The UN-convened Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) has published a review of the global ESG reporting landscape for investors and the major trends driving the reporting. Covering 120 ESG reporting instruments across five global reporting initiatives and nine key jurisdictions, some of PRI’s findings include that there is still a long way to go until there is global consensus on investment-related ESG reporting, there is a marked a shift from ‘tell me’ to ‘show me’ reporting, and ESG issue-specific reporting is also growing. This assessment is part of the PRI’s wider effects to provide guidance to ensure accountability on responsible investment practices globally, and will influence the future development and implementation of its reporting and assessment (R&A) framework. PRI said: “The potential for a patchwork of different ESG reporting requirements, both mandatory and voluntary, is concerning for investors, especially those that operate in multiple jurisdictions or rely on reporting from investment managers in different jurisdictions. Investors may also face substantial costs in meeting ESG reporting requirements as well as practical challenges, such as reconciling data from different sources and complying with divergent requirements in multiple jurisdictions. Nonetheless, demand for investment-related ESG reporting is likely to increase.”
