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Australia's Active Super found guilty of making deceptive environmental claims

Australia's Federal Court has actually found superannuation fund Active Super guilty of making deceptive claims concerning its environmental, social and governance (ESG). qualifications, the nation's securities regulator stated on. Wednesday.

The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC). had sued Active Super in 2015, disputing the fund's claims. that it no longer held financial investments in betting, coal mining and. oil tar sands, and that it had left Russian investments.

The court found that in between February 2021 and June 2023,. Active Super purchased various properties that it had actually said were. removed or restricted by ESG financial investment screens, the. regulator said in a declaration.

At the time of making the misleading claims, Active Super. had stakes in gambling business SkyCity Entertainment,. Russian company Gazprom and coal miner WhiteHaven Coal. , to name a few, the regulator stated.

ASIC took this case since it sends a strong message to. companies making sustainable financial investment declares that they need to. show their true position, ASIC Deputy Chair Sarah Court. stated.

The court will think about a penalty to impose for Active. Super's conduct at a later date, the regulator said.

A spokesperson for Active Super said the fund co-operated. with the examination and invites increased analysis on ESG. disclosure standards as benefiting members, the super. industry and the community.

The A$ 13.5 billion

(source: Reuters)