The report examines recent regulatory shifts in Europe and the UK affecting sustainable funds. It outlines rebranding impacts, highlights inconsistencies in fund categorisation, and stresses the need for broader sustainability definitions beyond the EU Taxonomy to avoid constraining investment opportunities and to better accommodate transition-related financial products.

The report outlines the challenges of ESG fund classification and proposes a structured framework based on three observable features: ESG information use for risk-adjusted returns, policies controlling ESG exposure, and explicit impact objectives. It critiques existing regulatory approaches and suggests improvements for investor clarity, regulatory effectiveness, and research utility.

This report provides insights on sustainable investing labelling. Investors can self-classify and maintain market integrity through clear, accurate labelling backed by independent verification. The report offers a proprietary Framework for Impact Labeling, case studies, and observations about sustainable investing.