An Introduction to ESG for Investment Management Firms

ESG (Environment, Social and Governance) considerations form an integral part of the framework in which investment management firms operate and play a fundamental role in how investment decisions are made.

This interactive session will provide investment management firms with a background to the key regulatory measures relating to the "E" of ESG, with a particular focus on the Task Force on Recommended Climate-related Financial Disclosures, the EU's Sustainable Finance strategy, the work of the IFRS's International Sustainable Standards Board, SEC developments, and the UK's initiatives in this area.

We will also look at how policymakers and regulators have approached the other two pillars of ESG, the interaction between environmental, social and governance issues and touch on some of the trending topics in ESG regulation.

During the session, we will consider some of the practical steps investment management firms should take to comply with disclosure requirements and some of the challenges they may face.

Key Learning Objectives

• Understand the background to ESG
• Gain an overview of the key international, EU and UK regulatory measures relating to sustainable finance
• Understand policymakers' and regulators' approach to social and governance considerations and the interaction between E, S and G considerations
• Develop an understanding of what steps investment management firms should take to comply with disclosure requirements and an awareness of some of the challenges they may face

Contact the IA Training Team to ask questions regarding any of the courses we run, or if you are experiencing problems or difficulties when attempting to register, please email: Training@theia.org

09:30 Introduction and key international regulatory measures and initiatives relating to sustainable finance

• Background to ESG
• UN Global Compact
• Principles for Responsible Investment
• UN Sustainable Development Goals
• Global Reporting Initiative
• Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures
• International Sustainability Standards Board
• SEC developments

10:30 Break

10:40 EU Sustainable Finance Legislation

• EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive
• EU Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation
• EU Taxonomy Regulation
• Embedding sustainability requirements into MiFID II
• Consider practical implementation steps and challenges

11.10 UK sustainable finance initiatives (Part 1)

• UK's roadmap to sustainable investing
• FCA's approach to introducing TCFD-aligned disclosure requirements for asset managers
• FCA's consultation paper on sustainability disclosure requirements and investment labels

11:40 Break

11:50 UK sustainable finance initiatives (Part 2)

• UK Transition Plan Taskforce
• UK Green Taxonomy

12:05 Consider practical implementation steps and challenges

12:15 The "S" and "G" of ESG, hot topics, recap

• Consider policy makers' and regulators' approach to social and governance considerations and the interaction between E, S and G issues
• Discuss hot topics in ESG regulation

12:30 Close and networking

This training course is run under the Chatham House Rule, for reference please see here

This course is an introduction to ESG considerations. Given the pervasiveness of ESG considerations, the course will be of interest to front, middle and back-office functions such as legal, compliance and HR.

Daniel Hirschfield

Daniel Hirschfield is a senior lawyer in the Financial Services Regulatory Group at Taylor Wessing.  He has significant experience in advising businesses across the investment management sector on UK and European regulatory requirements and is a core member of the firm's ESG team.  In addition, Daniel is a member of the Data, Disclosure and Metrics and the Transition to Net Zero working groups of the Climate Financial Risk Forum.

Daniel also delivers our introductory TCFD training.

IA Member £395.00 +VAT
Non-Member £545.00 +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:

Hybrid deliveries of our training allows participants on our courses the option to attend in-person here from our offices at Camomile Court, or you can attend virtually via MS Teams.

Please be advised a training course could change from hybrid delivery to solely virtual delivery. In such an event, we will inform delegates at least one week prior to the course delivery date.

There are a limited number of in-person spaces available on this course and this will be allocated on a first come first served basis.