In part three of the session, moderator Tom Caddick, Head of Investments, London for NedGroup Investments, asked three panellists for their views on greenwashing. He noted that, since the explosion in popularity of ESG fund, many asset managers now claim they have multi-decade experience in the space. “Does legacy matter, and can you run products in the ESG space alongside more traditional categories?” he asked.
“It does definitely help, but it’s not a pre-requisite,” replied Mark Lane, Senior Investment Manager at abrdn. He noted that there are companies with experience managing ethical funds, which are quite different to impact funds, for instance. There are also examples of firms importing teams from elsewhere, if the wider business did not have the relevant ESG expertise. “Fund selectors should be able to see through the differences and the nuances with regards to both,” he said.