MSCI to Launch Tools to Help Investors Assess Biodiversity, Deforestation Risk in Portfolios
14 Dezembro 2022 - 6:00AM
Business Wire
Screening metrics unveiled as world leaders
convene at COP15 to develop a United Nations-backed framework to
protect biological diversity this decade
MSCI Inc. (NYSE: MSCI), a leading provider of critical decision
support tools and services for the global investment community,
today announced the forthcoming launch of tools to help investors
identify companies at risk of contributing to biodiversity loss and
deforestation.
The new screening tools combine thousands of ESG and climate
data points, overlayed with MSCI’s proprietary geolocation data
that helps pinpoint a company’s operations. The tools, which MSCI
aims to make available to investors in early 2023, include:
- MSCI Biodiversity-Sensitive Areas Screening Metrics,
which enable investors to identify companies that have physical
assets located in areas of high biodiversity relevance, such as
healthy forests, deforestation fronts, or species-rich areas.
- MSCI Deforestation Screening Metrics, which indicate
companies exposed to deforestation-related risks, including those
that may directly or indirectly (via their supply chains)
contribute to deforestation. This could be a result of direct
operations in areas of risk, such as the tropics, or by the
production or reliance on commodities considered key drivers of
deforestation, including palm oil, soy, beef, and timber.
Nadia Laine, Executive Director, Head of ESG Products at
MSCI, said: “We have spent decades developing data for global
investors to measure risk and opportunities related to climate
change and ESG factors. We have applied this experience to emerging
issues around nature loss and deforestation. Global biodiversity
challenges, such as the spread of invasive species, land-use
change, and pollution, will have very tangible impacts on the way
in which companies function in the near- and long-term future. MSCI
aims to help institutional investors understand those risks on the
portfolio level.”
MSCI announced the forthcoming launch of these tools during the
15th Conference of the Parties (COP 15) in Montreal, which is set
to provide a framework with specific goals to protect biodiversity
and the world’s natural capital by 2030. Emerging financial
regulations – such as the European Union Biodiversity Strategy
2023, or recent EU legislation banning imported good connected to
deforestation – are also bringing companies under more scrutiny for
contributing to nature loss, presenting new financial risks for
their investors.
MSCI ESG Research’s ESG and Climate Trends to Watch for 2023
report indicates that companies’ level of preparedness for these
types of regulation is low, as less than 12% of food product
companies had disclosed a deforestation policy as of October 2022.
According to MSCI ESG Research data, 11% of constituents of the
MSCI All Country World Index as of Nov. 30, 2022 have the potential
for direct or indirect contribution to deforestation.
Sylvain Vanston, Executive Director, Climate Investment
Research at MSCI ESG Research, said: “The biodiversity on our
planet is declining at an alarming rate largely due to human
activity, from habitat destruction, pollution, water stress to
climate change-related pressures. This decline in the ability of
nature to provide ecosystem services poses a major threat to the
global economy. Important steps are being made with world leaders
meeting at COP15 in Montreal, and the Taskforce on Nature-related
Financial Disclosures is also aiming to redefine a standard
reporting framework. However, for crucial action to be taken,
capital markets participants need to have access to timely and
robust data to make more informed investment decisions.
Understanding risks related to deforestation and certain activities
in sensitive regions is an important step in this direction.”
About MSCI Inc.
MSCI is a leading provider of critical decision support tools
and services for the global investment community. With over 50
years of expertise in research, data, and technology, we power
better investment decisions by enabling clients to understand and
analyze key drivers of risk and return and confidently build more
effective portfolios. We create industry-leading research-enhanced
solutions that clients use to gain insight into and improve
transparency across the investment process.
About MSCI ESG Research Products and Services
MSCI ESG Research products and services are provided by MSCI ESG
Research LLC, and are designed to provide in-depth research,
ratings and analysis of environmental, social and governance
related business practices to companies worldwide. ESG ratings,
data and analysis from MSCI ESG Research LLC. are also used in the
construction of the MSCI ESG Indexes. MSCI ESG Research LLC is a
Registered Investment Adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of
1940 and a subsidiary of MSCI Inc.
This press release contains forward-looking statements within
the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of
1995. Forward-looking statements relate to future events or
performance and involve risks that may cause actual results or
performance differ materially and you should not place undue
reliance on them. Risks that could affect results or performance
are in MSCI’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the most recent fiscal
year ended on December 31 that is filed with the SEC. MSCI does not
undertake to update any forward-looking statements. No information
herein constitutes investment advice or should be relied on as
such. MSCI grants no right or license to use its products or
services without an appropriate license. MSCI MAKES NO EXPRESS OR
IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR
PURPOSE OR OTHERWISE WITH RESPECT TO THE INFORMATION HEREIN AND
DISCLAIMS ALL LIABILITY TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW.
MSCI ESG Research LLC is a Registered Investment Adviser under
the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 and a subsidiary of MSCI Inc.
Except with respect to any applicable products or services from
MSCI ESG Research, neither MSCI nor any of its products or services
recommends, endorses, approves or otherwise expresses any opinion
regarding any issuer, securities, financial products or instruments
or trading strategies and MSCI’s products or services are not
intended to constitute investment advice or a recommendation to
make (or refrain from making) any kind of investment decision and
may not be relied on as such. Issuers mentioned or included in any
MSCI ESG Research materials may include MSCI Inc., clients of MSCI
or suppliers to MSCI, and may also purchase research or other
products or services from MSCI ESG Research. MSCI ESG Research
materials, including materials utilized in any MSCI ESG Indexes or
other products, have not been submitted to, nor received approval
from, the United States Securities and Exchange Commission or any
other regulatory body.
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