Hong Kong SFC Publishes ESG Fund Disclosure Guidelines, 59 Funds Listed Including BlackRock, Amundi and Allianz
30th June 2021 | Hong Kong
The Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) has issued new guidance for SFC-authorised unit trusts and mutual funds on enhanced disclosures for funds which incorporate ESG factors as a key investment focus. The updated circular includes a new requirement for ESG funds to conduct and disclose periodic assessments of how they incorporate ESG factors and also provides additional guidance for ESG funds with a climate-related focus. There are currently 59 SFC-authorised funds listed on SFC with investment focus on climate change, green, ESG or sustainable development including funds from the world’s largest asset managers including BlackRock, Amundi and Allianz. (ESG ~ Environmental, Social and Governance)
” Hong Kong SFC Publishes ESG Fund Disclosure Guidelines, 59 Funds Listed Including BlackRock, Amundi and Allianz “
59 SFC-authorised funds listed on SFC: AllianceBernstein, AXA Aberdeen Standard, Allianz, Amundi, BNP Paribas AM, Bank of China HK, BlackRock, Fidelity, Franklin Templeton, HSBC AM, Invesco, JP Morgan, Janus Henderson, Manulife, Ninety One, Pictet, Mirae Asset, Haitong and Harvest.
Growing ESG Awareness, Need for Increased Transparency
Since 2019, awareness of ESG investing has grown and the number of ESG funds offered to the public in Hong Kong has more than doubled.
In April 2019, Hong Kong SFC issued a Circular to management companies of SFC-authorized unit trusts and mutual funds – Green or ESG funds as an initial step to enhance the disclosure standard of ESG funds and improve their comparability, transparency and visibility.
- Hong Kong SFC-authorised Lis of Green and ESG funds
- Circular: To management companies of SFC-authorized unit trusts and mutual funds – ESG funds
In view of the rapid development of a diverse range of ESG investment strategies, Hong Kong SFC is mindful of the need for asset managers to clearly disclose how funds attain their ESG focus in order to help investors understand these products and assess whether they meet their investment needs.
Hong Kong SFC List of Green and ESG Funds
There are currently 59 SFC-authorised funds listed on SFC with investment focus on climate change, green, ESG or sustainable development from AllianceBernstein, AXA Aberdeen Standard, Allianz, Amundi, BNP Paribas AM, Bank of China HK, BlackRock, Fidelity, Franklin Templeton, HSBC AM, Invesco, JP Morgan, Janus Henderson, Manulife, Ninety One, Pictet, Mirae Asset, Haitong and Harvest.
The database of SFC-authorised ESG funds is available on the Hong Kong SFC website. To enhance transparency for these funds, their key features will also be listed in the database after the new circular takes effect on 1st January 2022.
Hong Kong SFC List of Green and ESG Funds:
| S/N | Hong Kong SFC Authorised Funds | Date |
| 1 | AllianceBernstein Sustainable US Thematic Portfolio (ANE323) | 21/4/06 |
| 2 | AllianceBernstein Sustainable Global Thematic Portfolio (ANP589) | 10/7/06 |
| 3 | AXA World Funds – Framlington Euro Opportunities (BBE290) | 13/3/14 |
| 4 | Aberdeen Standard SICAV I – Asian Sustainable Dev. Equity Fund (BQW126) | 13/5/21 |
| 5 | Allianz Emerging Markets SRI Bond (BOX146) | 23/12/19 |
| 6 | Allianz Emerging Markets SRI Corporate Bond (BOX147) | 23/12/19 |
| 7 | Allianz Food Security (BQC321) | 23/10/20 |
| 8 | Allianz Global Credit SRI (BKR480) | 27/11/17 |
| 9 | Allianz Global Sustainability (AOY397) | 4/10/07 |
| 10 | Allianz Global Water (BRB847) | 16/6/21 |
| 11 | Allianz Green Bond (BOX149) | 23/12/19 |
| 12 | Allianz Positive Change (BRB848) | 16/6/21 |
| 13 | Allianz Smart Energy (BRB850) | 16/6/21 |
| 14 | Amundi HK – Green Planet Fund (AMW928) | 8/3/06 |
| 15 | BNP Paribas Funds Aqua (BND563) | 15/8/18 |
| 16 | BNP Paribas Funds Energy Transition (BAC421) | 28/3/13 |
| 17 | BNP Paribas Funds Global Environment (BND564) | 15/8/18 |
| 18 | BNP Paribas Funds Green Tigers (BAC412) | 28/3/13 |
| 19 | BOCHK All Weather ESG Multi-Asset Fund (BQS212) | 16/4/21 |
| 20 | BlackRock Circular Economy Fund (BQT326) | 1/4/21 |
| 21 | BlackRock ESG Multi-Asset Fund (AEW085) | 22/12/98 |
| 22 | BlackRock Future Of Transport Fund (BOD048) | 17/4/19 |
| 23 | BlackRock Nutrition Fund (ARQ483) | 30/4/09 |
| 24 | BlackRock Sustainable Energy Fund (AGL375) | 8/3/01 |
| 25 | Fidelity Funds – Sustainable Eurozone Equity Fund (BQC281) | 11/12/20 |
| 26 | Fidelity Funds – Sustainable Strategic Bond Fund (BDW989) | 5/2/15 |
| 27 | Fidelity Funds – Sustainable Water & Waste Fund (BQC282) | 11/12/20 |
| 28 | Fidelity Funds – Sustainable Asia Equity Fund (ABE072) | 3/9/90 |
| 29 | Fidelity Funds – Sustainable Japan Equity Fund (ABE070) | 3/9/90 |
| 30 | Templeton Global Climate Change Fund (ACG321) | 18/10/94 |
| 31 | HSBC Global Investment Funds – Global Equity Climate Change (AQC936) | 10/1/08 |
| 32 | HSBC Global Investment Funds – Global Lower Carbon Bond (BLU418) | 9/3/18 |
| 33 | HSBC Global Investment Funds – Global Lower Carbon Equity (BLU417) | 9/3/18 |
| 34 | Hang Seng Corporate Sustainability Index Fund (AWJ523) | 8/6/11 |
| 35 | Invesco Energy Transition Fund (AGK656) | 22/3/01 |
| 36 | Invesco Responsible Global Real Assets Fund (BJX375) | 31/8/17 |
| 37 | Invesco Responsible Japanese Equity Value Discovery Fund (AWI999) | 30/3/11 |
| 38 | Invesco Sustainable Global Structured Equity Fund (ANI766) | 8/8/06 |
| 39 | Invesco Sustainable Pan European Structured Equity Fund (AGF137) | 1/12/00 |
| 40 | JPMorgan Funds – Emerging Markets Sustainable Equity Fund (BQU603) | 27/4/21 |
| 41 | Janus Henderson Horizon Fund – Global Sustainable Equity Fund (BOT685) | 15/11/19 |
| 42 | Manulife Global Fund – Sustainable Asia Bond Fund (BQP896) | 3/3/21 |
| 43 | Ninety One Global Environment Fund (BPM841) | 29/5/20 |
| 44 | Pictet – Clean Energy (APF570) | 2/1/08 |
| 45 | Pictet – Global Environmental Opportunities (AWT552) | 26/1/12 |
| 46 | Pictet – Nutrition (AUB358) | 28/4/10 |
| 47 | Pictet – SmartCity (AWT553) | 26/1/12 |
| 48 | Pictet – Timber (ARB790) | 29/8/08 |
| 49 | Pictet – Water (ARB782) | 29/8/08 |
| 50 | China Green Bond Fund (BQU074) | 16/6/21 |
| 51 | Schroder Global Climate Change Equity (AOS328) | 4/5/07 |
| 52 | Schroder Global Sustainable Growth (AQY780) | 27/5/08 |
| 53 | Sun Life AM Hong Kong ESG Index Fund (BPT918) | 29/9/20 |
| 54 | Jupiter Global Ecology Growth (AQW494) | 9/7/09 |
| 55 | UBS (Lux) Equity Fund – European Opportunity Sustainable (EUR) (AFQ700) | 19/6/00 |
| 56 | UBS (Lux) Equity Fund – Emerging Markets Sustainable Leaders (USD) (AUV945) | 30/9/10 |
| 57 | Mirae Asset – Global X China Clean Energy ETF (BOW996) | 13/1/20 |
| 58 | Haitong MSCI China A ESG ETF (BPW230) | 7/10/20 |
| 59 | Harvest CSI 300 ESG Leaders Index ETF (BQJ629) | 1/3/21 |
The SFC will keep in view of market developments and may provide further guidance or impose additional requirements for ESG funds where appropriate.
- Hong Kong SFC-authorised Lis of Green and ESG funds
- Circular: To management companies of SFC-authorized unit trusts and mutual funds – ESG funds
Ashley Alder, Hong Kong SFC’s Chief Executive Officer:
“Making sustainability-related disclosures more transparent, comparable and consistent will help investors identify suitable ESG funds and reduce opportunities for greenwashing.
Hong Kong’s financial market is where global capital connects with Mainland enterprises, so what we do here can have an outsized influence on global developments in green and sustainable finance.”
ESG Related:
- Deutsche Bank Launches ESG Centre of Excellence in Singapore
- UBS Launched Future of Earth Fund, 3 Thematic Funds Raised $2.6 Billion
- SGX, DBS, Standard Chartered & Temasek Launches New Global Exchange for Carbon Credits
- Deutsche Bank Survey: 75% of Private Bank Clients View Investments Should Have Positive Impact to the World
- The Future of Capital is Green – Keynote Address by Ravi Menon at IMAS-Bloomberg Investment Conference 2021
- Hong Kong Exchange Launches Sustainable and Green Exchange
- 2020 Annual Impact Investor Survey – Global Impact Investing $715 Billion Market Maturing
- IFC Releases The 2020 Growing Impact Report
- BNP Paribas Survey: 40% of Hedge Funds in Survey Consider ESG Factors in Investment Process
- UBS Tightens Carbon Asset Financing, Zero Emissions by 2050
Related:
- Hong Kong SFC: Police Arrested 12 People Suspected of Ramp & Dump Manipulation Schemes
- Hong Kong SFC Issues Restriction Notices to 13 Brokers for 54 Accounts Related to Social Media Scam
- Hong Kong & Singapore Regulators Warn Investors of Increased Trading Risks Triggered by Social Media & Online Forums
- Hong Kong SFC Warns of Investment Scams on Social Media Platforms
- Singapore Exchange Issues Alert on Stocks Trading Scam in Chat Groups
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About Securities and Futures Commission (HK)
The Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) is an independent statutory body set up in 1989 to regulate Hong Kong’s securities and futures markets.
We derive our investigative, remedial and disciplinary powers from the Securities and Futures Ordinance (SFO) and subsidiary legislation. Operationally independent of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, we are funded mainly by transaction levies and licensing fees.
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