ESG data

ESG data measures how companies manage environmental, social and governance issues. It includes raw metrics such as board composition, workforce figures and energy use, scores and ratings that summarise performance, and controversy records that track incidents such as spills, fines or labour disputes. Asset managers, banks, insurers, procurement teams and researchers use it for screening, engagement, reporting and risk management.

Typical fields

• Issuer identifier (ISIN, LEI or ticker) and name
• Pillar scores for environment, social and governance, plus an overall rating
• Underlying metrics, such as emissions, water use, board independence or gender pay gap
• Controversy events with date, category and severity
• Business involvement flags, such as thermal coal or controversial weapons revenue
• Source references and last review date

Sources and methods

Providers collect company disclosures, regulatory filings, news and NGO reports, then apply their own frameworks to weight issues by industry. Some rely on analyst review, others on natural language processing of news and filings. Because frameworks differ, ratings for the same company can diverge widely between providers.

Delivery and pricing

ESG data is usually sold as an annual licence covering an issuer universe, delivered by file, API or data share. Price depends on universe size, history, whether raw metrics come alongside scores, and redistribution rights for client reporting.

Before you buy

• Ask for the methodology and how industry weights are set.
• Check whether you get underlying metrics, not just a score.
• Review point-in-time history if you plan to backtest.
• Ask how companies can challenge or correct their data.
• Confirm coverage of small caps, private issuers and emerging markets.