ESG, specifically sustainability, is an increasingly controversial topic for investment managers, with diverging regulation in Europe, the US and the UK, and rising numbers of reputational hazards to navigate.
Many fund companies are removing phrases like "ESG" and "sustainable" from product names, whilst downgrading these funds' obligations to the principles of ESG.
At the same time, many investment businesses have been overstating their sustainability credentials, and at least two firms have been fined over $25 million in recent years for making false claims.
In this latest (mis)Conduct, Money & Reputation podcast episode, Katten Partner Neil Robson, Lansons Asset Management Lead David Masters and Lansons ESG Lead Sam Sharpe explore the increasingly widespread issue of misconduct surrounding ESG, from the companies that have fallen afoul of the regulations and the regulatory trends, to the challenging act of maintaining a good reputation in an environment where ESG appears to have as many detractors as it has advocates.
Listen to the episode:
[U]ltimately, I think we're looking at a traditional fund prospectus with different wrappers for different countries making all sorts of additional disclosures. -- Neil Robson
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