Low Carbon Transition Rating
A Rules-Based ESG Risk Assessment
Guidance on the Type of Information Analysts Can Share
- Sustainalytics is committed to transparency concerning the details of the ESG Risk Rating scoring model.
- Sustainalytics takes a neutral, rules-based approach to assessing your company’s ESG risk. This objective approach is applied consistently to all companies we rate to ensure fairness.
We are often asked by companies for advice on how to improve their ESG Risk Rating score. Our response is consistent:
Sustainalytics Research analysts working on a company’s ESG Risk Rating annual update do not provide consulting advice on how to improve your score. We follow a rules-based approach based on our research methodology, which we apply consistently across the broad spectrum of companies we assess. We are committed to full transparency concerning the details of our ratings scoring model and research process.
By maintaining a level playing field, Sustainalytics can ensure that all companies are assessed fairly and that no firm receives an undue advantage over their counterparts. Our objective is to maintain the independence and integrity of Sustainalytics’ ESG research.
Sustainalytics’ rules-based approach applies to all companies we assess as part of the ESG Risk Rating process regardless of their status, scale, and circumstances. This includes public and private companies and applies equally whether a company is rated under the Comprehensive or Core research frameworks: The Comprehensive framework is generally applied to large-cap companies; and the Core framework is used to assess smaller-cap companies.
Sustainalytics shares our guidelines with all companies we assess. Our objective is to be fully transparent and to ensure that all companies are equally informed about our requirements.
Please note, Sustainalytics does not accept documents, or any disclosure, created solely to satisfy our indicator requirements without reasonable assurance that the policies, programmes or initiatives have been implemented.
What types of information do Sustainalytics Research analysts provide as part of the ESG risk assessment?
Sustainalytics’ Issuer Relations or Research teams can provide information on or clarify any of the following details about the ESG Risk Rating methodology:
- Indicator descriptions, rationale, and criteria. This includes any updates.
- Material ESG Issues
- Process-related queries. This includes information regarding timelines, using the Issuer Gateway and troubleshooting.
Not provided as part of the ESG Risk Rating assessment/annual update
- Sustainalytics’ Research analysts do not provide consulting advice in terms of recommendations or changes with the intention of helping a company achieve an improved score.
- Sustainalytics’ Research analysts do not provide feedback on sustainability and ESG reporting in general.
- Sustainalytics’ Research team will not make changes to the ESG methodology in response to any company’s individual request. The Methodology team is responsible for reviewing suggested updates to the methodology.
Contact Sustainalytics’ Issuer Relations team if you have any questions.