Michael Hurley

Linking alpha to ESG data key to advancing industry, says Man Group (ESG Data conference)

Proving that financially material ESG data can drive financial outperformance is key to ensuring "mainstream" investment committees take sustainable investing seriously, according to a senior researcher at Man Group.

European Parliament votes to weaken transition plan rules, reduce scope of CSDDD

Members of European Parliament (MEPs) agreed to weaken rules requiring companies to implement climate transition plans and to reduce the number of companies required to conduct sustainability due diligence, after a key vote on the EU's omnibus package.

Robeco calls for ESG data providers to help build avoided emissions into funds (ESG Data conference)

ESG data providers could help drive adoption of 'avoided emissions' as a factor for selecting constituents in passive investment funds, Robeco has suggested.

SEC chair backs giving companies more power to block 'politicised' ESG resolutions

Companies would be given more power to ignore shareholder proposals under a rule change proposed by the chair of the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), who argued investors' ESG-related proposals risked undermining growth.

Amundi mulls role of nature, transition debt in follow-up to EGO fund

Amundi is considering including nature-related and transition-themed bonds in a follow-up to its first-of-its-kind blended finance green bond fund.

Compromise sets up EU vote on future of CSRD, CSDDD rules

ESMA: 'SFDR product categories can only work if they are robust enough'

The EU's financial markets regulator talks SFDR 2.0, transition funds and where next for its ESG ratings regulation. Michael Hurley reports

Overhauled SFDR to be presented in November

The revised EU Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR) is set to be presented to a meeting of senior European commissioners on 19 November, according to a tentative agenda by the Commission.

Finnish pension fund shifts €7bn portfolio to sustainability-themed benchmarks

Elo has replaced its conventional listed equity benchmarks with versions customised to promote climate and other sustainability objectives, for a portion of its investments worth about €7 billion ($8.2 billion).

Voluntary standard for SMEs set to plug Omnibus-shaped gap in CSRD coverage

A lightweight version of the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS) for small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) is likely to be recommended for use by a swathe of medium-sized companies after they are removed from the scope of mandatory reporting.