ESG (Environmental, social and governance) criteria are of increasing interest to companies, their investors and other stakeholders. With growing concern about he ethical status of quoted companies, these standards are the central factors that measure the ethical impact and sustainability of investment in a company. ESG factors cover a wide spectrum of issues that have traditionally been excluded from financial analysis:
Environmental:
- Climate change
- Resource depletion
- Waste and pollution
- Deforestation
Social:
- Working conditions, including use of child labour
- Local communities
- Conflict
- Health and safety
- Employee relations and diversity
Governance:
- Executive pay
- Corruption
- Political affiliations and donations
- Board composition, diversity and structure
- Tax strategy
As global interest in ethical investment grows, these factors have increasing financial relevance. There are many dedicated ESG professionals and many more who recognise the relevance of ESG information to gain a more meaningful understanding of corporate policy management and strategy.
ESG investing identifies and quantifies risks that are overlooked by traditional financial metrics, such as a company’s impact on the environment, its use of child labour or employee diversity. It is also concerned with executive pay, and how this relates to company performance, accounting and tax policies. Companies with sound policies are managed better and are more sustainable.
Today, ESG investing accounts for around a quarter of all professionally managed funds around the globe. Although institutional investors have a duty to maximise shareholder value, there is growing awareness that ESG ratings are an indicator of a company’s long-term performance, including return and risk, as well as its ethical standing.
One of the major barriers to successful investment had been a lack of quality, impartial data, but that’s changing rapidly.
Shareholder Engagement and Corporate Governance Solutions
Latest Industry News, Views & Information
Understanding ESG & Annual Incentive Plan
Understanding ESG & Annual Incentive Plan ESG refers to a series of environmental, social and governance criteria taken into consideration by the funds during the investing process. Investing in ESG funds allows shareholders to support companies in transition, that wish to act and develop in a more sustainable and responsible manner. In practice, many indicators … Continue reading “Understanding ESG & Annual Incentive Plan”
Pay for Performance: The Largest Institutional Investors’ View
Pay for Performance: The Largest Institutional Investors’ View Executive compensation has been one of the trickiest issues within the corporate governance space as of late. Across the board, there seems to be no end in sight to finding the perfect compensation package or philosophy for corporate executives. In this article, we will discuss the … Continue reading “Pay for Performance: The Largest Institutional Investors’ View”
How to design your peer group for compensation benchmarking
How to design your peer group for compensation benchmarking Given the scrutiny on executive compensation in recent years, it is critical to make sure that your company’s executive pay reflects its performance and aligns with the market. Therefore, it is essential for companies to have an appropriate peer group for performance benchmarking, compensation program … Continue reading "How to design your peer group for compensation benchmarking"