Sustainable finance: Great reclassification is coming
The growing complexity of Europe’s sustainable finance framework and a lack of clear guidance from EU supervisors is leading to a fragmented application of the benchmark EU regulation that determines which investment funds are sustainable and which are not. As a result, the sector is facing what Morningstar’s top ESG expert calls “The Great Reclassification”.
‘21% of European open-ended funds promote sustainability'
More than a fifth of European Ucits funds claim to be compatible with Article 8 or 9 of the new European Sustainability Regulation SFDR in their prospectus. ‘Interpretation of the definitions varies greatly, with some managers taking a much looser approach than others,’ notes head of sustainability research at Morningstar Hortense Bioy in conversation with Investment Officer.
Sustainable fund inflows continue rise
European sustainable funds attracted inflows of €52.6 billion in the third quarter of 2020, bringing total assets in sustainable funds to €882 billion according to figures from Morningstar.
Net inflows were slightly down from the €55.5 billion in the second quarter, but represented a bigger share (40%) of overall European fund flows. The strong inflows were driven by continued investor interest in environmental, social, and governance issues, intensified in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, as well as the expansion of the sustainable fund universe.