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ESG Data Collection

Earth

Why does ESG matter?

There is one thing we all know for sure: climate change is affecting the whole world. And, the responsibility for a future in a sustainable environment lies with each and every one of us.

This is where sustainable finance comes in. The primary goal of sustainable finance is to make the economic system more resilient to climate-related financial risks. Going forward, costs of physical and transition risks will need to be factored in. 

EXAMPLE: A company builds a plant near a coastline where floods are becoming more and more likely as the climate heats up. An investor financing this plant will bear some of that climate-related risk, and thus wants to assess the likelihood of this event. Reporting based on accurate data is a cornerstone in monitoring an organization’s financial sustainability. 

Learn why ESG data plays an important role

Firm

Why do we need ESG data?

ESG data is important for companies and investors alike. 

Companies collect and report on ESG data to show progress on sustainability goals and attract investments. Investors look at ESG data to determine the sustainability of potential investments and to make sure they are making responsible decisions. 

ESG data can include anything from a company’s carbon emissions to their water consumption and inclusion initiatives. Collecting this data is the first step in measuring a company’s ESG performance, and it can be used to

  • create benchmarks
  • compare companies
  • track progress over time

It is important for companies to have a clear understanding of the data they are collecting, the methods used to collect it, and the accuracy of their data. 

How do we collect ESG data?

To meet regulatory requirements and support the management of climate-related risks, we have developed a
questionnaire allowing us to collect relevant environment-related information directly from our customers.

RBI strives to make data collection as easy and convenient as possible for our customers. We are aligning with
our peers on market standard solutions to take the idea of “once only” into account. 

ESG data collection is anchored in both publicly available data and direct customer data, as shown below.

ESG Data Collection Approach

How to complete the RBI ESG Questionnaire

What elements does the RBI ESG Questionnaire have?

General Info

  1. Main industry 
  2. Reporting year 
  3. Consolidated vs. Stand-alone

Environment Questions

  1. Production/Value-added
  2. GHG emissions & SBTi
  3. Energy consumption
  4. EU Taxonomy
  5. Circular economy
  6. Water consumption
  7. Sustainable finance instruments

Feedback

  1. Customer Effort Score
  2. Qualitative feedback

FAQs

Environment, Social, and Governance (ESG) aspects will play an increasingly crucial role in the financial system. Reporting based on accurate ESG data will be one of the cornerstones in monitoring the transition to a more sustainable economy. For this, we need your support in providing us with your ESG data in a structured format.

Yes, and there are several good reasons why you will benefit from it. While Banks are required to fulfill regulatory ESG requirements according to the EU Green Deal there are several advantages for you as well:

  • RBI gets a better understanding of your ESG strategy and activities
  • RBI can support you in the transformation process
  • RBI will come to a fairer assessment of your ESG-related risks
  • This will help you to get a more accurate pricing
  • RBI will be able to offer you more tailored financial services

Yes, RBI strives to collect as much ESG data as possible from already published sources – including data related to the sustainability aspects "Social" and "Governance". However, we still need to ask you a few additional questions that relate to the "Environment" aspect.

Yes, RBI gathers all data required for Social and Governance related requirements out of your Sustainability Report and the Annual Report.

RBI will use your data for three main purposes:

  • to calculate your RBI ESG Score which will be used in our credit decisions
  • to support you in your transformation process
  • to disclose ESG data in an aggregated format to the regulators and supervisors

We know that it might be challenging to compile all the requested ESG data. This is especially true if your company is not yet obliged to disclose ESG data according to the Non-Financial Reporting Directive of the EU. If you don’t have certain ESG data available, send us the RBI ESG Questionnaire back even with blank fields – please, forward us your available information in any case.

Once a year.

Your relationship manager will be informed as soon as the RBI ESG Score is calculated and can be communicated to you.

Grey fields are either inactive or will be completed by the bank – you don’t need to do anything in these fields.

In the Excel tab "Glossary" you will find useful definitions and weblinks to the respective regulatory frameworks.

In the Excel tab "Industries clustering" you will find a mapping based on GICS (Global Industry Classification System).

Please select whether you are entering consolidated or stand-alone data. Stand-alone data is preferred as it allows for a more accurate reporting. However, if data is only available at consolidated group level - such as GHG (Greenhouse Gases) emission data - then consolidated group data shall be collected. IMPORTANT: Please, only enter either stand-alone or consolidated data, but do not switch the reporting level between the questions!

We included comprehensive support material directly into the RBI ESG Questionnaire:

  • explanations and examples are directly placed next to each question
  • definitions can be found in the “Glossary” tab
  • conversion tool for converting units is embedded ("Calculator")
  • overview of various emission types is included ("Emission types")
  • GICS code table to determine your main industry ("Industries clustering")

Do not hesitate to send your questions via email to: RBI-ESG-Support@rbinternational.com

Any further questions?

Feel free to contact us! 

RBI-ESG-Support@rbinternational.com

Firm

What exactly is ESG?

ESG stands for environmental, social, and governance, and refers to a set of non-financial factors used to evaluate the sustainability of an investment or company. ESG data includes information about a company's

  • Environmental impact
  • Social policies
  • Governance practices

It is used by investors to determine the sustainability of potential investments, and by companies to track their progress on sustainability goals. 

Earth

How do we benefit from ESG data?

ESG data collection is a challenging exercise. It causes some effort, but it will pay off for you!  

  • Accurate funding terms & conditions
  • Broader investor base
  • Better comparability with your peer group
  • Improved management of climate change risks
  • Better reputation