Is the FCA’s overhaul of green funds dead in the water? Investors are not having it
New proposals by the FCA to change ESG-related investment products have come under fire from the fund industry
New proposals by the Financial Conduct Authority have been dismissed by asset owners, investment managers and other finance players as 'unworkable'.
Opposition to the plans is growing fast as investors say the FCA's proposed overhaul of the way ESG and green investment products are regulated is difficult to implement and will be too costly.
City insider Chris Cummings (above), the current chief executive of the Investment Association, which represents dozens of British investment funds, urged the watchdog to not to push ahead with the recently proposed plans.
"The FCA needs to reconsider some of its proposals, and that's because of the labels were to go ahead unchanged, they will be excluding 60-70 per cent of all retail investment funds."
Cummings was referring to the FCA's idea to drop the 'sustainability' and ESG labels from investment products and introduce a new labelling system.
Green labels
Under the plans, three types of ESG or green investment vehicles would operate on Britain's financial services market.
Firstly, so-called 'sustainable focus funds' will have invest at least 70 per cent in entities, vehicles or government bonds that meet "a credible standard of environmental and/or social sustainability."
Moreover, so-called 'sustainable improver funds' will target investors wishing to improve companies by taking ownership, the watchdog said in a newly released document.
These investment vehicles must clearly set out where the plan to invest, and what their policies are to improve or change the company that is targeted.
Finally, so-called 'sustainable impact funds' will be investment vehicles that aim to attract investors wishing to drive changes in society and the environment.
However, Cummings warned that so-called tracker funds will be automatically excluded under the proposed regime.
Tracker funds replicate the holdings and thus the performance of a particular index, which lump together several different managed investment products.
What the FCA is trying to do is exactly what the market needs
Climate campaigners have welcomed the new rules.
"What the FCA is trying to do is exactly what the market needs," said Kate Levick, from climate change think tank E3G.
"I have rarely invested in something with a sustainable title because when I look at it, I usually find it includes companies that I don't think should be in a sustainable fund."
The FCA said final proposals, following a consultation, will be published at the end of June.
