The FCA’s Sustainability Disclosure Requirements (SDR)

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The Sustainability Disclosure Requirements (SDR) are a set of regulations introduced by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to ensure financial institutions provide clear and accurate information about the sustainability of their investments. The FCA has proposed wide-ranging requirements for asset managers which include a product labelling regime, mandatory entity- and product-level disclosures, restrictions on the use of certain sustainability-related terms, and an anti-greenwashing rule.

The course covers topics such as the background and objectives of the SDR, the different types of disclosures required, the product labelling regime, and the anti-greenwashing rule. The course focuses on the products most impacted, authorised (FCA-regulated) funds. It also provides guidance on how to implement the SDR in practice and how to ensure disclosures are accurate and proportionate. 

By taking this course, financial professionals can stay up-to-date with the latest regulations and best practices in the industry, and prepare for the implementation of their own SDR projects. Most important, it can help them avoid potential legal and reputational risks associated with non-compliance with the SDR.

Key Learning Objectives

• Understand the importance the FCA is placing on accurate and proportionate product descriptions and equip yourself to implement the SDR in a compliant manner.
• Learn about the different types of disclosures required, the product labelling regime, and the anti-greenwashing rule.
• Stay up-to-date with the latest regulations and best practices in the industry.

Programme Outline

09:30 - 16:00     

Scope of the regime

The new product labels

• Introductions/differences
• Gateway criteria
• Robust standard

Naming and marketing

• Triggers and what you can and can’t do without a label
• Scoping exercises

 Operational considerations

• Timelines
• Use of labels
• Notification and application for authorisation

Interactive element: Participants are invited to share their firms’ experience so far in preparing for implementation of the regime – eg, organisational arrangements, policies and processes, governance, challenges to date

Anti-greenwashing rule

• The anti-greenwashing rule and the proposed FCA guidance
• Greenwashing example exercise

Compliance, supervision and enforcement (with guest disputes lawyer)

• Open discussion

Interactive element: Participants will review examples of investment products to assess whether they meet the qualifying criteria for a sustainable investment label; and, if so, which label

Disclosure

• Product-level disclosures
• Entity-level disclosures

Close

The training will be delivered by the authorised funds team at Eversheds Sutherland.  All of them are qualified solicitors and financial services specialists with real world experience dealing with FCA fund authorisations and hands-on experience of drafting sustainability-related disclosures and implementing the SDR. 

This course is suitable for Legal, Compliance, Risk, Product, and senior management professionals fund management firms who wish to understand more about SDR.  While no detailed knowledge of SDR is assumed, the course will be most useful for delegates who understand fund structures and have an interest in the product design lifecycle.

IA Member £645.00 +VAT
Non-Member £795.00 +VAT

Pay using a credit card online, or if you wish to be invoiced please email your full details to: Training@theia.org

PLEASE NOTE: Full payment for the course must be made prior to the course commencement date.

• Any cancellation must be made in writing.
• For all cancellation received 15-30 days prior to the course start date, 50% of the course fee is still payable.
• No refund is given for a cancellation made 14 days or less prior to the commencement of a course.
• Transferring from one course to another is treated as a cancellation.
• You can substitute one delegate for another at no additional cost. In this instance, please give two business days’ notice.

Hybrid Training Courses:
We will continue to monitor and follow government guidance regarding coronavirus (Covid-19) to ensure the safety of our team and our members. Please be advised some training courses could change from hybrid delivery (being held in-person and virtually) to solely virtual delivery, should government guidance require.

There are a limited number of in-person spaces available on this course