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  • Our work
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    • Growing purpose-driven finance
    • Shifting mainstream finance
    • Influencing policy, regulation and law
    • Building a powerful community
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  • Overview
  • Growing purpose-driven finance
  • Shifting mainstream finance
  • Influencing policy, regulation and law
  • Building a powerful community

Influencing policy, regulation and Law

What we do

We are building the capacity of civil society to act as a powerful voice for social and environmental justice in financial reform.

We do this in two ways.

  1. Providing ‘advocacy infrastructure’. Currently, this includes (i) sharing analysis and building understanding of how and why political and regulatory agendas matter for people and planet, (ii) cultivating a community that shares the Lab’s vision and works together to transform finance policy and regulation, and (iii) developing relationships with decision makers and influencers.
  2. Catalysing ‘strategic influencing initiatives’. New advocacy campaigns that lead to concrete and systemic changes which contribute to our vision for finance. 

Our 2030 goals are to help bring about:

  • a powerful voice for social and environmental justice driving change in financial policy and regulatory decision making;
  • a new mental model in policy making in which the purpose of financial policy and regulation is to improve social and environmental outcomes; and
  • financial regulation, law, policy, and industry standards that support and oblige financial institutions to align to the Paris Agreement and just transition principles.

Current campaign – Finance For Our Future

The Lab is a leading member of the Finance For Our Future campaign, which is made up of a coalition of over 30 civil society organisations. 

Together, we are campaigning to improve the “Future Regulatory Framework” – a major post-Brexit government review that provides a unique opportunity to improve the purpose of financial regulation and question who holds power over it. The government has called this “a once-in-a-generation opportunity”. We are calling on the government to ensure its proposed new rules for our financial sector prioritise creating a fairer economy for the long term. 

To find out more about the campaign and our work on the upcoming Financial Services and Markets Bill 2022, visit the Finance For Our Future website.

Why policy, regulation anD law?

The financial system is not like most other systems. Its policy and regulatory structure fundamentally defines the playing field and rules of the game. These rules may help maintain the status quo, but they can also hold the key to creating or incentivising major transformative change in the system.

This is a pivotal moment for the future of the UK finance sector. Following Brexit, with most policy decisions now being made in the UK, there is a unique opportunity to create a regulatory and legal framework that drives the financial system to good outcomes. At the same time, a fast-paced data revolution is taking place in the UK, and in financial services. With the growth of ‘fintechs’, the increasing role of Big Tech in finance, and new advances such as AI impacting our financial lives, policy and regulation is racing to match the speed of change. 


Get involved

Transforming Finance network

The Transforming Finance Network brings together leading civil society advocates dedicated to making the finance system democratic, sustainable, just and resilient.

We meet regularly to share intelligence about the political and regulatory agenda relevant to finance, identify opportunities for influence, and increase our impact through joint reflection. The network has been co-convened by the Lab and Positive Money since 2013.

To find out more and get involved, contact us using the button below.

Email us

Transforming Data network

The Transforming Data Network brings together civil society and academics dedicated to ensuring that rapid technological change contributes to making the finance system more democratic, sustainable, just and resilient.

We meet regularly to build knowledge of new tech and data-driven business models, share intelligence about the political and regulatory agenda relevant to digital finance, and identify opportunities for influence. We increase our impact through joint reflection.

To find out more and get involved, contact us using the button below.

Email us

Key publications and insights – Influencing law, regulation and policy

For further insights from the programme, see our Influencing policy, regulation and law insights page.

Financial Services Bill 2022: A once-in-a-generation opportunity to legislate for action on climate and nature

A new Financial Services Bill will be announced at the Queen’s Speech on 10 May 2022; this Bill represents a vital opportunity for the UK to…

2022

Open Finance and Vulnerability

Open finance is a radical initiative that aims to give consumers greater control over their data and the power to make better financial decisions. But…

2021

Workshop: Shifting the public debate on financial reform
This is a pivotal moment for the future of the UK finance sector. Following Brexit, the rules governing financial policy and regulation are undergoing a…

Rishi Sunak must rethink plans to turn finance industry regulators into cheerleaders
In an article that first appeared in the Yorkshire Post, Head of Policy and Advocacy, Marloes Nicholls looks at the possible impact of the appointment…

October 31, 2022

Changing finance: new this month – March
Our monthly round-up of news, ideas and initiatives related to transforming the UK financial system for people and planet, compiled by the Lab’s CEO, Jesse Griffiths.

March 20, 2023

Changing finance: new this month – February
Our monthly round-up of news, ideas and initiatives related to transforming the UK financial system for people and planet, compiled by the Lab’s CEO, Jesse Griffiths.

February 20, 2023

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Our work

  • Growing purpose-driven finance
  • Shifting mainstream finance
  • Influencing law, regulation and policy
  • Building a powerful community

About us

  • Vision and strategy
  • Culture and values
  • Our people
  • Accounts and funders
  • Work with us
  • Support us
  • Contact us
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Facebook

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