Business Sustainability

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text: 226-777-3039

call: 519-661-3941

ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance)

Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) criteria are a set of standards for a company's operations that socially conscious investors use to screen potential investments.

Environmental: how a company performs as a steward of the environment
Social: how a company manages relationships with employees, suppliers, customers, and the communities where it operates
Governance: includes a company's leadership structure, executive pay, audits, internal controls, and shareholder rights

Definition from Chen, J. (2021). Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) criteria. Investopedia.

Sustainalytics
Provides ESG data and analysis for companies and industries.
Nexis Uni
CSRHub ESG Ratings
Provides consensus ratings of a company’s environmental, social, and governance performance as a lever to improve corporate sustainability. To access, click on Sources in the top menu and search for ‘CSRHub.’ In the results, click on the three dots beside the name to add it to your search.
Mergent Online
Contains business and financial data on all public (active and inactive) and some private companies worldwide. Also includes country profiles, industry reports, equity reports, bond data, broker analyst research reports, and more. For Industry ESG Reports: select Industry Analysis > Reports > ESG

Bloomberg Professional Services
Financial services platform that provides analysis and quotes for equities, indices bonds, commodities, currencies and funds, company and economic data, industry and market news, and advanced analytical and data functions.
Only available in the C.B. “Bud” Johnston Library. Please book a time to ensure availability.
WRDS: Wharton Research Data Service
Data subscription service provided by the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. The data available are mainly related to business and finance. Use the link to see the details of what's included in our subscription and how to get access.
Only available to current Western Master's and PhD students, staff, and faculty.

PitchBook
Offers in-depth information on private and public companies, investors, deals, and M&A. Requires the creation of a personal account with your Western email. Instructions for creating an account. Includes some ESG data from Sustainalytics

Morningstar Direct
Comprehensive investment research platform, useful for asset and wealth managers. It provides tools for market research, product creation, positioning, marketing, and distribution strategies. Includes some ESG data from Sustainalytics
Only available in the C.B. “Bud” Johnston Library. Please book a time to ensure availability.

This is only a small selection of books on ESG data. To find more books, try the Social responsibility of business subject search in the library's catalogue.

Making the Connection by Peter Sammons
This book views ESG as interconnected challenges. It provides a usable and coherent 'roadmap' to make assured strides in meeting - and beating - these challenges.
The Race to Zero: How ESG Investing Will Crater the Global Financial System by Paul H. Tice
To date, there has been little public resistance or analytical pushback as the ESG orthodoxy has integrated itself into almost every corner of the financial markets. This book is meant to provide a detailed rebuttal to the case for sustainable investing from the perspective of a long-time Wall Street analyst and investor and latter-day finance professor.
Practical Sustainability Strategies by George P. Nassos; Nikos Avlonas
A comprehensive guide for developing and implementing ESG strategies that propel sustainable growth and enhance corporate responsibility. With a strong focus on actionable strategies and practical applications, this real-world guide offers expert insights into how sustainability can drive corporate success while benefiting the environment and society.
Sustainable: Moving Beyond ESG to Impact Investing by Terrence Keeley
In this book, a finance-industry veteran offers an insider's look at the promises, prospects, and perils of ESG investing. Terrence Keeley argues that many ESG advocates have been overly optimistic about what it can accomplish.
The Notorious ESG by Vasuki Shastry
Faced with societal and regulatory pressure, big business in America, Asia, and Europe has been forced to define and articulate ESG goals to combat climate change and save the planet. The only problem is that ESG has been captured by the PR hype machine as a few prominent business leaders make bold promises to save the planet but are vague about how they propose to achieve this.
Navigating Sustainability Data by Sherry Madera
This book provides a focused guide for leaders and executives who want to understand how sustainability impacts a company's future and how they can use data as a key tool to facilitate growth, access to capital and meet regulatory requirements.

Statistics Canada - Environment
Statistics Canada data related to the environment.
OECD Data Explorer
Provides access to all OECD statistical data. It is the entry point for figures on a wide range of statistical topics, covering OECD member countries and partner economies.
United Nations Environment Statistics
Collection of environment-related data and statistics from the UN.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Envirofacts
Integrates information from a variety of databases. Use this search to find U.S. data on greenhouse gas, hazardous waste, toxic air releases, etc.