How can we put an end to greenwashing? Labour Party Conference fringe meeting - Sunday 8 October, 12.30-1.30 Room 25, Liverpool ACC

 CHAIR

·        Clive Betts MP, Chair Parliament Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Committee

SPEAKERS

·        Baroness Blake of Leeds, Lords Spokesperson Energy and Net Zero

·        Cllr John Gray, Vice Chair, Local Authority Pension Fund Forum (LAPFF)

·        Cllr Rishi Madlani, SERA - Labour’s Environment Campaign and Chair, London Borough of Camden Pensions Committee

BACKGROUND

There is widespread concern and public anger about companies making misleading and sometimes false statements about their environmental credentials. The issue is also on the radar of regulators and governments with growing interest about the use of terms and labels such as ‘sustainable’. Although interventions are starting to be made will they be enough to guard against the dangers that greenwashing poses?

For government, such dangers include delayed action to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement and avoid the worst effects of climate change. It also poses significant risks to our financial system and for investors. Unclear or misleading disclosures from companies could mean risks are masked and action is not taken by investors through their stewardship activity. Equally, misleading financial products also carry with it the risk that capital is misallocated while also undermining confidence in green products and sustainable investment.

The fringe event will discuss what more needs to be done nationally and internationally to improve disclosures and taxonomies and tackle greenwashing? And in the UK, what roles should government, councils, investors, companies and civil society play to end greenwashing?  

As the event is open to all people attending the conference it will not be held under Chatham House Rules.

FRINGE HOSTS

The event is supported by the Local Authority Pension Fund Forum (LAPFF), which represents the interests of 87 UK public sector (LGPS) pension fund members and seven Pools with combined assets of over £350bn. LAPFF promotes the highest standards of corporate governance to protect the long-term value of local authority pension funds. It does so primarily by engaging some of the world’s largest companies on environmental, social and governance issues.

The Smith Institute, an independent, not-for-profit think tank, is the co-host, providing the secretariat for the fringe event.

CONTACT ON THE DAY Paul Hackett

Picture https://lapfforum.org/engagements/were-going-to-need-a-bigger-planet/

Lab12: Labour Housing Group/SERA fringe

I'm trying to catch up and post on Conference fringe events I attended. I'm using my twitter feed to remind me what went on. This event is actually from Monday evening at the Labour Housing Group/SERA fringe "Tackling Rents and Bills" in the Friends meeting house.

Both are affiliated socialist societies of the Party.  This was pretty much packed out and keynote speaker was of course Housing Shadow Minister, Jack Dromey MP.  I did try writing notes on what contributors said rather than "twitter" but have since lost them somehow (teach me not to rely on dead trees).

Jack spoke about a House building programme being the means to help take us out of recession; high land values to be tackled and there will be a Housing summit in the Autumn for the 20 top performing Labour Councils and their partners.  I'm sure that Newham will get an invite.

#Lab11 Labour Housing Group/Co-op/SERA fringe

After the TULO fringe on Sunday I went with UNISON housing members to the Labour Housing Group meeting which was held jointly with the Co-operative Party and SERA.  It was called "Homes for the Future". It was chaired by Jacky Peacock OBE, Vice Chair LHG; Speakers: Alison Seabeck MP, Shadow Housing Minister and Leonie Cooper, SERA.  We were late but listened to the Q&A.   

Alison mentioned that she was looking into whether Council pension funds could be used to fund new homes.  This is a potentially a sensible idea in my view since we need to invest in so called "alternative assets" such as property and it should be a "safe" long term investment ideally suited to help match pension fund liabilities.  This has been talked about for years and should have legs but I think advisers are cautious about such "direct" investment since the days of Arthur Scargill and the Cowan decision.  I think that times have moved on.  This is not an "ethical" investment issue.