SEC Includes ESG in Its Risk Warning to Fund Manag
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Posted On: 12/04/2024 1:47:30 AM
SEC Includes ESG in Its Risk Warning to Fund Managers
Last month, the United States Securities and Exchange Commission broadcasted a risk alert that warned fund managers of problems flagged during audits. The alert, which centered on a number of areas, also highlighted that ESG was an area of focus for the commission and reflects the shift in sustainability reporting.
Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) is an investing framework that considers other factors other than the financial. It became popular in 2020/2021, following a worldwide push by activists and fund managers. With ESG being regulated more, funds and firms based in the United States are focusing more on climate, with most regulations requiring that GHG emissions be reported by companies.
While most of the focus around this framework has been on reporting standards for organizations, fund managers and their actions have also seen regulation increase on their part.
In the latest alert, the SEC focused on ESG claims made by funds. The SEC listed examples of weaknesses/deficiencies observed that were associated with disclosure issues, revealing that sales literature like websites contained omissions of material fact and even statements that were untrue.
For instance, funds misrepresented the use of ESG factors in their decision-making processes concerning investments as compared to their actual practices. The SEC has already enacted some regulation changes focused on preventing fund managers from misrepresenting their fund’s contents, going as far as to penalize funds that have violated these regulations.
This past October, the SEC revealed that it’d be penalizing WisdomTree Asset Management for misleading investors on matters associated with ESG funds. This came after the commission found that the organization’s ESG-marketed funds were invested in firms involved in tobacco and fossil fuels, including coal transportation and mining.
In 2021, the commission’s Division of Examinations published a risk alert involving ESG. The division carries out examinations, which are basically audits of the investment industry which include analyzes of an entity’s operations, history, products offered, services, and other risk factors.
The April 2021 alert demonstrated a new focus on ESG, with the topic remaining a yearly priority until last year, when it was excluded.
The omission aligned with an amendment to the Investment Company Act circa 2023, which considered ESG. Given knowledge that most investors get a fund’s first impression from its name, the SEC made it compulsory for a fund’s name to reflect its investment strategy.
Under this amendment, funds with phrases associated with ESG factors like sustainability and climate, are mandated to align 80% of the investment with those names. This may explain why ESG wasn’t included in last year’s list of priorities but was included in the recent alert, possibly to give time to funds to adjust to the new regulation.
The evolving regulatory landscape surrounding ESG in the U.S. will be watched by entities like Reflex Advanced Materials Corp. (CSE: RFLX) (OTCQB: RFLXF) since it could impact how other jurisdictions design their rules too.
NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to Reflex Advanced Materials Corp. (CSE: RFLX) (OTCQB: RFLXF) are available in the company’s newsroom at https://ibn.fm/RFLXF
Please see full terms of use and disclaimers on the ESGWireNews website applicable to all content provided by ESG, wherever published or re-published: https://www.ESGWireNews.com/Disclaimer
Last month, the United States Securities and Exchange Commission broadcasted a risk alert that warned fund managers of problems flagged during audits. The alert, which centered on a number of areas, also highlighted that ESG was an area of focus for the commission and reflects the shift in sustainability reporting.
Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) is an investing framework that considers other factors other than the financial. It became popular in 2020/2021, following a worldwide push by activists and fund managers. With ESG being regulated more, funds and firms based in the United States are focusing more on climate, with most regulations requiring that GHG emissions be reported by companies.
While most of the focus around this framework has been on reporting standards for organizations, fund managers and their actions have also seen regulation increase on their part.
In the latest alert, the SEC focused on ESG claims made by funds. The SEC listed examples of weaknesses/deficiencies observed that were associated with disclosure issues, revealing that sales literature like websites contained omissions of material fact and even statements that were untrue.
For instance, funds misrepresented the use of ESG factors in their decision-making processes concerning investments as compared to their actual practices. The SEC has already enacted some regulation changes focused on preventing fund managers from misrepresenting their fund’s contents, going as far as to penalize funds that have violated these regulations.
This past October, the SEC revealed that it’d be penalizing WisdomTree Asset Management for misleading investors on matters associated with ESG funds. This came after the commission found that the organization’s ESG-marketed funds were invested in firms involved in tobacco and fossil fuels, including coal transportation and mining.
In 2021, the commission’s Division of Examinations published a risk alert involving ESG. The division carries out examinations, which are basically audits of the investment industry which include analyzes of an entity’s operations, history, products offered, services, and other risk factors.
The April 2021 alert demonstrated a new focus on ESG, with the topic remaining a yearly priority until last year, when it was excluded.
The omission aligned with an amendment to the Investment Company Act circa 2023, which considered ESG. Given knowledge that most investors get a fund’s first impression from its name, the SEC made it compulsory for a fund’s name to reflect its investment strategy.
Under this amendment, funds with phrases associated with ESG factors like sustainability and climate, are mandated to align 80% of the investment with those names. This may explain why ESG wasn’t included in last year’s list of priorities but was included in the recent alert, possibly to give time to funds to adjust to the new regulation.
The evolving regulatory landscape surrounding ESG in the U.S. will be watched by entities like Reflex Advanced Materials Corp. (CSE: RFLX) (OTCQB: RFLXF) since it could impact how other jurisdictions design their rules too.
NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to Reflex Advanced Materials Corp. (CSE: RFLX) (OTCQB: RFLXF) are available in the company’s newsroom at https://ibn.fm/RFLXF
Please see full terms of use and disclaimers on the ESGWireNews website applicable to all content provided by ESG, wherever published or re-published: https://www.ESGWireNews.com/Disclaimer
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