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Why ESG data matters in private equity & how SFDR standards can help

The European Commission is soon expected to confirm the new Regulatory Technical Standards (RTS) that define the shape of the ‘level 2’ ESG disclosures required under the new Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR) from 2022.

In this blog post, we explore the metrics outlined in these standards, how the relevant data can be collected from portfolio companies, and how private equity managers can stay one step ahead by adopting these metrics to enhance their ESG capabilities.

Greenstone present on ESG software at sustainable finance event

On Monday 26 April, Greenstone will be presenting on ‘Software Solutions for ESG and Private Equity’ at the Wall Street Green Summit 2021.

The Wall Street Green Summit is one of the longest running and most comprehensive sustainable finance events in the industry globally. Launched in 2002, the Wall Street Green Summit covers cutting edge content, industry developments and features the leading practitioners in sustainability. It is aimed at building the sustainable finance system for responsible investing and the changing role of business in sustainability.

The Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR)

The new Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR) has made a notable entry into the sustainable finance sphere. This new regulation, which formally came into force on 10 March 2021, requires all financial market participants in the European Union (EU) to report Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) disclosures, with additional requirements for products that promote ESG characteristics or that have sustainable investment objectives.

Tracking GHG emissions across investment portfolios - a new frontier

Greenstone is holding the webinar ‘Tracking GHG emissions across investment portfolios - a new frontier’ on Thursday 25 March at 4 pm GMT. This webinar, presented by Greenstone’s Head of InvestorPortal Toby Robertson, will discuss how collecting and managing GHG emissions data from portfolio companies is becoming increasingly important and provide advice on where to start.

Preparing your data for the EU Taxonomy regulation

The EU Commission's Taxonomy Regulation passed into law in June 2020, marking a significant step in sustainable finance. Now, as we have entered into 2021, companies are about to face their first milestone. The deadline for businesses to report on the taxonomy criteria is now imminent as some participants (in the financial market) will be required to complete their first set of disclosures against the Taxonomy by the 31st of December 2021.

SASB standards & how they link to other ESG reporting frameworks -FAQs

Greenstone’s webinar on the 'SASB standards & how they link to other ESG reporting frameworks' was held last month. The 30-minute session, with a guest speaker from SASB, was very well-attended and we had great feedback from attendees.

We had some interesting questions both during and after the webinar. In this blog, we have answered some of the most frequently asked questions on the topic:

Blackrock’s 2021 letter to CEOs and what is means for ESG reporting

Larry Fink, the CEO of BlackRock, an American multinational investment management corporation, has released his annual letter to CEOs.

The events of 2020 and the need for companies to transition to a net-zero economy, shaped this year’s letter. The past months have been challenging in so many ways. Nonetheless, there are signs of promise, including businesses that have moved forcefully to face climate risk.

Top 5 sustainability, ESG & supply chain reporting trends for 2021

With the turn of a New Year, sustainability, ESG and supply chain software solutions provider Greenstone, reflects on 2020 and pulls out some key reporting trends to watch out for in 2021. Here are the top 5:

SASB standards & how they link to other ESG reporting frameworks

Greenstone is holding a webinar, with a guest speaker from SASB, on the SASB Standards and how they link to other sustainability and ESG reporting frameworks on Thursday 28 January 2021 at 12pm EST.

There are many reporting frameworks that help companies measure and report sustainability information to a wide range of stakeholders. What distinguishes SASB standards is a focus on financially material information covering a range of industry-specific sustainability areas, including Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) topics.

KPMG survey on global trends in sustainability reporting

KPMG released its 11th edition of the KPMG Survey of Sustainability Reporting this week. This annual survey has tracked monumental changes in sustainability reporting since the survey was first published in 1993. This year, KPMG professionals reviewed sustainability reporting from 5,200 companies across 52 countries and jurisdictions, making this the most extensive survey in the series to date.