ESG

The European Council has made a significant stride in the regulation of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) ratings providers, announcing today that it has reached a consensus on a proposal aimed at bringing greater transparency and oversight to this burgeoning sector. The new regulations will place ESG ratings providers under the purview of the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) and implement rules to enhance transparency in their methodologies while mitigating conflicts of interest risks.

In a decisive move to strengthen environmental protection measures, the UK Environment Agency has announced that companies found guilty of polluting the environment can now face unlimited financial penalties. The move, effective immediately, eliminates the previous £250,000 cap on Variable Monetary Penalties (VMPs) and broadens the spectrum of offenses that can be penalized, giving the Environment Agency more robust tools to hold various industries accountable.

In an effort to promote transparency and integrity in environmental marketing, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has released a comprehensive guide titled "Making Environmental Claims: A Guide for Business." This guide outlines eight key principles to assist businesses in ensuring that their environmental claims are accurate, truthful, and provide consumers with reliable information.

The three European Supervisory Authorities (ESAs) - the European Banking Authority (EBA), the European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA), and the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) - have unveiled significant amendments to the draft Regulatory Technical Standards (RTS) under the Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR).

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has unveiled a comprehensive set of measures to fortify sustainability disclosure and introduce an innovative investment labelling regime. This strategic move comes after extensive engagement with a diverse array of stakeholders, encompassing industry experts, regulatory bodies, and consumer advocacy groups.

London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG) has joined forces with Canadian-based ESG data tech company ESG.AI to launch a cutting-edge ESG analytics platform tailored for major companies, banks, asset managers, and consultants. This strategic partnership aims to leverage LSEG's extensive financial markets dataset and ESG.AI's technology to offer real-time ESG data analytics, scoring, and visualization tools.

PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) has unveiled the findings of its 2023 Global Investor Survey, shedding light on the growing skepticism among investors regarding the reliability of sustainability reporting. The survey, now in its third consecutive year, engaged 345 investors and analysts across diverse geographies, asset classes, and investment approaches, providing insights into the factors influencing their investment decisions.