Strong oversight and accountability are crucial to the management of material ESG issues as well as a company’s ability to execute its long-term business strategy. Sustainalytics flagged corporate governance concerns at both Volkswagen and Fiat months before the respective emissions scandals broke.
Sustainalytics’ Corporate Governance Research & Ratings enable investors to better assess portfolio companies’ corporate governance structures, practices and behaviors. These qualities have long been embraced by investors as potential sources of investment risk and, more recently, opportunity.
Our Corporate Governance Research & Ratings also form the baseline assessment for our ESG Risk Ratings.
Latest Newsletters
Governance in Brief – April 20, 2023
Governance in Brief – April 13, 2023
Governance in Brief – April 6, 2023
Key Features & Benefits
Better understand companies’ corporate governance systems and practices and the potential risks and opportunities they pose to long-term value creation.
Leverage insights from our independent analyses to inform your investment decisions as well as proxy voting and engagement activities.
Benchmark companies’ corporate governance performance on a variety of metrics to identify strengths as well as potential red flags.
Speak directly to our in-house team of subject matter experts.
Coverage
~4,200 COMPANIES
Global coverage of major indexes
Corporate Governance Reports
Data-driven contextual reports that provide corporate governance ratings and information on a global universe of approximately 4,200 companies. We assess a company’s corporate governance structures, practices and behaviors along six pillars that are deemed crucial for good governance: Board Integrity & Quality, Board Structure, Remuneration, Shareholder Rights, Financial Reporting and Stakeholder Governance. Select reports also include an analyst view and outlook for the company.
Corporate Governance Pillars
Board & Management Quality and Integrity
Do the board’s experience, track record and behavior sufficiently demonstrate its ability to provide strategic leadership and oversight?
Board Structure
Do the organization and structure of the board provide sufficient oversight, representation and accountability to shareholders?
Ownership and Shareholder Rights
Do the constitution of the company and its ownership structures respect the right of outside shareholders relative to the board, management, and major holders?
Remuneration
Do the company’s remuneration policies and practices provide appropriate incentives for management to build value?
Audit & Financial Reporting
Are the company’s financial reports reliable and subject to appropriate oversight?
Stakeholder Governance
Does the company’s management of extra financial risks and broader stakeholder relationships raise concerns regarding its governance of long-term value creation?
Delivery Options
Global Access
Access our research through our user-friendly investor interface with easy to use screening and reporting tools. You can also access onscreen & PDF reports
Data Services Regular data feed (SFTP/FTP) or API
Access our research through an internal or a third-party system of your choice: Bloomberg, Factset and Markit
Why Sustainalytics?
A Single Market Standard
Consistent approach to ESG assessments across the investment spectrum.
Award-Winning Research and Data
Firm recognized as Best ESG Research and Data Provider by Environmental Finance and Investment Week.
End-to-End ESG Solutions
ESG products and services that serve the entire investment value chain.
30 Years of ESG Expertise
800+ ESG research analysts across our global offices.
A Leading SPO Provider
As recognized by Environmental Finance and the Climate Bonds Initiative.
Related Insights and Resources
Governance in Brief – April 20, 2023
Softbank liquidates most of its Alibaba stake Softbank has reportedly sold around USD 7.2 billion worth of Alibaba shares this year via prepaid forward contracts, causing its stake to drop from almost 15% to 3.8% and Alibaba’s share price to falter. Softbank has gradually decreased its stake, which as recently as three years ago was valued at USD 100 billion and represented 25% of Alibaba’s share capital.
Governance in Brief – April 13, 2023
Switzerland cracks down on Credit Suisse bonuses The Swiss government has ordered Credit Suisse to eliminate or reduce all outstanding variable compensation for the top three layers of bank management, following the lender's collapse and unexpected takeover by rival UBS. The cutbacks will affect around 1,000 employees, resulting in about CHF 50 to CHF 60 million less in bonus payouts.
Governance in Brief – April 6, 2023
Alibaba to cleave off business units Chinese e-commerce group Alibaba has announced plans to split its operations into six separate business groups. The units are Cloud Intelligence Group, Taobao Tmall Commerce Group, Local Services Group, Cainiao Smart Logistics Group, Global Digital Commerce Group and Digital Media and Entertainment Group.
Related Products
ESG Voting Policy Overlay
Receive voting recommendations based on sustainability principles, ESG research and engagement signals.
Thematic Engagement
Our Thematic Engagement program includes several corporate governance related engagement themes.
ESG Risk Ratings
Take a coherent and consistent approach to assessing financially material ESG risks.