<p>Filter Knowledge</p>

Three months after the European Commission announced a "simplification revolution", and after six weeks of intense speculation, rumours and leaks, we finally have the official texts of the sustainability "Omnibus" package.  It is now clear that there will be significant changes to EU sustainability regulation.  However, since this package needs approval from the co-legislators, it is unlikely to be the final word. Opponents of the Omnibus have pointed out that what was billed as simplification has turned into significant deregulation – although the European Commission is not labelling it that way.

Our webinar covering the 'how' and 'why' of transition planning through a UK and European lens, with front line learnings from Netherlands preeminent climate law experts, Houthoff. 

A series of dynamic conversations hosted by Simon Witney, sustainable finance specialist, joined by two expert guests.  

In late 2024, the UK Government announced its intention to "crack down on late payments" and outlined a number of measures intended to support this. We look at what the changes mean and why it's more important than ever to take late payment seriously as an issue.

Increased corporate, societal and political focus on ESG has resulted in an increase in ESG-related litigation globally. These claims are emerging across many jurisdictions and relate to a variety of ESG issues including "greenwashing", climate change, business and human rights claims and environmental contamination.

On 7 February 2025, the Government published an open consultation entitled "Improving the energy performance of privately rented homes: 2025 update" (the "Third Consultation"). The Government proposes to raise the minimum energy efficiency standard required of privately rented homes in England and Wales to the equivalent of Energy Performance Certificate ("EPC") C by 2030, and this consultation follows on from the previous government's 2020 consultation (the "First Consultation").

The Court of Appeal in Kumar Limbu & Others v Dyson Technology Limited & Others [2024] EWCA Civ 1564 ("Limbu CoA") has overturned a High Court decision^[1] which had declined jurisdiction to hear claims against members of the Dyson Group brought by 24 migrant workers from Nepal and Bangladesh. This means that the claim, which seeks to hold the Defendants liable for alleged forced labour practices and similar human rights abuses at the facilities of one of the Dyson Group's Malaysian suppliers, will now proceed in the English courts.

Our take on what companies and asset managers should know about the omnibus so far, what we can expect to happen next, and what interest groups are saying about the announcement on the ground.  

As we noted in our previous CSRD briefing, 2024 saw a dizzying number of changes for companies in scope of this landmark sustainability reporting regulation. Keeping track of these changes is a big enough challenge.

In case you missed it: Travers Smith recaps a dramatic year in the world of sustainability reporting.

When the UK's Modern Slavery Act (the "MSA") was introduced in 2015, it was considered world-leading, with the UK being one of the first countries in the world to mandate corporate reporting on modern slavery. Now, nearly 10 years on, the initial optimism appears to be waning.

An Energy Performance Certificate ("EPC") is a certificate, issued by an energy assessor, which shows information about the energy efficiency of the property to which it relates. It is a multi-functional tool: on a practical level, it helps owners and investors to understand and improve the energy performance of their own properties, and can give prospective buyers and tenants an insight into their likely energy costs.

The UK's Walker Guidelines for Disclosure and Transparency in Private Equity (the "Guidelines") have been updated, and a feedback statement was published by the BVCA on 18 December 2024. 

A regular briefing for the alternative asset management industry. 

In this edition, we focus on the infrastructure implications of the new Labour Government's first Budget, including for energy, vehicles, telecoms, housing and major projects.  We also look at new initiatives affecting the UK water industry and UK infrastructure investment more generally.  Please get in touch if you would like to discuss any of the issues discussed below.

At the time of our last COP29 update, we were still waiting to hear what the outcomes would be from several key discussion areas, including negotiations relating to the headline climate finance deal. Although it is relatively normal for COPs to overrun, it was not until the Sunday after the official closing that a New Collective Quantified Goal on Climate Finance ("NCQG") was finally unveiled – highlighting the intensity of last-minute discussions and the difficulty in reaching a climate finance figure that would be acceptable to different parties.

COP29 got underway last week, representing another important event in the global fight against climate change. While it appears that some progress has been made in Baku, including early agreement over standards for a global carbon market, there have also been reports of general dissatisfaction with the pace of decision making – particularly in relation to the set piece negotiations surrounding the 'New Collective Quantified Goal on Climate Finance' ("NCQG"), which is due to be agreed at COP29 (but currently remains elusive).

A regular briefing for the alternative asset management industry.