Editor's view: Where are the SDR Improvers and Mixed Goals?

Naming and marketing rules come into force

Today (2 December) marks the long-awaited implementation date for the Sustainability Disclosure Requirements’ (SDR) naming and marketing rules, where all firms authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority and subject to the regime will need to either adopt one of the four labels and/or produce disclosures and statements for the marketing of products.

Firms have already been subject to the regulator's anti-greenwashing rules - which came into effect on 31 May 2024 - to ensure any claims of sustainability either in their products or services are "clear, fair and not misleading". Since the introduction of the labelling regime on a voluntary basis on 31 July 2024, there have been so far 29 funds and four investment trusts - and counting - to have publicly disclosed their adoption of one of the four SDR labels: namely, ‘Sustainability Impact'; ‘Sustainability Focus'; ‘Sustainability Improvers' and ‘Sustainability Mixed Goals'. 'Not eas...