30 March 2023: CFA Society UK (CFA UK) today welcomed the publication of the UK Government’s updated Mobilising Green Investment: 2023 Green Finance Strategy with its greater emphasis on the importance of education and training to support the UK’s net zero ambitions and its proposal to introduce greater measures to stamp out so-called green washing in financial markets.
This revised version of the Green Finance Strategy outlines the UK’s plan to reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. The strategy expands and reinforces climate and environmental factors as a financial imperative, highlighting mobilising private finance for clean and resilient growth and cementing UK leadership in green finance.
Welcoming the publication of the UK Government’s Green Finance Strategy, Will Goodhart, Chief Executive of the CFA Society UK said:
'It’s great to have the government’s support for the Sustainable Finance Education Charter. Building skills and knowledge is a crucial component of the Net Zero transition and the UK’s professional bodies have the opportunity to drive that process at home and internationally. If we are to move to a world in which every financial decision is informed by sustainability, then everyone working in finance needs to be helped in building the necessary skills and knowledge.'
Professional bodies such as CFA UK are already playing their part by launching qualifications and incorporating sustainability into ongoing professional development as demonstrated in the Sustainable Finance Education Charter 2nd Progress Report. CFA UK launched the world-leading Certificate in ESG Investing in 2019 and the Certificate in Climate & Investing last year.
ENDS
About CFA Society UK
Part of the worldwide network of member societies of CFA Institute, CFA UK represents the interests of 12,000 investment professionals in the UK through advocacy, education, events and professional development. It promotes the highest standards of ethics, education, and professional excellence in the UK investment profession, for the ultimate benefit of society.
About the Sustainable Finance Education Charter
Announced in the UK Government’s 2019 original Green Finance Strategy, and launched in June 2020, the Green Finance Education Charter (GFEC) was a world first. Reflecting the need for professional bodies to engage with our members on issues beyond climate, including on biodiversity, nature-based finance and social sustainability, the Charter was recently relaunched as the Sustainable Finance Education Charter (SFEC).
The Charter is designed to build the capacity and capability of the green and sustainable finance sector in the UK and internationally. The SFEC currently comprises 14 professional bodies, representing around 1 million finance professionals and includes signatory members from those in the accounting, actuarial science, audit, banking, insurance, investment, risk management and treasury sectors.
Individually and collectively SFEC member bodies play critical roles in setting and embedding professional, technical and market standards and norms in UK and global finance.
The SFEC also acknowledges the collective responsibility of the global community, including banking, finance and professional services sectors to deliver society’s goals as expressed in the UN Sustainable Development Goals, the Paris Climate Agreement and the Global Biodiversity Framework.
For further information contact:
Megan Lloyd, Vested
megan@fullyvested.com
+44(0)7907664468