Climate Action: We Must Transition - 15 rock

Introduction

United Kingdom’s chief financial minister, Rishi Sunak announced new details in the Sustainability Disclosure Requirements (SDR). The UK government will assemble a taskforce to create a thorough transition plan for industries and companies to report their steps towards net zero. In this article, I will summarize UK’s Transition Plan, taskforce, results, and 15Rock’s solution.

Transition Plan

The UK Government is creating a transition plan to “green the financial system.” Additional requirements to the SDR will frame a clear relationship between investors, the financial system, and the environment. The government said, “as standards for transition plans mature, the government and regulators will move towards making it mandatory for firms to publish their transition plans.” Rishi Sunak committed to this idea, “making this a requirement for certain financial sector firms and listed companies by 2023.”

Transition Plan Taskforce (TPT)

Given a two-year mandate with international coordination, UK industries, academics, and civil society groups are tasked to develop a thorough transition template for each sector. Sectoral conditions exist for some, but not to another. Development of templates for each sector addresses these conditions while providing guidelines. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) will be involved with the process with financial regulators as spectators.

The Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) along with other existing guidance will be referenced with review to metrics, benchmarks, third-part verification, and external factors. The government has further goals. They aim to be a global leader, to set an example in the development of standards, with further goals to set the standards as a norm.

The UK Centre for Green Finance and Investment (CGFI) and Third Generation Environmentalism (E3G) an independent climate change oriented-organization will develop measures and administer movements against greenwashing. The TPT will include a firm standard against greenwashing while enforcing users and reports to “produce accurate, robust, and accountable transition plans and avoid greenwashing.”

Results

Transition Plan Disclosure Framework sets a regulatory standard that must be met. Based on science, the framework covers a variety of key features:

• Short, medium, and long-term targets.
• Capital expenditure plans.
• Specific actions against climate mitigation & adaptation initiatives.
• Sector-specific plans.
• Pursuing new investment areas.
• Guidance on governance and assurance.
• Actionable & interpretable transition plans.
• Avoid greenwashing.
• Prepare accurate & accountable transition plans.

Actions United, Efforts Combined

Individuals with a burning desire to impact the world, to tackle climate change before it ultimately moves us - transition especially enforced by the government forces firms and industries to move. They are to create an action and goal towards an indefinite greater good - for everybody.

We as individuals should do our part and follow the UK’s example, to take lead and make change here in Canada. Starting with:

• Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB): Evolving template to become a reporting standard, guiding all those decarbonizing our economy.
• Pacific Investment Management Co. (PIMCO): Guidance for sustainable bond issuance, focusing on the use of proceeds to be aligned with Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).
• BlackRock: Investors have already been managing transition plans, creating and reflecting upon client portfolios.

How will you contributing to climate change? No one is powerless.

At 15Rock, we believe that companies who are aware of their environmental impact are more efficient and better able to manage their risk compared to their peers. We help companies identify and manage their risk - you have a pursuit of happiness, we are there to help them make money, save money. There are many hurdles, with special mention to lack of standardized ESG data. Unable to accurately assess company portfolios causes problems for company reputation and shareholders. Data is collected differently from one company to the next - different metrics, weighting, overall methodology of data tracking, making a data set incomparable to another.

Having one unified standard with only one method of interpretation is how 15Rock creates transparency of data. 15Rock is pushing towards one unified framework. Our solution is to enable understanding and actions towards a client’s net zero goal. We provide insight of their net zero journey, providing guidance, consultation, and data each step of the way. With alignment to the TCFD, we can help you model environmental data and connecting to companies financial performance with an analytics approach. To forecast financial or investor trends, we blend external data with a machine learning system to provide you with insight and guidance on your next steps towards your goals. Together, we can reach net zero.

The UK has shown what can be done when government and industries work together - right now is the perfect opportunity for action. Watch how we will move the industry and the world. Have a talk with us to see what we can do for you to take part in the movement.