We have expanded the list of climate policies we assess company engagement with to incorporate land-use related policy, referring to legislative or regulatory measures to enhance and protect ecosystems and land where carbon is being stored. Assessments under this category are currently underweighted in terms of their contribution to the overall company metrics. This weighting will be progressively increased over the next 6 months.
We adjusted the terminology used to describe the queries running down the left-hand side of our scoring matrix and added additional explanatory text to the info-boxes. This has no impact on the scores and methodology. It has been done following user feedback to improve clarity.
Sustainable Finance Lobbying Overview: The Association of British Insurers (ABI) has communicated high-level support for sustainable finance policy, with particularly high engagement on UK sustainable finance policy.
Top-line Messaging on Sustainable Finance Policy: ABI has advocated for the role of the insurance and long-term savings sector in delivering the UK Government’s Net Zero Strategy, and has supported the Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero (GFANZ) and UN-backed Race to Zero. It has also supported UK’s efforts on sustainable finance policy through its Greening Finance Roadmap.
Position on Regulated Corporate ESG Disclosure: ABI appears to be supportive of regulated corporate ESG disclosure. In a joint letter to the UK government with large companies in 2021, ABI advocated for the disclosure of net-zero transition plans. In its 2022 Climate Change Roadmap, ABI supported mandatory implementation of the TCFD in the UK. This was also reflected in its responses to the UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) in 2020 and 2021.
Position on Taxonomies, Integrating ESG into Investor Duties & on the integration of ESG factors into risk management, prudential regulation and stress testing: In its 2022 Climate Change Roadmap, ABI also appears to support the UK Green Taxonomy and ensuring that climate risks strategies are embedded in the industry following Bank of England's 2021/22 Climate Biennial Exploratory Scenario. However, in response to the FCA's consultation on Sustainability Disclosure Requirements (SDR) in 2021, ABI highlighted issues of data availability and suggested a sequencing of information across the market. In response to the FCA in 2022, it also cautioned against a default model for pension funds that accounts for ESG risks.
Lobbying Transparency: ABI has disclosed some positions on specific sustainable finance policies, but without detail on activities undertaken to influence these policies. ABI is transparent about general and board membership, however, it has not disclosed membership of committees and working groups.