As the global financial ecosystem undergoes a profound shift towards sustainability and responsible investment practices, the imperative integration of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles has emerged as a fundamental pillar shaping the trajectory of modern finance. This integration of ESG considerations has become crucial for assessing long-term risks and opportunities, as well as for meeting the evolving demands of investors and stakeholders for more ethical and environmentally conscious investment choices.
With data from over 1,100 listed companies, ESGDS, one of the country's leading ESG solutions providers, recognizes the need for differentiation in this evolving landscape, and advocates for a more tailored and innovative approach, enabling investors to move beyond standardized ESG research. Acknowledging the limitations of generic off-the-shelf ESG research available to all, the company supports clients in developing proprietary models and factors, empowering them to cultivate unique perspectives and insights through in-house research. The company's analytics platform, designed specifically for ESG analysis, incorporates a customizable glass-box model. This distinctive feature enables financial institutions to assess and score companies effectively while facilitating thematic decision-making, fostering a comprehensive and transparent understanding of ESG factors within investment strategies.
In an engaging interview with TheCSRUniverse, Mr. Ramnath Iyer, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, ESGDS, discusses the company's comprehensive suite of analytical solutions, emphasizing its commitment to providing clients with data taxonomy definition, methodology interpretation, regulation compliance, and data catalogue management. The interview also sheds light on ESGDS's significant role in supporting the BFSI sector through various collaborations, highlighting the company's commitment to advancing sustainable and responsible investment practices within the financial landscape.
For an in-depth exploration of the interview, continue reading below.
Q&A
Q. How does ESGDS integrate sustainability principles into its ESG assessments, and what role does the organization play in promoting sustainability-focused investments among its clientele in line with global ESG standards and best practices?
A. Asset Managers are increasingly differentiating their portfolio strategies in the quest for Alpha and to mitigate fat tail risks. Using off the shelf ESG research available to all investors does not enable such differentiation. Hence investors are now seeking to move research in-house using their own proprietary models and factors.
ESGDS data and assessment platforms supports this customisation through the front end. Our experts build ESG models using our client inputs, construct the data taxonomy to support the model, curate the data using our AI/ML tools and host the models on our SaaS platform for our clients. We are able to take our clients from idea to implementation in a matter of weeks, helping our clients differentiate.
Q. Could you elaborate on how ESGDS ensures the reliability and accuracy of its ESG data and analytical tools to facilitate the integration of ESG considerations into investment strategies, thereby promoting sustainable and responsible investment decisions among financial institutions?
A. ESGDS uses a combination of ML/NLP models and domain experts to curate data. Every data point is collected in its in-house data platform gores through 4 eye checks and eight steps of system driven validations. The platform’s workflow ensures our 4 eye check is always implemented prior to data being shared with the client or used for assessment. We also have a glass-box approach; our clients can click through to source to cross-verify every indicator we provide and where needed can reweight indicators using the front end.
Q. In what ways does ESGDS collaborate with businesses to promote environmentally conscious practices and social welfare initiatives, and how does the organization foster a culture of corporate social responsibility within its operations and client relationships?
A. ESGDS works primarily with the BFSI sector, our solutions brings transparency and enhances and automates their portfolio’s ESG assessment. ESGDS helps improve investor’s research capability and its solutions allows the following benefits:
• Stakeholder Engagement: ESG assessment platform allows investors have meaningful engagement with company stakeholders on key issues. Demonstrating a commitment to ESG principles fosters positive relationships and trust.
• Innovation and Efficiency: Our ESG data insights drive innovation in product development and operational efficiency. As these data insights are reviewed by investors, companies are incentivized to adopt sustainable practices and create eco-friendly products that meet evolving investor demands.
• Compliance and Regulation: ESGDS help investors adhere to complex ESG regulations and reporting requirements. Staying in compliance with evolving standards minimizes legal risks and ensures alignment with global sustainability objectives and accelerate their ESG investments.
In summary, ESGDS measures institutional investor’s portfolio level sustainability efforts. Measurement allows the investors to be better prepared to navigate risks and seize opportunities in an increasingly ESG-conscious world.
Q. How does ESGDS align with SEBI's recent guidelines on ESG ratings and disclosures, and what innovative strategies has the organization adopted to support businesses in adhering to these guidelines while fostering greater transparency and comparability within the ESG landscape?
A. ESGDS taxonomy already incorporates the BRSR reporting requirements providing investors with granular and most updated information. There is data provenance which enhances data reliability. ESGDS covers over 1,100 listed companies and its platform also enables collection of private companies data thus allowing a comprehensive research for institutional investors.
Q. Considering the evolving investment landscape, how does ESGDS contribute to the development of ESG-focused mutual funds and sustainable financial instruments that align with the organization's commitment to ESG principles and the promotion of sustainable investment practices in the market?
A. ESGDS supports clients with:
• Data and Research: ESGDS can provide comprehensive ESG data and research to asset managers and financial institutions. This data is crucial for the development of ESG-focused mutual funds and other financial products. It helps in the selection of ESG-compliant assets and the construction of portfolios that align with ESG principles.
• Screening and Scoring: The platform can offer screening and scoring tools that help identify and rank companies and assets based on their ESG performance. This information is valuable in the creation of investment strategies that prioritize sustainability.
• Portfolio Construction: By offering tools and analytics, the ESGDS platform can assist fund managers in constructing ESG-focused portfolios that meet the specific criteria and objectives of investors interested in sustainable investments.
• Customization: Our platforms can enable the customization of financial instruments to meet the unique preferences of investors. This flexibility allows for the development of tailored ESG-focused funds and products.
• Compliance and Reporting: ESGDS can help ensure that ESG-focused funds and financial instruments adhere to regulatory requirements (like BRSR, SFDR, etc) and reporting standards related to sustainability, making it easier for fund managers to launch and manage these products.
Q. What measures does the Institutional investors take to ensure that ESG principles are embedded throughout its investment strategies?
A. Institutional investors embed ESG principles by integrating them into investment decision-making, conducting thorough ESG due diligence, engaging with portfolio companies, diversifying portfolios to mitigate risk, screening investments for ESG compliance, and allocating capital to impact investments. They also rely on ESG data and ratings, adhere to stewardship codes, perform peer comparison, develop thematic ESG strategies, train investment professionals, ensure regulatory compliance, disclose ESG activities, and regularly review and adapt strategies to evolving ESG trends. These measures align investments with sustainability goals, manage risks, and foster responsible financial practices.
Q. Could you share some success stories or case studies where ESGDS effectively assisted BFSI sector in supporting their portfolio’s ESG assessments and research?
A. ESGDS unique differentiator is its ability to support various BFSI use cases. Some case studies include:
• Alternative Investment Fund (AIF): In Indian AIF with over $5bn in AUM wanted to analyse its private company portfolio’s ESG performance and report the risks to their LPs. ESGDS’s built a taxonomy aligning with global frameworks, collected private company data and automated analytics and reporting for our client, overcoming the limitation of data disclosures by private companies, obviating the need for building ESG expertise and reducing time to market.
• Solutions for a leading rating agency: An Asia based rating agency known for its credit ratings for large, mid, and small sector companies wanted to launch their ESG assessments. ESGDS helped the client with end-to-end solutions including developing their data taxonomy, assessment model and ESG report.
• A leading Indian private bank wanted to incorporate ESG assessments in their lending process and wanted key ESG and BRSR data. ESGDS provides real-time ESG data along with controversy data for every companies.
• ESGDS is ESG research partner for a several leading global companies including ESG rating agency to a leading NGO.
