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31 May 2024 / Teja Pisk
Issue: 8073 / Categories: Features , Commercial , Environment , Company
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Anti-greenwashing rules: climate compliance

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The FCA’s new anti-greenwashing rule has come into force. Businesses need to act—right now—writes Teja Pisk
  • The FCA’s new greenwashing measures aim to protect consumers and improve trust in sustainable investment products and services.
  • Firms must act now or risk ramifications under civil, criminal or regulatory enforcement proceedings—and stay on top of future legislative changes.

In keeping with growing consumer interest in sustainability, the number of products and services claiming to be sustainable and environmentally friendly has increased exponentially in recent years.

This boom in ‘green’ branding has fuelled concerns that organisations are ‘greenwashing’, ie, making false, misleading or unsubstantiated claims about the environmental benefits or impact of their business, products or services.

Changing at pace

The UK’s environmental, social and governance (ESG) legal and regulatory landscape has historically been relatively fragmented (greenwashing, for example, still has no legal definition), but that is now changing at pace, with an array of new ESG-related legislation and regulation that businesses must comply with.

One such development has come from the Financial

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

Bell Yard Kysen—Liz Giles

Bell Yard Kysen—Liz Giles

Bell Yard Kysen appoints senior legal PR and ex-government communications adviser, Liz Giles

Clarke Willmott—Lee Edwards

Clarke Willmott—Lee Edwards

Clarke Willmott boosts Southampton commercial property team with addition of partner Lee Edwards

Lime Solicitors—four promotions

Lime Solicitors—four promotions

Lime Solicitors announces four promotions

NEWS
The Attorney General, Ellie Reeves KC MP, and Solicitor General, Andy Slaughter KC MP, marked the 25th anniversary of Pro Bono Week by joining lawyers, charities, students and parliamentarians at events celebrating voluntary legal work
Witness evidence can be compromised by AI before a solicitor sees the draft, leaving safeguards focused on authorship incomplete
Possession claims are entering a new digital era, with procedural traps awaiting practitioners who assume familiar rules still govern every step
The Environment Agency can prosecute offences beyond environmental legislation where proceedings support its statutory functions, the Divisional Court has confirmed
A polished legal defence may owe more to artificial intelligence than legal merit—and creditors risk paying the price in delay and expense
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