FCA Issues Discussion Paper on Sustainability Disclosure Requirements
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) published a discussion paper (DP21/4) on the sustainability disclosure requirements for asset managers and regulated asset owners; the paper also covers a new classification and labeling system for sustainable investment products. DP21/4 seeks feedback on potential approaches to the design of sustainable investment labels, consumer-facing disclosures for investment products, and client- and consumer-facing entity- and product-level disclosures by asset managers and FCA-regulated asset owners. The feedback period will end on January 07, 2022, with the inputs informing the development of policy proposals that are expected in the second quarter of 2022.
The discussion paper forms part of the new environmental, social, and governance (ESG) strategy published by FCA. The strategy sets out the critical role of FCA in supporting the transition to a more sustainable economy, working with industry, listed companies, government, and international partners. Building trust and integrity in the market for ESG products and ensuring transparency are central to the strategy. As part of its strategy, FCA also underscores its commitment to continue embedding ESG considerations across its functions and expand its resources and capabilities in this area. FCA lays out how it will build on the existing work to achieve the ESG outcomes in its latest Business Plan and keep pace with the developments in this dynamic space. FCA will deliver its strategy across the following core themes:
- Promoting transparency on climate change and wider sustainability along the value chain
- Building trust and integrity in ESG-labeled instruments, products, and the supporting ecosystem
- Working with others to enhance industry capabilities and support firms’ management of climate-related and wider sustainability risks, opportunities, and impacts
- Supporting the role of finance in delivering a market-led transition to a more sustainable economy
- Developing strategies, organizational structures, resources and tools to support the integration of ESG into FCA activities
FCA also published the remarks of its CEO, Nikhil Rathi, on the new ESG strategy. Finally, FCA sets out the key findings from its Financial Lives 2020 survey and October 2020 COVID-19 panel survey. Financial Lives survey provides a wealth of information about consumer attitudes toward managing their money, the financial products they have, and their experiences of engaging with financial services firms. To test how the pandemic had already affected UK consumers, FCA ran the COVID-19 panel survey in October 2020, with over 22,000 respondents. FCA will use future research and analysis—including the next Financial Lives survey—to understand the changing shape of consumers’ financial lives after the pandemic.
Related Links
Comment Due Date: January 07, 2022
Keywords: Europe, UK, Securities, ESG, Climate Change Risk, Sustainable Finance, Transition Risk, COVID-19, Disclosures, FCA
Featured Experts
Michael Denton, PhD, PE
Dr. Denton provides industry leadership in the quantification of sustainability issues, climate risk, trade credit and emerging lending risks. His deep foundations in market and credit risk provide critical perspectives on how climate/sustainability risks can be measured, communicated and used to drive commercial opportunities, policy, strategy, and compliance. He supports corporate clients and financial institutions in leveraging Moody’s tools and capabilities to improve decision-making and compliance capabilities, with particular focus on the energy, agriculture and physical commodities industries.
James Partridge
Credit analytics expert helping clients understand, develop, and implement credit models for origination, monitoring, and regulatory reporting.
Previous Article
CBB to Address Climate Risks in PhasesRelated Articles
BIS and Central Banks Experiment with GenAI to Assess Climate Risks
A recent report from the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) Innovation Hub details Project Gaia, a collaboration between the BIS Innovation Hub Eurosystem Center and certain central banks in Europe
Nearly 25% G-SIBs Commit to Adopting TNFD Nature-Related Disclosures
Nature-related risks are increasing in severity and frequency, affecting businesses, capital providers, financial systems, and economies.
Singapore to Mandate Climate Disclosures from FY2025
Singapore recently took a significant step toward turning climate ambition into action, with the introduction of mandatory climate-related disclosures for listed and large non-listed companies
SEC Finalizes Climate-Related Disclosures Rule
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has finalized the long-awaited rule that mandates climate-related disclosures for domestic and foreign publicly listed companies in the U.S.
EBA Proposes Standards Related to Standardized Credit Risk Approach
The European Banking Authority (EBA) has been taking significant steps toward implementing the Basel III framework and strengthening the regulatory framework for credit institutions in the EU
US Regulators Release Stress Test Scenarios for Banks
The U.S. regulators recently released baseline and severely adverse scenarios, along with other details, for stress testing the banks in 2024. The relevant U.S. banking regulators are the Federal Reserve Bank (FED), the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC).
Asian Governments Aim for Interoperability in AI Governance Frameworks
The regulatory landscape for artificial intelligence (AI), including the generative kind, is evolving rapidly, with governments and regulators aiming to address the challenges and opportunities presented by this transformative technology.
EBA Proposes Operational Risk Standards Under Final Basel III Package
The European Union (EU) has been working on the final elements of Basel III standards, with endorsement of the Banking Package and the publication of the European Banking Authority (EBA) roadmap on Basel III implementation in December 2023.
EFRAG Proposes XBRL Taxonomy and Standard for Listed SMEs Under ESRS
The European Financial Reporting Advisory Group (EFRAG), which plays a crucial role in shaping corporate reporting standards in European Union (EU), is seeking comments, until May 21, 2024, on the Exposure Draft ESRS for listed SMEs.
ECB to Expand Climate Change Work in 2024-2025
Banking regulators worldwide are increasingly focusing on addressing, monitoring, and supervising the institutions' exposure to climate and environmental risks.