Sustainable finance and ESG consulting
SFDR, the EU taxonomy and why sustainability is now part of advice
A few years ago sustainability was something only the most interested customers asked about. Today it is a fixed part of both the legislation and the advice you are expected to be able to give — regardless of whether the customer asks themselves.
§Why sustainability has entered financial advice
EU climate targets have led to a series of regulations that should make it clearer how sustainable financial products and companies actually are—and prevent products from being called green without really being so. The rules affect banks, mortgage credit institutions, pension companies, and insurance companies, and have direct significance for how you advise.
§SFDR and the EU taxonomy
SFDR — the regulation on sustainability-related disclosures in the financial sector — requires financial companies to disclose how sustainable their investment products actually are. The EU taxonomy is a common classification system that defines which economic activities can be considered environmentally sustainable. Together, these two sets of rules provide a common language so customers can compare the sustainability of products across companies.
- 01E — Environmental: environment and climate such as CO2 emissions and resource consumption.
- 02S — Social: conditions for employees, supply chains and local communities
- 03G — Governance: good corporate governance, transparency and accountability in management
§Green loans and sustainable credit rating
Several banks and mortgage institutions today offer green loans with more favorable terms if the customer can demonstrate that the money is used for environmental improvement purposes — for example energy renovation of the home. The Financial Supervisory Authority has also issued guidance on how climate and environmental considerations can be included in the credit assessment so sustainability is also starting to play a role in the actual loan assessment not just in product selection.
§Your role in sustainable counseling
With investment advice you are now obliged to inquire about the customer's sustainability preferences as part of the suitability assessment — not just about risk and time horizon. This means sustainability is no longer something you only bring up if the customer mentions it first.
| Concept | Meaning |
|---|---|
| ESG | Common term for environment, social conditions and good corporate governance |
| SFDR | EU Regulation on disclosure requirements for sustainable financial products |
| The EU taxonomy | Common classification of what counts as environmentally sustainable activities |
| Greenwashing | Making a product appear more sustainable than it really is |