ESG Accord has rebranded to In Accord, to reflect a broader, client-centric vision for the financial advice sector, the consultancy said.
The legal entity remains unchanged, but the new trading name marks a strategic evolution in the organisation’s role within the UK financial advice industry.
Lee Coates OBE, Director of In Accord, said the shift reflects the organisation’s expanded focus on client preference and objective conversations across all investment pathways. This area has become increasingly central to the quality of advice, Consumer Duty alignment, and long-term client trust.
“Our work has moved far beyond what the term ‘ESG’ now conveys,” he said. “The industry needs a neutral, professional, client-centric approach that helps advisers understand what matters to each client. In Accord speaks to alignment, clarity and better conversations,” said Elly Dowding, Director of In Accord.
Coates explains the change, saying that over recent years, the acronym ESG had become associated with regulation, political debate, or sustainability-specific investing, but Accord’s work spans much more, including conventional, sustainable, ESG, values-based and mixed investment pathways; adviser insights, behavioural aspects, and process consistency; sector-wide collaboration and engagement involving the broader industry, providers, educational bodies, technology firms and the regulator.
Coates added that the broader mission is central to the forthcoming Client Preference Programme, a multi-year initiative designed to normalise structured conversations about client objectives and preferences across the advice industry.
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