SEC Proposes Removing ESG-Related Names Rule Reporting from Its Form N-PORT

The SEC proposed amendments to its Form N-PORT, removing ESG-related reporting under the Names Rule from fund portfolio filings. This proposal would eliminate reporting elements created in 2023 to monitor compliance with the Names Rule, which specifically requires funds whose names suggest a specific investment focus, such as “sustainable” or “socially responsible,” to invest at least 80% of assets in that category. The proposal would not eliminate the Names Rule itself, but would eliminate this particular mechanism for tracking compliance by ESG-labeled funds.