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The ESG Risk Rating: Frequently Asked Questions for Companies

ESG Risk Ratings are categorized across five risk levels. Sustainalytics' ESG Risk Ratings span more than 12,000 companies and encompass most major global indices. Have questions about ESG Risk Ratings? Learn more from our FAQ

Food Supply Chain

This engagement focuses on addressing risks related to child- and forced labor in the targeted companies’ supply chains, as well as to remediate potential adverse labor rights impacts. Particular focus is placed on the identified high-risk commodities, namely coffee, rice, sugar, tea and tomatoes.

Responsible Cleantech

While being a vital part of the response to climate change as well as other economic and societal needs, the growing supply of cleantech products also entails environmental and social challenges within the various processes across the value chain. This engagement aims to encourage and enable the cleantech industry to grow in a more responsible manner.

Sustainable Seafood

Engaging with marine fisheries and aquaculture producers, the focus is on managing seafood sustainability risks and opportunities, which in turn contributes to long-term operational continuity and sustainability.

ESG Risk Ratings Issuer Backgrounder

Sustainalytics’ ESG Risk Ratings are designed to help investors identify and understand financially material ESG risks in their portfolio companies and how those risks might affect performance.

Human Rights Radar

Sustainalytics’ Human Rights Radar provides information on companies that operate in volatile regions where grave human rights violations are taking place. Our research helps investors better understand the nature, impact and extent of companies’ activities as well as how well they are managing relevant risks. Download the brochure to learn more about the product.

Country Screening

With Sustainalytics‘ Country Screening, you can screen countries across UN, US, EU sanctions and 40 international norms and conventions to comply with client mandate, regulations, and investment policies.

EU Taxonomy Assessment

What is the EU Action Plan on Sustainable Finance? Published in March 2018, it describes the The EU Taxonomy is a list of economic activities with performance criteria for their contribution to six environmental objectives.

Sustainable Products Research

Sustainable Products Research enables you to identify companies that are involved in a range of products and services that derive revenue from sustainable products and services.

Introduction to Transition Bonds

The green bond market has seen major growth in recent years. There is, however, a strong recognition that achieving international climate goals will require significant reduction of GHG emissions from carbon-intensive industrial activities that to date have not been the focus of green finance and for which low-carbon solutions are generally not yet available at scale due to major technological and/or systemic barriers. Those are commonly referred to as transition sectors.

Thematic Engagement

The purpose of Thematic Engagement is to influence companies to proactively manage specific ESG risks and opportunities, as well as enabling the participating investors to play an active role in addressing material, shared sustainability challenges through raising sector and systemic standards in alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) agenda.

Impact Metrics

Sustainalytics’ Impact Metrics is a set of company-level metrics that provide a useful measure of impact. Each metric can be used to report on at least one theme in our new Impact Framework and for at least one of the 17 SDGs.

Thematic Engagement Bundle

Our Comprehensive Thematic Engagement program combines a set of four thematic engagements in a single package: Climate Transition, Human Capital and the Future of Work, Plastics and the Circular Economy and Tomorrow’s Board. The themes have been selected to give investors the broadest possible coverage of E, S and G topics with exposure to diverse industries and companies.

Peer Performance Insights

Sustainalytics´ Peer Performance Insights suite of products provides information about the company’s ESG Risk Rating and its components compared to a select number of industry peers.

Second-Party Opinions and Annual Reviews

Has your organization issued a green, social or sustainability bond in the last couple of years? Have you communicated to your sustainability bond investors about the projects funded by the bond and their impact?

Novartis AG’s Sustainability-Linked Bond

Review the second-party opinions for some of the green, social and sustainability bonds mentioned in our 500th SPO post. Learn more about the issuers, and the socially and environmentally focused projects and initiatives their bonds funded.

ESG Risk Ratings Issuer Background (Japanese)

ESG Risk Ratings are categorized across five risk levels. Sustainalytics' ESG Risk Ratings span more than 12,000 companies and encompass most major global indices.

Global Standards Screening

Sustainalytics’ Global Standards Screening product provides an assessment of a company’s impact on stakeholders and the extent to which a company causes, contributes or is linked to violations of international norms and standards. Download the brochure to learn more about how Sustainalytics identify the Global Sustainability Signatories.

Product Involvement

Sustainalytics' Product Involvement research helps identify companies involved in a range of products, services and business activities for screening purposes. Each activity is accompanied with a concise summary of the way the company is involved in the relevant product or activity.

Taxation 2.0

Focused on 20 companies in the technology and pharmaceutical sectors, this engagement aims to create awareness among companies on tax avoidance and to encourage companies to approach tax as a corporate governance and risk management issue.