EIU Unveils ESG Ratings Coverage of 150 Countries

The Economist Intelligence Unit has launched its own ESG Rating Service for investors and consumers, offering scores on 150 countries based on 90 sustainability indicators. The service gives country-level historic rankings back to 2015 and lays out quarterly analyses of key trends. The London-based information provider said the comparability of the ratings would help clients in their decision-making processes.

Impact Cubed Unveils Fund ESG Assessment Tools

ESG data and investment aid provider Impact Cubed is now offering clients tools to measure and assess the impact of their fund holdings. The new addition to its automated platform also enables financial institutions to report their investments’ ESG performance to regulators. Additionally, pension funds, wealth managers and family offices will be able to keep tabs on the ESG performance of external managers. The London-based company further says the tools will help financial institutions to avoid greenwashing.

Many Firms Are Not Data-Ready for SFDR Level 2

Many financial institutions have yet to grasp the data implications of the European Union’s ESG reporting regulations, while others are scrambling to put in place processes to comply with the developing set of disclosure rules. Read the full story on ESG Insight here.

Deutsche Börse Acquires Kneip Fund Data Manager

Deutsche Börse is close to acquiring 100% of Luxembourg-based fund data manager Kneip, expanding its offering in the asset management service space. Established in 1993, Kneip manages investor disclosure and data publication for more than 10,000 funds in over 40 countries, servicing over 30% of EU-based fund ISINS. Kneip will be integrated with the German exchange group’s established fund service platforms with the aim of creating a leading fund data service hub in Luxembourg. The transaction is expected to close this month.

New ISO Standard Extends Use of LEI-Based Digital Identity Tools

A recently published ISO standard, ISO 5009, has the potential to extend the utility and value of Legal Entity Identifier (LEI) based digital identity tools by facilitating the inclusion of ‘official organisational role’ detail within them in a consistent manner. ISO 5009 paves the way for these tools – such as verifiable LEI (vLEI) credentials and digital certificates with embedded LEIs – to become a universally trusted method of digitally confirming the authenticity of people authorised to act on behalf of an organisation.

Published in February 2022, ISO 5009 permits global uniformity of the listing of official organisational roles by jurisdiction in a structured way. This means that roles of persons acting officially on behalf of an organisation may be specified by a legal entity and incorporated into existing and future digital assets leveraging the LEI.

Stephan Wolf, CEO at GLEIF comments: “In business and regulatory exchanges, it is important to confirm the official roles of people acting on behalf of organisations. In a digital context this can be challenging yet uncompromisingly necessary as we move towards creating and sustaining a digital global economy. For this reason, GLEIF has been committed to the realisation of this ISO standard as it is a significant step forward towards addressing that challenge.”

TNFD Publishes Draft Framework for Risk Management, Disclosure

The first beta version of the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures’ (TNFD) framework for risk management and reporting has been unveiled for consultation. The taskforce, an alliance that counts executives from Bank of America, BlackRock and Néstlé among its members, is dedicated to guiding corporates and financial institutions on making better decisions on activities that have an impact on the natural world. Over the next 18 months stakeholders and market participants will refine and develop the proposed framework.

Sustainalytics Broadens its SFDR PAI Data Provisions to 13,000 Issuers

ESG research, ratings and analysis firm Sustainalytics has updated its data provisions covering key impact assessments necessary for European regulatory compliance. The company’s Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR) Principle Adverse Impact (PAI) tool now cover 13,000 issuers. PAIs are a set of ESG impact tests against which financial institutions will be expected to gauge their investment decisions.

Google Cloud to Host Arabesque’s ESG Book

Arabesque has put its free-to-access sustainability scores and database ESG Book into the cloud. The Germany-based data provider and asset manager selected Google Cloud to host the service, which was launched late last year and put together by an alliance of banks and financial institutions. Google Cloud customers will be able to access ESG Book via the host’s Analytics Hub. ESG Book Chief Executive Daniel Klier said putting the service in the cloud would better enable access and “unlock both value and actionable, real-time insights”.

ISS ESG Wins Contract to Supply Climate Data to Euro Central Banks

Institutional Shareholder Services’ ISS ESG has been selected to provide climate-related data to the German Bundesbank and potentially all other European Union euro area’s 19 central banks. The data will be used under a framework devised by the Eurosystem of central banks, enabling them to put in place a common position in climate-related investment principles for non-monetary policy portfolios (NMPPs), the company said. Disclosures on the NMPPs are expected to begin early next year.

MineHub to Add Coriolis Kosmos ESG Scores to Transaction Data

Blockchain trading platform MineHub is to apply Coriolis Technologies ESG scores to its metals and mining transactions. Coriolis’ Kosmos ESG scores will be added to transacting companies’ brand profiles and data sets. The deal follow’s MineHub’s creation of its MineHub ESG tool last year, which enables brands’ to include their ESG credentials in transactions as well as gather third-party certification of the data.