ESG claims in marketing communications: managing greenwashing risks and regulatory expectations
As sustainability considerations continue to shape investor, consumer and stakeholder expectations, organisations across industries are increasingly expected to communicate their ESG-related characteristics, commitments and achievements in a clear, balanced and substantiated manner. At the same time, regulators across Europe are placing growing emphasis on the quality and consistency of sustainability-related marketing communications, with an increasing focus on greenwashing risks and misleading ESG claims.
This training provides participants with a practical overview of the regulatory and market expectations governing ESG-related communications and sustainability claims, while exploring the key principles that should guide the drafting, review and approval of sustainability-related messaging across different communication channels. Combining regulatory insights with practical examples, the session equips participants with the knowledge and practical reflexes needed to communicate confidently while mitigating legal, regulatory and reputational risks.
Led by:
About the training session
Objectives
By the end of the training session, the participants will be able to:
- Understand the regulatory framework governing ESG-related marketing communications
- Identify regulatory expectations and common greenwashing risks
- Assess ESG-related claims using clear review criteria
- Recognise common pitfalls and red flags in marketing materials
- Apply practical principles to draft, review and approve ESG-related communications
- Strengthen consistency between ESG commitments, public communications, sustainability disclosures and underlying practices.
Content
Overview of marketing communications and sustainability claims
- Understanding what constitutes a marketing communication
- Marketing communications in the financial and corporate sectors
ESG regulatory framework; including:
- Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition Directive
- ESMA Guidelines and thematic notes on marketing communications, sustainability claims, fund names, etc
- ESMA final report on Greenwashing
- SFDR (Art. 13)
- Selected local requirements (e.g. France – AMF doctrine, labels where relevant, CSSF Findings and Observations)
- Etc
Practical examples:
- Examples of compliant and non-compliant ESG claims
- Selected enforcement cases
- Interactive discussion of practical scenarios
Target Group
- Asset managers and corporates
- AIFM and UCITS management companies
- Marketing and communications teams
- Legal and compliance teams
- Sustainability /ESG teams
- Investor relations professionals
- Banks
- Insurance companies
- Private bankers Investors
- Investors
For more information please contact us by e-mail institute@arendt.com