News Articles relating to ESG & Social Impact

In December 2023, ICMA and IRSG launched their voluntary Code of Conduct for ESG Ratings and Data Products Providers. More details can be found here about the work by regulators and governments on ensuring good governance by ESG ratings and data products providers.

HM Treasury are gathering views on the value case for a UK Green Taxonomy until 6 February 2025. More details can be found here.

TNFD has been consulting on Draft sector guidance - Engineering, construction and real estate.  More details can be found here.

Find out more here about the FCA's Sustainability Disclosure Requirements (SDR) and investment labels regime.

Find out more about the policy work being undertaken by governments, regulators and standard setting bodies in relation to sustainable finance and climate-related disclosures.

In May 2024 the European Commission published its Summary Report of the Open and Targeted Consultations on the SFDR assessment. This was followed by the ESAs Joint Opinion on the assessment of SFDR. More details can be found here.

Click to view details of a number of initiatives that the Committee is working on to support members in the ESG and Impact Investing arena.

The Transition Plan Taskforce have produced guidance for preparers and users of climate transition plans, including Asset Managers and Asset Owners. More details can be found here.

The FCA have published guidance on their anti-greenwashing rule. More details can be found here.

AREF has responded to the consultation from the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision on the Disclosure of climate-related financial risks

AREF member funds outperformed the UK GRESB benchmark in 2023 by 3 percentage points with a score of 76%.

The proposals within the paper on ESG Metrics for Real Estate have been updated in January 2024.

This new report considers common approaches to sustainability and environmental, social and governance (ESG) risks in real estate valuations for commercial lending.

View the IA's Path to Net Zero Bulletin

The FCA have published a discussion paper on firms' sustainability-related governance, incentives, and competencies. Please see here AREF's near final response.

This report discusses some common sustainability features in UK commercial property and how they relate to property value.

In March 2023, PCAF, CRREM, and GRESB released technical guidance for "Accounting and Reporting of GHG Emissions from Real Estate Operations"

This year we have been supporting The Academy of Real Assets. The Academy is a membership organisation that helps its members execute their “S” strategy.

AREF Managing Director Paul Richards joined a panel of experts to discuss the challenges of reducing carbon emissions in property portfolios.

In June 2022 the Government Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) published the response to its consultation on Climate and Investment reporting: setting expectations and empowering savers. Click for more details.