When opening the news pages we never know what to expect these days. Almost every day we learn about a decision which seems to move the world further away from achieving global sustainability goals, be it related to climate, nature, public health, poverty alleviation or peace. The announcement of the Omnibus – the EU package aiming to simplify sustainability regulation – was also awaited with the concerns that even the EU would abandon their plans for greening the economy. Much as the Omnibus package released on 26 February may confirm these fears, we should not forget about the intended effect: to release resources for actual improvements, be it through innovation or more efficient processes. If investors keep track and uphold their sustainability goals and respective requirements for their investees, they can be the lever needed to steer the freed-up resources in the right direction.

In times where sceptic voices are gaining grounds it is all the more important to keep stressing the business case of sustainable strategies. At SSF, we keep our eyes open for comments that call for a reaction (see for example my article in NZZ reacting to allegations of “woke capitalism”). What encourages me is that many asset managers are vocal about the benefit of taking ESG factors into account, allowing them to reduce risks and identify opportunities. Let’s repeat this message whenever we can – it will help us await a phase in which common sense will be gaining grounds again

> Visit our website for more about these and other SSF activities

European News

• The EU corporate sustainability omnibus package from 26 February proposes significant changes to the reporting requirements under the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) and the EU Taxonomy.

International News

• After the US’s announcement to withdraw from the Paris Agreement, 24 US states have committed to the Paris Agreement in a letter to the UN.

Market News

• The Finanzplatz Zürich 2025/2026 report highlights that sustainable finance initiatives are increasingly being integrated into the strategies of financial institutions, with a focus on ESG criteria. This integration is seen as crucial for maintaining the competitiveness of Zurich's financial sector and for attracting international investors who prioritize sustainability.
• The Taskforce on Inequality and Social-related Financial Disclosures (TISFD) has published further guidance on its proposed technical scope. The guidance also outlines recommendations on materiality, prioritisation of indicators and metrics, and the deep interconnections between inequality, social issues, climate change, and nature loss, along with the framework’s relevance to capital providers.
• The TNFD has launched its learning lab, which offers self-paced learning for individuals who want to expand their knowledge of nature-related issues and the TNFD recommendations and guidance.
• The University of Zurich has published a report on ESG communication for sustainability practitioners, which shows that companies have not only institutionalised ESG communication by setting up dedicated ESG teams with experts with considerable experience, but that they are also increasingly professionalising their ESG communication practices.

We are happy to welcome the following organisations as new SSF partners:

• Carbon Trade (Service Provider)
• HSLU, Institut für Finanzdienstleistungen IFZ (Research and Education Provider)

The full list of our members and network partners, now standing at 258, can be found here.  

• 20 March 2025: GIIN/SSF Webinar: Impact Investing Market Insights (members-only)
• 9 April 2025: Celsius Pro Webinar: Integrating Physical Climate Risk into Investment Practices (featuring Director Legal & Regulatory, Katja Brunner). Register here.
• 10 April 2025: Joint SSF/PRI Event for institutional asset owners: Investing for Sustainability Impact (members-only)
• 6 May 2025: Joint AMAS/SSF Event “The Swiss Stewardship Code from Experience to Action: Practical Takeaways and Strategies”, Hotel Metropole, Zurich (18:00-19:40, followed by an apero – invite to follow soon)
• 14 May 2025: GreenBuzz, CelciusPro and Pelt8 Event (in partnership with SSF): Swiss Climate Reporting Forum 2025. Find more information here.
• Save the Date: 17 June 2025, SSF Annual Conference – invite to follow soon

Further events are listed on the SSF website.

• 3 March 2025 | Nachhaltige Anlagen sind noch lange nicht tot (paywall) | NZZ
• 2 March 2025 | En taillant dans sa durabilité, l’UE ne fait que des mécontents (paywall) | Le Temps
• 20 February 2025 | Chair of Switzerland’s new impact platform highlights potential for impact investing in the country | impact Investor
• 13 February 2025 | En Suisse aussi, un appel à alléger la réglementation verte (paywall) | L'AGEFI

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