ESAs Call for Enhanced Supervision and Improved Market Practice on Sustainability-Related Claims Press Releases Sustainable Finance

In their respective reports the ESAs reiterate the common high-level understanding of greenwashing as a practice whereby sustainability-related statements, declarations, actions, or communications do not clearly and fairly reflect the underlying sustainability profile of an entity, a financial product, or financial services. This practice may be misleading to consumers, investors, or other market participants. The ESAs stress again that financial market players have a responsibility to provide sustainability information that is fair, clear, and not misleading. Each ESA provides a stocktake of the current supervisory response to greenwashing risks under their remit and notes that national competent authorities (NCAs) are already taking steps in the area of supervision of sustainability-related claims. In addition, the ESAs provide a forward-looking view of how sustainability-related supervision can be gradually enhanced in coming years. While the ESAs’ reports focus on the EU’s financial sector, they acknowledge that addressing greenwashing requires a global response, involving close cooperation among financial supervisors and the development of interoperable standards for sustainability disclosures.

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