The rapid maturation of ESG data integration and utilisation within financial institutions has forced them to invest in new technology and data management processes.
The rate of change, however, has been a challenge for some organisations, which have struggled to put in place the necessary capabilities to absorb, order and deploy such large volumes of new information. At the same time, the use cases for ESG data have grown, and the regulatory obligations surrounding institutions’ sustainability behaviour and reporting processes have mushroomed, adding to the pressures on firms’ data teams.At A-Team Group’s annual gathering of ESG leaders next week, experts from the both data provision and consumption sides will offer their insights into how companies can get on top of these challenges.
The opening panel discussion of the ESG Data and Tech Briefing 2025, entitled “Best practice ESG data management for compliance and investment insight”, will look at the challenges institutions face in making their ESG data work for them and examine the best solutions on the market.
Among the speakers will be Marion Aubert, Co-Founder and Chief International Officer at WeeFin, an ESG-focussed data management SaaS company based in Paris. Aubert shared with Data Management Insight the three things that are playing on her mind before the Briefing.
1. Intelligent Automation Will be Critical Amid an Evolving and Intensifying Regulatory Landscape
“The ESG environment will be defined by a rapidly evolving and increasingly complex regulatory framework, for example, updates to the Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR), which will require financial institutions to navigate a dense web of overlapping standards, frameworks, and expectations.
“As the volume and diversity of ESG data multiply, manual data management will become unmanageable. Intelligent automation—powered by artificial intelligence and machine learning—will be essential to staying ahead.”
2. ESG Data Must Be Treated Separately—But Seamlessly Integrated with Financial Analysis
“As ESG matures into a core pillar of investment strategy, it’s becoming clear that ESG data cannot simply be blended into existing financial models from the outset. Its complexity, variability and often qualitative nature require it to be treated independently—with dedicated data models, taxonomies, and analysis frameworks that reflect its unique characteristics.
“That separation, however, is only the first step.
“To truly reshape investment decision-making, ESG data must also be deeply interoperable—capable of being transformed, normalised, and pushed back into financial systems in ways that inform risk modelling, asset allocation and valuation.”
3. Generative AI Will Redefine ESG Analysis and Communication
“While AI already plays a significant role in ESG data collection and processing, 2025 will see the rise of generative AI as a transformative force in the interpretation and communication of sustainability data.
“These advanced tools will enable:
- Extraction of actionable ESG signals from vast pools of unstructured data (e.g., corporate reports, news, and social media)
- Automated generation of customised regulatory reports tailored to SFDR, TCFD
- Creation of dynamic, stakeholder-specific narratives that clearly explain ESG performance and strategic implications.”
Aubert will be joined on the panel by Sarah Boden, Programme Manager, Sustainability Data & Technology, Chief Sustainability Office at Deutsche Bank; Maria Christodoulou, Assistant Vice President at SMBC; and, Mark Davies, Partner at Element 22, who will moderate the discussion.
Discussion points will also include:
- What metrics should be prioritised?
- How much focus should be given to the ‘S’ and ‘G’ and what data sources should you use?
- How can robust data governance and data quality standards be ensured for data accuracy and completeness?
- How can cloud-based infrastructure and solutions help enable greater scalability and flexibility in data processing, storage and engineering?
- What is the role of automation and data management platforms in helping make the best allocation of limited resources, track changes, maintain data integrity and quality over time?
- How can AI, NLP and ML technologies help standardise unstructured data for informed investment decision making and reporting?
A-Team Group’s ESG Data and Tech Briefing 2025 will be held on 4 June, 2025, at Glaziers Hall in London. Click here to see the agenda and register your attendance or use the form below.
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