Unpacking the EU's sustainable finance simplification agenda

Just over two years ago, the European Commission launched the first step in the long road to reform of the EU Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR). On 20 November, the Commission's proposed amendments to the law were released. These will introduce concrete product categories and do away with both entity-level PAI reporting and the definition of "sustainable investment". In this episode, Dominic Webb talks to Anne Schoemaker, head of regulatory and investment selection solutions at Morningstar Sustainalytics, and Dennis Baas, head of sustainability strategists at Allianz Global Investors, about the review, how it may affect the market and the next steps for SFDR.

With 2050 on the horizon and a challenging political and economic environment for companies looking to hit net zero, engagement on climate change is more important than ever. As part of its new climate and investors focus, Responsible Investor has published a series of articles looking at the future of climate engagement ranging from how climate collaborations are evolving to engagement with hard to abate sectors and how investors are responding to an increasingly challenging environment. In this episode, senior reporters Dominic Webb and Gina Gambetta discuss their findings and how investors across the world are evolving their approaches to climate stewardship.

Climate engagement has been on investors’ agendas for more than a decade. So what progress has been made in that time? What have we learned about what works and what doesn’t? And, crucially, what does that mean for how we move forward? To explore these questions, our editor Lucy Fitzgeorge-Parker sat down with sustainability and stewardship veteran Colin Melvin of Arkadiko Partners. As co-author of the Principles for Responsible Investment and founder of engagement specialist Hermes EOS, he has been at the forefront of conversations on climate and corporate action for 20 years. In this episode, he discusses climate engagement in the era of ESG backlash, the role of fiduciary duty, how to prioritise corporate engagements, and the dangers of separating sustainability from core investment practice.

Over the course of his three years as comptroller of New York City, Brad Lander has guided the city's pension systems in achieving their climate targets, divesting from fossil fuel companies and seeing significant success with shareholder resolutions on a range of topics. Lander, whose term will end in January, joins The Responsible Investor Podcast to discuss his proudest achievements in office, the future of shareholder proposals and whether he thinks responsible investment can survive Donald Trump's second term. After declining to run for re-election in order to make a bid for the mayor's office, Lander also discusses what advice he would give to his successor and what he still wants to get done during his remaining time in office.

At $96 billion in assets, the Oregon Public Employees Retirement System is one of the largest public pension funds in the US. As of this year, it is also one of the few to have been handed a legal mandate to manage climate risk in its investments. In this episode, Oregon state treasurer Elizabeth Steiner discusses the state's new legislation on climate investment, the challenges and trade-offs of steering a giant portfolio towards net zero, and the conversations the fund is having with portfolio companies and asset managers over their climate rollbacks. Steiner spent over a decade as an Oregon state senator before being elected treasurer last year. Her responsibilities include running the state's debt management operations and savings programmes, as well as managing its pension funds and other investments.

After a turbulent first half of the year following the release of the EU's sustainability Omnibus, Brussels is back in session and gearing up for a busy autumn of discussions and decisions on how to simplify a number of sustainable finance regulations. Formal negotiations between EU lawmakers are expected to kick off shortly on proposed changes to the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), while a consultation on the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS) will close at the end of this month. It comes as the European Commission last month promised the US that it will make efforts to ensure its corporate sustainability reporting and due diligence rules do not impose “undue restrictions” on transatlantic trade. In this episode, senior reporter Fiona McNally – who has been on the ground in Brussels – talks to deputy editor Elza Holmstedt Pell about the biggest things to watch for as the future of EU sustainability and green rules are determined.

In this episode, we are joined by Amy O'Brien, global head of responsible investing at asset manager Nuveen. She joins us to discuss her new book, A Field Guide to Responsible Investing: Asset Management in the Age of Polycrises. Drawing from her three decades of experience in responsible investment, the book "takes readers on a journey of the evolution of responsible investing, how it works today, why it’s integral to investment considerations, and how we can finally get a grip on its efficacy." This episode covers data dilemmas, what critics get right – and wrong – about responsible investment, what might help bridge the divide, and Amy's thoughts on the future of the responsible investment industry.

Increasing geopolitical uncertainty and the USA's decreasing reliability as an ally has triggered a massive boost in global defence spending. As investment managers and asset owners look to capitalise on the new opportunities, this has led to a wave of fund launches and changes to exclusions policies across the market. In this episode, senior reporter Dominic Webb talks to deputy editor Elza Holmstedt Pell about the latest developments in the market, the regulatory backdrop and how ESG investors are changing their minds on defence. Recent RI defence-related coverage includes: French and passive investors make up most Article 9 defence investments UK government and business call on investors to review defence exclusions ESG exclusions not preventing European defence investments, say French investors Pressure grows on UK LGPS funds over Israel divestment Defence round-up: Sector ‘generally incompatible’ with use-of-proceeds bonds, says Principles chair

The past six months have been dominated by EU sustainable finance regulatory developments, following the bloc's push to simplify and roll back several of the rules issued under its 2019 Green Deal. On this episode, we are joined by Helena Viñes Fiestas, commissioner at Spanish regulator CNMV and former chair of the EU Platform on Sustainable Finance. Having worked in sustainable finance for more than a decade, she talks us through her thoughts on the ongoing sustainable finance regulatory developments and what outcomes she is hoping for amid efforts to simplify the rules.

The UK's fund labelling regime under the Sustainability Disclosure Requirements and the European Securities and Markets Authority's new guidelines on the use of ESG terms in fund names have have sparked a wave of renaming, mergers, closures and portfolio reshuffling. On this episode, we are joined by Hortense Bioy, head of sustainable investing research at Morningstar Sustainalytics. Bioy walks us through the most recent regulatory changes and what they mean for the EU and UK sustainable fund landscape. She also discusses the major challenges for asset managers looking to comply with the rules instead of renaming.