The Financial Reporting Council (FRC) has signalled its intention to review the UK Stewardship Code 2020. The purpose of the review is to understand whether the Code is driving better stewardship outcomes, without contributing unduly to reporting burdens.
In particular, the review will focus on the extent to which the Code:
· Supports long term value creation through appropriate investor-issuer engagement that drives issuers’ prospects and performance;
· Creates reporting burdens on issuers as well as Code signatories; and
· Has led to any unintended consequences, such as short-termism in targets and outlook for issuers.
The review will include targeted outreach to issuers, asset managers, asset owners and service providers covering the 3 focus areas (above) and a public consultation following the 2024 AGM voting season.
The revised Code was published in early 2025. For the latest on the Stewardship Code, please see here.
Further Reading
As transition investing gains momentum, asset managers will need to show that their strategies are not only aligned with long-term sustainability goals, but backed by credible plans, measurable progress and real-world outcomes.
SFDR, PRI, Stewardship Code and more in the Danesmead Advisory November 2025 newsletter.
Summary of changes to approach and requirements under the revised UK Stewardship Code 2026.
ESMA poposes sustainability disclosures for ALL financial products, SFDR study published, UK Stewardship Code updates, and more in the Danesmead ESG 2024 July newsletter.
What is the UK Stewardship Code and what’s involved in making a successful application?