The UK ESG Landscape at a Crossroads
The past year has brought a confluence of geopolitical pressures, evolving regulations, and heightened scrutiny of “green” claims. The UK, having charted its own post-Brexit course, now faces the challenge of asserting leadership in sustainable business practices while staying aligned with international standards.
Companies and their counsel must navigate uncertain political winds. The question is no longer whether to engage with ESG, but how to do so in a way that satisfies robust new rules at home, meets or exceeds benchmarks abroad, and withstands reputational scrutiny.
UK legal teams – at law firms and in-house – are approaching this crossroads with a strategic mindset: authoritative in understanding the letter of the law, analytical in assessing risks and trends, reflective about broader societal expectations, and action-oriented in guiding organizations forward.
This three part article series explores the state of ESG in the UK in 2025, focusing on regulatory developments, the interplay between UK and global standards, geopolitical crosswinds, and practical strategies for compliance and risk management.
Raising the Bar: UK ESG Regulations and Anti-Greenwashing Rules
The UK has introduced significant regulatory measures to enhance transparency and integrity in ESG practices, sharpening the focus on both legal compliance and reputational accountability:
FCA’s Anti-Greenwashing Rule: As of May 2024, the Financial Conduct Authority’s new anti-greenwashing rule is in force, applying to all FCA-regulated firms.
It requires that any sustainability-related claim made by a firm – whether in a formal financial promotion or in any client communication – must be clear, fair, and not misleading. This seemingly simple mandate carries weighty implications. Financial institutions can no longer casually label products or strategies as “green”, “sustainable”, or “ESG-friendly” unless those claims are objectively justified. Marketing departments, investor relations, and legal compliance must work hand-in-hand to vet every ESG statement. The legal implication is that misrepresentations can trigger regulatory enforcement or even civil liability for mis-selling or false advertising.
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The reputational implication is equally serious: a firm accused of “greenwashing” may suffer lasting damage to its credibility with clients, investors, and the public. UK regulators have signaled they will not hesitate to act against exaggerated or unfounded sustainability claims – an important warning for legal advisors to convey to their boards and business teams.
Sustainability Disclosure Requirements (SDR) and Investment Labels: In parallel, the UK is rolling out its own Sustainability Disclosure Requirements (SDR) regime.
Final rules published in late 2023 set out new standards for asset managers and financial products to classify and disclose their sustainability profile. A system of sustainable investment labels has been introduced – with categories such as “Sustainable Focus”, “Sustainable Improver”, “Sustainable Impact” (among others) – designed to help investors distinguish the level and nature of a product’s ESG ambition. Importantly, under SDR a firm may not use ESG-related terms in a product name or marketing unless it qualifies for one of the official labels.
This is a stricter approach to nomenclature that aims to eliminate ambiguity (e.g. no more vaguely named “Green Growth Fund” unless it meets defined criteria). Originally voluntary, these labels become increasingly necessary for market credibility, and the FCA has set clear timelines: firms must comply with naming and marketing rules by April 2025 (after a brief extension granted for implementation challenges).
The SDR framework also mandates detailed disclosures accompanying any labelled product, so that the underlying data and strategy – asset allocation, sustainability objectives, KPIs – are transparent. For legal teams, this means scrutinizing fund documentation, prospectuses, and client communications against the new rulebook to ensure full alignment with SDR definitions. Any mismatch between what a product is called and what it actually does will be a liability. In effect, SDR and the anti-greenwashing rule together push the industry towards a truth-in-labelling paradigm for ESG.
Corporate Disclosure and Climate Reporting: Beyond the financial sector, the UK has led in climate-related disclosure by being one of the first major economies to mandate Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) reporting for large companies and financial institutions.
Since 2022, many UK companies have been reporting on climate governance, risk management, strategy, and metrics in line with TCFD. In 2025, this practice is becoming business-as-usual, but new developments are on the horizon. The UK is a strong proponent of the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) global reporting standards – specifically IFRS S1 (general sustainability disclosures) and IFRS S2 (climate-specific disclosures) finalized in 2023. The previous government’s plan to endorse these ISSB standards for UK companies was delayed amid the election period, but a consultation is expected in early 2025 under the new administration. It is widely anticipated that UK regulators will move to make these global standards mandatory for listed companies in the next couple of years (potentially for reporting periods beginning 2026). For in-house counsel, it’s crucial to plan ahead: even companies already doing TCFD reports may need to expand scope (IFRS S1 will cover broader sustainability topics beyond climate) and tighten controls on data quality.
The direction of travel is clear – more robust, standardized ESG reporting is coming, and legal teams should be ready to assure compliance and accurate reporting on day one.
Bolstering the “S” and “G”: While environmental issues often dominate ESG headlines, UK regulators are also turning attention to social and governance factors. For example, the Financial Reporting Council’s revised Corporate Governance Code (expected in 2025) may incorporate ESG considerations more explicitly into directors’ responsibilities.
Likewise, diversity and inclusion reporting, executive remuneration linked to ESG metrics, and workforce-related disclosures are emerging areas. From a reputational standpoint, inconsistencies between a company’s stated values (say on diversity or human rights) and its actual performance can be as damaging as environmental missteps. Legal advisors should ensure that governance frameworks – from board oversight down to internal audits – treat ESG claims and targets as enforceable commitments.
This means putting in place proper oversight of any public sustainability targets (e.g. net-zero pledges, diversity goals) to avoid accusations of “social-washing” or governance failures. The UK’s evolving regulatory regime, combined with pressure from investors and civil society, is effectively raising the bar: ESG promises must be backed by evidence and action.
Why it Matters: The immediate takeaway for UK legal practitioners is that ESG-related regulations are no longer soft guidelines but hard law with teeth. Whether advising a bank on marketing a new green finance product, or guiding a FTSE 100 company on sustainability reporting, lawyers must ensure stringent compliance with the anti-greenwashing standards and SDR framework.
Equally, counsel should advise clients to view these rules not just as obligations but as opportunities – a chance to build trust with stakeholders through credible ESG communication. In a market increasingly allergic to greenwash, those who demonstrate integrity and transparency in ESG will be better positioned to attract investment and avoid legal pitfalls.
