The Future of ESG Data Conference: Highlights

20 October 2022

Environmental Finance's in-person conference on The Future of ESG Data this week highlighted the numerous challenges that are being addressed in the space, as related regulatory and market developments unfold at record pace

Over 40 speakers across 13 sessions and two streams provided analysis on topics from the evolution of standards and regulation, to corporate disclosures and identifying metrics for nature, biodiversity and social data.

Here is a roundup of some of the main stories written at the event.

The ISSB 'global baseline'

Regulation and reporting

Transition strategies and net zero

Challenges in data collection and analysis

  • Dealing with inconsistent ESG data – BlackRock UK sustainability head David Hickey said that consistent investment decisions using current ESG data is "largely impossible" across different asset classes.
  • Binary views on double materiality 'unhelpful', says FCA – Mark Manning, technical specialist, sustainable finance and stewardship at the UK's Financial Conduct Authority, told delegates that the distinctions between enterprise value materiality and double materiality have often been painted as "too stark".

Nature and biodiversity