Sustainability Analytics

Sustainability Analytics for Corporate Issuers

More and more institutional investors are broadening their definition of good corporate governance practices to include sustainability. ISS Corporate Services (ICS) offers Sustainability Analytics, a customized advisory product, to help companies with their current sustainability practices and reporting.

ICS can help your company establish best practices within your industry sector by pinpointing where you need to make improvements or highlight your strengths more to investors. We also provide insight on the advantages and disadvantages of various reporting standards such as the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) and Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), as well as other metrics popular with investors.

ICS offers a suite of six different types of Sustainability Analytics reports to meet global companies' sustainability needs.

1. Peer Benchmarking Report - ICS evaluates your company against direct and sector peers according to a set of sustainability criteria encompassing key environmental, social and governance practices. Areas of strong performance are highlighted as well as areas needing improvement. The report presents specific 'next steps' to show how your company can leverage this analysis in its reports to investors now and over the next several years. Best practices are also provided to help companies set the targets and strategies they need to be 'best in class' with their supply chain and customers.

2. Climate Risk Assessment - Risk from climate change is an area facing increasing regulation and shareholder scrutiny. In February 2010, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) provided U.S. public companies with interpretive guidance on SEC disclosure requirements to disclose potential business risk resulting from climate change. Companies will be expected to comply starting in 2010-2011 with pressure to disclose expected to intensify for companies in carbon-intensive sectors such as utilities and oil & gas. ICS' Climate Risk Assessment identifies, quantifies and qualifies these risks to help your company stay ahead of peers and protect against regulatory or financial risk related to climate change risk.

3. Sustainability Risk Assessment - The Sustainability Risk Assessment helps your company identify what investors are seeking in terms of sustainability data and determine how to communicate this clearly. Learn to make 10-K sustainability disclosures with confidence, engage with investors on sustainability issues and lead your peers in sustainability.

4. Socially Responsible Investment Overview - Learn what types of investors are making portfolio decisions based on 'socially responsible' criterion and gain insight into what they are looking for. Our overview will help your company position itself to fulfill these investors' requirements and additionally, help your company link shareholder value to corporate sustainability efforts.

5. Sustainability Shareholder Resolutions Service - The number of shareholder resolutions on environmental and social topics has been trending steadily upward over the last decade. ICS' service on sustainability shareholder resolutions draws on valuable data from ISS' proprietary Voting Analytics® tool to help your company pinpoint the environmental, social and general sustainability proposals most relevant to your business and industry. Learn which types of investors are proposing these resolutions and receive advice to help you plan how to best handle current or potential resolutions.

6. 'Client Choice' Custom Report - Custom analysis and reports are available to companies seeking to add a specific analytical focus to their Sustainability Analytics package. Drawing on deep subject-matter expertise and a robust network of research contacts, ICS will generate a value-added report on a specific area of the client's choice, such as supply chain practices, labor issues or water footprinting.