Sustainable and ESG Support Service Provider or Consultancy This is particularly pleasing […]
‘The future of (sustainable) investment’ – Moneyfacts article
August 23, 2021

My thanks, once again, to Investment Life and Pensions Moneyfacts magazine for publishing my article on ‘the future of (sustainable) investment.’ The article is a roundup of the important regulatory developments that are emerging in this area – as well as the need for urgency in switching all investments onto a sustainable footing. The piece […]
Performance of ‘Ethical/Sustainable’ funds vs ‘Non Ethical’ July 2021
August 23, 2021

The following table has been kindly supplied by Moneyfacts and is published in this month’s Investment Life and Pensions Moneyfacts magazine. It shows the performance of (what Moneyfacts refer to as) ‘Ethical’ vs ‘Non Ethical’ funds. In summary, it shows a consistent, and in many places remarkable, picture of outperformance for ethical equity funds over […]