SustainableBusiness.com Newswire
07/04/2012 05:01 AM ET
News from: MSCI
MSCI Launches MSCI ESG Portfolio Analytics: New Reports Assess a Portfolio’s Exposure to ESG Risk Factors
London - 28 June 2012 - MSCI Inc. (NYSE: MSCI), a leading provider of investment decision support tools, today announced the launch of MSCI ESG Portfolio Analytics, a new reporting tool for fund managers and pension plans who want to assess the ESG characteristics and risk profile of their equity portfolios. MSCI ESG Portfolio Analytics is the first reporting tool to provide an objective, standardized framework for understanding portfolio ESG risk relative to MSCI's market leading global equity and ESG indices.
"Demand for ESG integration is growing, but it remains a challenge for many asset owners and managers to assess how effectively ESG risks are taken into account," said Remy Briand, Managing Director and Global Head of Index and ESG Research. "MSCI ESG Portfolio Analytics provides a way for institutional investors to report and engage on ESG risks as it offers a new standard for measuring and benchmarking the ESG characteristics of portfolios."
MSCI ESG Portfolio Analytics reports offer a data-driven visual analysis of a portfolio's ESG characteristics. Important product features include portfolio and index benchmark ESG scores; a portfolio holdings breakdown analysis with the lowest and highest rated positions; and an assessment of key ESG issues such as carbon emissions, water stress, and human capital development.
Pension plans and fund managers can use MSCI ESG Portfolio Analytics to satisfy reporting needs, including those of the UN Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI); conduct internal ESG risk assessment; and identify targets for company engagement. Asset owners can also use the reports to enhance the manager selection process and evaluate how managers address ESG risks.
MSCI ESG Portfolio Analytics is currently available from MSCI ESG Research as a managed service. MSCI plans to make the product available through its Barra Portfolio Manager and BarraOne platforms later this year.
About MSCI ESG Research
MSCI ESG Research products and services 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 are also used in the construction of the MSCI ESG Indices.
For further information on MSCI ESG Research, contact esgclientservice@msci.com, or visit www.msci.com/esg
For further information on MSCI ESG Portfolio Analytics, please visit our website and register for the product launch webinar on July 19, 2012.
About MSCI
MSCI Inc. is a leading provider of investment decision support tools to investors globally, including asset managers, banks, hedge funds and pension funds. MSCI products and services include indices, portfolio risk and performance analytics, and governance tools.
The company's flagship product offerings are: the MSCI indices with approximately USD 7 trillion estimated to be benchmarked to them on a worldwide basis1; Barra multi-asset class factor models, portfolio risk and performance analytics; RiskMetrics multi-asset class market and credit risk analytics; MSCI ESG (environmental, social and governance) Research screening, analysis and ratings; ISS governance research and outsourced proxy voting and reporting services; FEA valuation models and risk management software for the energy and commodities markets; and CFRA forensic accounting risk research, legal/regulatory risk assessment, and due diligence. MSCI is headquartered in New York, with research and commercial offices around the world.
For further information on MSCI, please visit our web site at www.msci.com
Media Enquiries:
Martina MacPherson, MSCI, London + 44.20.7618.2231
Sally Todd | Jennifer Spivey, MHP Communications, London + 44.20.3128.8100
Patrick Clifford | Nick Connors, Abernathy MacGregor, New York + 1.212.371.5999
MSCI ESG Client Service:
Asia Pacific + 612.9033.9339
Americas + 1.212.804.5299
Europe, Middle East and Africa + 44.207.618.2510
This document and all of the information contained in it, including without limitation all text, data, graphs, charts (collectively, the "Information") is the property of MSCI Inc. or its subsidiaries (collectively, "MSCI"), or MSCI's licensors, direct or indirect suppliers or any third party involved in making or compiling any Information (collectively, with MSCI, the "Information Providers") and is provided for informational purposes only. The Information may not be reproduced or redisseminated in whole or in part without prior written permission from MSCI. The Information may not be used to create derivative works or to verify or correct other data or information. For example (but without limitation), the Information may not be used to create indices, databases, risk models, analytics, software, or in connection with the issuing, offering, sponsoring, managing or marketing of any securities, portfolios, financial products or other investment vehicles utilizing or based on, linked to, tracking or otherwise derived from the Information or any other MSCI data, information, products or services.
The user of the Information assumes the entire risk of any use it may make or permit to be made of the Information.
NONE OF THE INFORMATION PROVIDERS MAKES ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES OR REPRESENTATIONS WITH RESPECT TO THE INFORMATION (OR THE RESULTS TO BE OBTAINED BY THE USE THEREOF), AND TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, EACH INFORMATION PROVIDER EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ALL IMPLIED WARRANTIES (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF ORIGINALITY, ACCURACY, TIMELINESS, NON-INFRINGEMENT, COMPLETENESS, MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE) WITH RESPECT TO ANY OF THE INFORMATION.
Without limiting any of the foregoing and to the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, in no event shall any Information Provider have any liability regarding any of the Information for any direct, indirect, special, punitive, consequential (including lost profits) or any other damages even if notified of the possibility of such damages. The foregoing shall not exclude or limit any liability that may not by applicable law be excluded or limited, including without limitation (as applicable), any liability for death or personal injury to the extent that such injury results from the negligence or wilful default of itself, its servants, agents or sub-contractors. Information containing any historical information, data or analysis should not be taken as an indication or guarantee of any future performance, analysis, forecast or prediction. Past performance does not guarantee future results. None of the Information constitutes an offer to sell (or a solicitation of an offer to buy), any security, financial product or other investment vehicle or any trading strategy. MSCI's indirect wholly-owned subsidiary Institutional Shareholder Services, Inc. ("ISS") is a Registered Investment Adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940. Except with respect to any applicable products or services from ISS (including applicable products or services from MSCI ESG Research Information, which are provided by ISS), none of MSCI's products or services recommends, endorses, approves or otherwise expresses any opinion regarding any issuer, securities, financial products or instruments or trading strategies and none of MSCI's products or services is 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. The MSCI ESG Indices use ratings and other data, analysis and information from MSCI ESG Research. MSCI ESG Research is produced by ISS or its subsidiaries. Issuers mentioned or included in any MSCI ESG Research materials may be a client of MSCI, ISS, or another MSCI subsidiary, or the parent of, or affiliated with, a client of MSCI, ISS, or another MSCI subsidiary, including ISS Corporate Services, Inc., which provides tools and services to issuers. MSCI ESG Research materials, including materials utilized in any MSCI ESG Indices or other products, have not been submitted to, nor received approval from, the United States Securities and Exchange Commission or any other regulatory body. Any use of or access to products, services or information of MSCI requires a license from MSCI. MSCI, Barra, RiskMetrics, ISS, CFRA, FEA, and other MSCI brands and product names are the trademarks, service marks, or registered trademarks of MSCI or its subsidiaries in the United States and other jurisdictions. The Global Industry Classification Standard (GICS) was developed by and is the exclusive property of MSCI and Standard & Poor's. "Global Industry Classification Standard (GICS)" is a service mark of MSCI and Standard & Poor's.
For more information please contact:
Martina Macpherson VP Marketing & Commercial Relationships
MSCI
+442076182231
martina.macpherson@msci.com
www.msci.com
