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Policy Hub

Our resources provide practical recommendations and guidance on key responsible investment themes.

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Briefing18 March 2024

From Policy to Preservation: Why the UK Government should introduce mandatory reporting against the TNFD

The Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) is a disclosure framework designed to help companies and financial institutions to identify their risks, impacts and dependencies on nature. The financial sector has a pivotal role to play in addressing the biodiversity crisis, but many institutions have failed to embed nature within their decision making. This briefing shows the need for increased ambition in enshrining nature protection within UK policy, beginning with sector wide mandatory disclosures against the TNFD, to align with the UK Government’s preexisting commitment to Target 15 of the Global Biodiversity Framework and its ambition to become a global leader on nature conservation.

Briefing29 February 2024

ShareAction UK General Election 2024 Manifesto

The next UK government will be in power at a crucial time. It will have to take urgent action to tackle the climate crisis, nature loss, rising inequality and public health issues. The finance sector holds the key to helping solve these challenges, through the investments it makes and the companies it supports. But current practice is too often focused on profits at the expense of people and the environment.   With a general election expected this year, we’ve set out six ways the next UK government can ensure the financial system is a force for good. Our new manifesto sets out how these measures would have a significant positive impact in driving action to cut carbon emissions, protect nature and shape fairer, healthier societies. These interventions build on existing policy initiatives and require little to no public expenditure. We urge the next government to be bold and take the necessary action to address the urgent crises we face.

Consultation Responses23 February 2024

ShareAction Written Evidence to the Work and Pensions Select Committee on Fiduciary Duty

ShareAction has submitted written evidence to the Work and Pensions Select Committee on fiduciary duty, including managing climate change risks. The pensions system should work in the interests of pension savers. This means making a financial return to pay their retirement income but also accounting for how they are impacted by where their money is invested. We consider that a legal change to the definition of fiduciary duty is still needed to remove legal uncertainty, minimise important practical concerns and ensure that trustees take real action to address sustainability risks and opportunities.

Consultation Responses05 September 2023

ShareAction response to Pension trustee capability call for evidence

ShareAction and Impact Investing Institute’s joint-submission to DWP’s call for evidence on trustee capabilities, in which we call for statutory redefinition of savers’ “best interests” to ensure pensions savings are aligned with a sustainable future.

Briefing04 September 2023

ShareAction Briefing on Investor due diligence obligations in the CSDDD

ShareAction has produced a briefing on investor due diligence obligations in the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD). The trilogue negotiations on the CSDDD are an opportunity to establish due diligence obligations for financial and non-financial companies across the EU market. With global temperatures rising and inequalities increasing, there is an urgent need for investors to conduct meaningful due diligence to adequately manage sustainability risks across their value chains and support strong human rights and environmental protection. This briefing shows that the concept of due diligence is not novel to investors, but common standards are lacking.

Consultation Responses16 August 2023

ShareAction response to Smarter regulation non-financial reporting review: Call for evidence

ShareAction responded to the Smarter Regulation Non-Financial Reporting Review: Call for Evidence. We welcome the government taking a fresh look at the body of requirements companies need to comply with to ensure that the UK’s corporate reporting framework continues to deliver what investors and other stakeholders need to support economic growth and long-term value creation. While we agree that non-financial information prepared by companies is useful, we have made several recommendations specifically regarding the reporting requirements for social issues.

Consultation Responses07 July 2023

European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS) consultation response

ShareAction welcomes the publication of the draft Delegated Act on the European Sustainability Reporting Standards by the European Commission and appreciates the opportunity to provide feedback. Sustainability reporting is critical for ensuring that companies provide information on the risks and impacts they have on environmental, social and governance matters, which increases transparency and provides clarity to investors. This being said, we want to express our concerns about the significant changes made by the European Commission to the technical draft presented by EFRAG and the overall lowering of the level of ambition compared to what was agreed by the co-legislators when defining the CSRD. Considering the centrality of the reporting standards to the implementation of the EU sustainable finance agenda and transformation of the economy to meet the objectives of the EU Green Deal, we call on the European Commission to maintain the integrity of the ESRS as a full set of standards and prevent some standards being prioritised over others.

Consultation Responses04 July 2023

ShareAction response to the Joint Consultation Paper on the review of SFDR Delegated Regulation

ShareAction welcomes the suggested improvements to the delegated Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation, especially with regards to indicators to cover social aspects. We have however suggested recommendations on how to strengthen the proposed mandatory social indicators investors will have to report on.

Joint Statement27 June 2023

Open Letter for a Social Taxonomy

Together with 12 other NGOs, we have sent a letter to EU Commissioners McGuinness and Schmit to urge them to follow up on the work on the Social Taxonomy, as mandated by the EU Taxonomy Regulation. The Commission was supposed to publish a report describing the provisions needed to cover social objectives by 31 December 2021, but so far it did not. Building on the progress achieved in recent sustainability initiatives as well as on the report published one year ago by the Platform on Sustainable Finance and pointing at the several merits of a social dimension for the EU Taxonomy, we call on the Commission to not to lose sight of this important work.

Consultation Responses22 May 2023

Consultation paper on technical advice for the review of the IORP II Directive

ShareAction welcomes EIOPA's draft advice addressing proportionality, information and duty of care to members and beneficiaries, sustainability, and diversity and inclusion, which represents a first step to ensure IORPs are subjected to similar provisions as other actors in the financial system. Nonetheless, we believe that more ambition is needed to generate meaningful impact, especially with regards to sustainability. We have provided several suggestions on how to ensure consistency with other legislation, and mainstream sustainability across the different sections of this consultation paper.

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