Answered By: Austin Haley
Last Updated: Feb 02, 2024     Views: 1248

Q.
Sustainable investing and ESG resources

A.

Information Type

Recommended Resources

Overview & News

ImpactAlpha
News and information covering the sustainable and impact investment markets. Our subscription includes the daily publication, The Brief, as well as their ImpactSpace database (see below under Private Equity for more info).

Responsible-Investor
News service reporting on responsible investment, ESG (environmental, social, and governance), and sustainable finance. Includes news and analysis targeted to the global institutional investor community. 

Rate the Raters 2023 
From the Sustainability Institute by ERM, this report synthesizes survey responses from investors and companies to assess the value and quality of ESG ratings from leading ratings firms. 

ESG data (public company focus)

MSCI ESG Research
This platform includes access to MSCI’s ESG Ratings (providing data on risk factors in regards to ESG), Impact Monitor and Business Involvement Screening Research (BISR) on publically traded companies.   

S&P Global ESG Scores
Environment, social, and governance data and scores and TruCost data.  Includes: Climate Analytics, ESG Scores, and Trucost Environmental.

Sustainalytics
Sustainalytics provides environmental, social, and governance (ESG) research, ratings, and data. Data comes from a variety of sources, including company reports, regulatory filings, public documents, news and media coverage, NGOs, and industry associations.

Preqin
Provides ESG ratings for Fund Managers, Funds, and Investors.

Bloomberg
Provides company-reported ESG data for almost 9,500 companies in 83 countries. Type ESG <GO> once you are on the Bloomberg terminal. There are two terminals in the Stamps Reading Room and two Bloomberg terminals in the Exchange. Individual accounts are required. Please see the More Info page for account set up information. 

WRDS
Institutional shareholder Services (ISS) (formerly RiskMetrics), MSCI GMI Ratings are accessible via WRDS, and S&P Global ESG Scores.

Datastream
Datastream includes ESG data (Asset4), which covers more than 7,000 global companies (more than 6,000 active) with a full range of ESG measures drawn from publicly available and manually collected sources, dating back to as early as 2002, though coverage increases over time. From the Datastream Formula Builder, choose "Constituent Lists," (under category) and then use the "find series," option to search for  Refinitiv ESG in the Explorer window.  LA4CT is the mnemonic for Asset4.

Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP)
Corporate environmental data provided to CDP by companies responding publicly to an information request sent by CDP on behalf of its signatory investors. Datasets include Climate Change Data, Supply Chain Data, Water Data, Forests Data, and CDP Scores Data.

Private Equity and Venture Capital (funds, firms, startups and portfolio companies)

Preqin
In addition to housing information on VCPE firms, funds, deals, and portfolio companies, it allows for the screening of sustainable industry sectors such as renewables and clean technology.

ImpactAlpha’s ImpactSpace is a resource including over 10,000 companies and investors and over 4,000 impact investment deals.

For more on other VCPE sources (Capital IQ, CB Insights, etc.), see our VCPE Research Guide.

Research Reports

MSCI ESG Direct
Provides access to industry specific and thematic research reports outlining ESG trends and issues. Accounting and Governance Reports (AGR) are also available for individual public companies.

Global Impact Investing Network (GIIN)
The GIIN Research Center includes their own research content (such as their annual Impact Investor Survey) and case studies along with a selection of reports on impact investment topics from other like organizations.

Initiative for Responsible Investment
An initiative of the Hauser Institute for Civil Society at the Harvard Kennedy School publishes research, provides networking opportunities, and more, across all stakeholder groups.  

Additional Baker Resources

Business & the Environment Research Guide

Social Enterprise Research Guide

Sustainability Research Guide

Need additional assistance? Contact Baker Library for help here or at infoservices@hbs.edu.