CFA Society UK (CFA UK) Scottish Committee calls on the UK Labour Government to support the development of Scotland as a green financial hub. In an open letter published in the Financial Times on 26 September, CFA UK Scottish Committee chair, David Clarke, CFA said:
“Decades of consolidation across the life assurance and investment industries have seen the demise of many famous and long-standing Scottish fund management brands. The Scottish investment community is an irreplaceable national resource. While the successors to the pioneers of the investment trust and life assurance industries continue to do their work, there are many fewer of them doing it today than there were. With the support of government and development agencies at a UK and Scottish level, we believe that the investment sector in Scotland can prosper and continue to play a key role in managing the savings of the UK and the wider world.”
The CFA UK Scottish committee’s call to action letter coincides with the launch of the Scottish Government Taskforce report on Green and Sustainable Financial Services. Welcoming the report Will Goodhart, chief executive of CFA UK said “Building skills and knowledge is a crucial component of the Net Zero. It is inevitable that we are moving to a world in which every financial decision is informed by sustainability. This means everyone working in finance needs to be helped in building the necessary skills and knowledge. CFA UK and the CFA UK Scottish Committee have been delighted to work with the Scottish Government Taskforce in highlighting the need for upskilling financial services professionals in sustainable investment practice.”
CFA UK is a leader in sustainable investment education. The society launched the world-leading Certificate in ESG Investing in 2019 and the Certificate in Climate & Investing in 2022 and the Certificate in Impact Investing in 2024.
About CFA UK
CFA UK is a diverse community of 12,000 investment professionals. We are part of the worldwide network of CFA Institute member societies. We grow talent by educating, connecting and inspiring investment professionals to build a sustainable future.
About CFA UK Scottish Committee
The Scottish Committee helps to build a stronger network of members in Scotland and increase the participation rate among Scottish members.
About the Scottish Government Taskforce report on Green and Sustainable Financial Services
The Taskforce sought to coordinate and enhance Scotland’s sustainable finance cluster and develop its position as a leading global centre of excellence for green and sustainable finance.
With active participation from 24 financial institutions and financial services stakeholders, during its 2+ year lifespan, the Taskforce hosted 8 formal meetings, delivered 2 presentations to the First Minister’s Financial Services Growth and Development Board, facilitated over 10 workshops and conducted 50-plus private meetings.