The Right Tools to Monitor and Manage ESG Information

MyNews

What if you could track the flow of news on your portfolio companies based on key ESG issues, such as emission reduction and controversies? The assetmasterProfessional™ MyNews functionality enables users to dynamically monitor the news flow for any or all ASSET4 pillars and categories, such as emission reduction, human rights and health & safety. These criteria can be monitored for a single company, portfolio, sector or geographic region giving users the ability to dynamically monitor events based on very specific ESG criteria. To download a factsheet, click here.

Excel Add-In

What if you could extract key ESG KPIs or data points and integrate them directly in Excel spreadsheets for further analysis and reporting?

The Excel Add-In enables users through a few simple Excel functions, such as A4GetInfo and A4GetValue, to "slice and dice" any of the 900 data points or 250 key performance indicators into their standard workday reports and analysis. Once the ASSET4 data is in the Excel file, users can, of course, generate any type of report or graph they normally produce with Excel. To see an example of some ESG analysis that was generated with the Add-In, click here.

Benchmarking

Within the ASSET4 system, information is never viewed in isolation, but always in comparison to a benchmark. Users can either select a portfolio, sector or industry as a benchmark or evaluate the performance of one company versus another to better understand the extra-financial strengths and weaknesses of the company they are focusing on.

Zooming Into the Data

With the ASSET4 system users have access to every level of the default or user-customised information framework. This process can be compared to a digital map in which users zoom in or zoom out to different levels of granularity in order to find exactly what they are looking for. One of the keys to the transparency of the ASSET4 system is that every data point and its source are available to our users for tracking and auditing, enabling them to trace our data and so trust it for their most important decisions.

Tracking a Portfolio

The MyPortfolio capability enables users to track and monitor the performance of a number of companies, while at the same time providing a platform from which to analyse the performance of each individual company as well. Users can build a portfolio based on very specific ESG criteria and weightings or simply enter in an existing portfolio for analysis.

Creating a Customised Framework

The ASSET4 system enables users to select specific data points and KPIs to generate a customised assessment reflecting their own investment criteria or specific themes like climate change preparedness, human resource capital, eco-efficiency, governance, etc. Through a combination of the MyIndicators and MyRatings capabilities users can track and evaluate whatever issues they or their clients believe are important. MyIndicators allows users to create their own KPIs by defining what data points they want to include and how those data points should be evaluated. MyRatings allow users to either select a unique subset of the default ASSET4 data structure or in combination with MyIndicators create a totally new way of viewing and evaluating the ASSET4 information.

Integrating the ASSET4 Information

An important aspect of using the ASSET4 information in day-to-day investment decision-making processes is having the ability to export the data and include it within standard analysis processes. The MyExport functionality is one way that users can select companies and specific data elements to export into an Excel or XML file. The ASSET4 system also comes with an Excel Add-In (as mentioned above) that allows users to select individual ASSET4 data fields and incorporate them directly into an Excel worksheet.