Regulatory review confirms Guernsey’s position as leader in sustainable finance

Guernsey’s position as the ‘go-to’ specialist finance centre for green and sustainable finance has been underlined by the results of a thematic review of the Guernsey Green Fund regime and the release of a Spring Green consultation paper by the island’s financial services regulator.

The regime provides a robust and transparent product, demonstrating independent validation to current and potential investors that its objective of mitigating environmental damage results in a net positive outcome for the environment.

Dr Andy Sloan, Guernsey Finance Deputy Chief Executive, Strategy said: “The review demonstrates that the regime is working well and validates that its robust rules preclude greenwashing, demonstrating that it is a popular and serendipitous product.”

Guernsey has long recognised the importance of green and sustainable initiatives and was an early adopter in this area. The Guernsey Green Fund, created in 2018, was the world’s first regulated green investment fund product that adopts internationally agreed objectives of COP21, the United National Climate Change Conference.

Dr Sloan added: “In my opinion this review by the Guernsey Financial Services Commission further validates the strategy’s early focus on ESG and confirms Guernsey’s place as a leader in this field.”

There are now 10 Green Funds domiciled in Guernsey, demonstrating that the appetite for investing in Green initiatives continues to increase.

The review reveals that the appetite for green investment and training within the Bailiwick is also growing.

There is increasing evidence that Bailiwick businesses are taking green and ESG risk factors into consideration when planning their business strategies. During risk assessments undertaken in 2019 and 2020 supervisors regularly raised questions regarding appetite and approach to green and ESG.

A number of designated administrators are members of the Guernsey Green Finance Committee that promotes knowledge sharing and upskilling within the Bailiwick.

Read the Thematic Review in full HERE.

Read the Spring Green Consultation paper in full HERE. 

The Guernsey Green Fund was launched in July 2018. It was the world’s first regulated green investment fund, providing a platform on which investments into various green initiatives can be made. It enhances investor access into the green investment space, providing a trusted and transparent product, giving market confidence from a regulatory wrapper.

The Guernsey Green Fund contributes to the internationally agreed objective of mitigating environmental damage and climate change. No regulatory application or ongoing costs are included in the GGF regime and the costs of Route 1 certification are minor in comparison to the size of most funds.

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