Measuring and disclosing Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) information and performance

Although the need to measure and disclosure companies’ social and environmental information is not new, there has been a recent unprecedented interest growth regarding this subject among businesses, capital market participants, professional organisations, and regulators all over the world. This rapid growth in interest in social and environmental measurement and disclosure has led to a proliferation of different proposals by rating agencies and other organizations to measure the Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) performance of companies, which has contributed to also create confusion. This study aims to shed some light on the current state of ESG measurement and disclosure by examining the evolution of business-related sustainability terms and their connotations; taking stock of existing European Union (EU) regulations and international sustainability frameworks from non-governmental organisations; analysing the evolution of the ESG rating market and main players; identifying, clarifying, and comparing current ESG ratings, metrics, and indices; and finally, elaborating on the challenges and recommendations that can be considered in future developments of ESG measurement and disclosure.