As ESG regulation becomes a central part of the investment ecosystem, fund administrators take on a broader role. Agata Bremer, ESG Director at Permian, reflects on how this development builds on the existing strengths of fund administration — why administrators are uniquely positioned to deliver ESG services, and what it takes to adapt. 

“Fund administration is evolving beyond traditional services”, says Agata Bremer, ESG Director at Permian.  “The role now extends to helping clients navigate and comply with ESG regulations – a shift the investment industry is only beginning to fully recognise.” 

So, where does ESG fit into fund administration?

At the operational heart

Agata explains that fund administrators already sit at the operational heart of investment management — calculating Net Asset Values (NAVs), managing capital calls, producing investor reports, and ensuring regulatory compliance. 

“ESG regulation is not fundamentally different in structure,” says Agata. Frameworks such as the Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR) and the EU Taxonomy require the same kind of data integrity, validation, and disclosure discipline that already applies to the industry.” 

This integration makes ESG compliance a natural extension of existing fund administration, rather than a standalone service. In turn, it offers three clear advantages: 

• Integrated data flows: Administrators already collect, validate, and store large volumes of financial and operational data — making it efficient to incorporate ESG indicators into the same pipelines. 
• Established reporting cycles: Administrators routinely manage complex regulatory and investor reporting cycles. ESG adds new dimensions, but fits within an infrastructure already in place, without disrupting core financial reporting. 
• Built-in compliance culture: Fund administrators operate under strict regulatory frameworks and are built for precision and audibility. 

Throughout the lifecycle  

ESG now touches every stage of a fund’s lifecycle — from onboarding and due diligence to monitoring and exit. That continuity, Agata argues, gives administrators a unique advantage. 

“Fund administrators are involved at every stage,” she says. “That makes them the natural partner to integrate ESG compliance into existing processes rather than adding new layers of work for managers.” 

What it takes  

But delivering ESG services effectively, Agata notes, depends on two factors: competence and technology. 

“Collecting data is one thing; validating it is another,” she says. “ESG metrics often require interpretation and context that only trained professionals can provide. Building internal ESG expertise ensures reported data is both credible and ready for regulators.” 

Technology is equally essential. “The volume and complexity of ESG data make manual processing unsustainable,” Agata adds. “Automation enables administrators to manage and report data efficiently, accurately, and at scale.” 

Integrating ESG into the core 

At Permian, this combination of expertise and technology is built into the company’s ESG offering. 

“We combine experienced ESG professionals with automated data tools and deep fund administration know-how". 

“This allows us to deliver accurate, scalable, and consistent ESG compliance as a seamless part of our core service,” Agata concludes. 

Contact

 If you would like to learn more about our ESG offering or challenge Agata on her views, please reach out to agata.bremer@permian.se.

Read more about our ESG Services here.