Over 150 people gathered in London today for AIMA’s Putting ESG into Practice event, now in its fifth year. Over the course of the day, discussions addressed the basics of ESG integration, the latest developments in investor demands, new trends and themes, and the regulatory developments that firms need to know about.

Some of the key themes we touched on over the day include:

• Managers face a challenge in navigating the disconnect between expectations and rhetoric around sustainability in the US compared with the EU. Talk of burden reduction in the EU won’t necessarily close the gap.
• Data availability remains a key concern, both in the context of satisfying regulatory obligations and in the context of obtaining decision-useful information for investment purposes. Industry initiatives can help here.
• The EU will likely move to introduce product categories through its upcoming SFDR review proposals (expected later this year), although the scope and detail of the framework is hard to predict.
• There is significant discussion about the future of the UK’s sustainable finance framework, with consideration of new transition plan requirements and a possible UK green taxonomy. Firms are hopeful that the UK will take a pragmatic approach.

To get involved in AIMA’s work on sustainability, please get in touch by contacting Adam Jacobs-Dean.