UKSIF suggests FSA may require investment training

Officials at the Financial Services Authority (FSA) could need training courses if they opt to delve further into product intervention.

This is the view of Penny Shepherd, chief executive of UK Sustainable Investment and Finance (UKSIF), who was responding to the publication of a report on the topic by the regulator.

She suggested there is a real risk that financial institutions may find themselves being stifled by such input.

Ms Shepherd said: "If the FSA intervenes more strongly in the design of financial products, its supervisors will need a greater understanding of modern sustainable and responsible investment approaches."

Europe to follow Australian sustainability lead

UK investment managers are taking tips from Australian funds on sustainable investing practices, following the launch of the Responsible Investment Academy.

Seen as a leader in innovation and leadership in the field of responsible investing, Australia presented its expertise to London's Australia House for a meeting arranged by Austrade and the Victorian government.

Mangers representing over half of all Australian AUM are now signed up to the Principles for Responsible Investment, a strong example for its UK counterparts, said Penny Shepherd, chief executive, UK Sustainable Investment and Finance association (UKSIF).

UK schemes lag on responsible investing issues

Corporate schemes must increase transparency and demand more responsible investing from their asset managers to keep pace with pension funds outside the UK, UKSIF says.

The sustainable investment forum said private sector funds needed to make their statement of investment principles more freely available to the public and build environmental, social and governance issues into the awarding of mandates.

Compared with funds overseas, the UK needed to be more forward thinking, the organisation said.
UKSIF chief executive Penny Shepherd said: "Pension funds should be more transparent, demanding long term responsible investments from their asset managers