RMB launches ESG risk-measuring platforms

MEDIA RELEASE

1 September 2021

RMB launches ESG risk-measuring platforms to support sustainable investing

RMB, a division of FirstRand Bank Limited, today launched its Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG)-measuring platforms. ESGo! and ESGNow drive sustainable finance by offering client interfaces that enable more informed investment decisions when it comes to ESG considerations.

Access to reliable ESG data and the ability to use such data in making investment decisions are vital to advancing sustainable investing. There are several different frameworks and data providers in the ESG space, but the varied ecosystem makes meaningful comparisons difficult. RMB’s new ESG tools address this challenge by giving asset managers and institutional investors (e.g. pension funds) affordable access to the latest ESG data presented in visually appealing and easy-to-use formats.

Shareholders are increasingly integrating ESG strategies into their investing criteria, with many jurisdictions requiring that companies provide potential investors with ESG-related information.

“The world is moving towards integrating sustainable finance across the financial ecosystem,” says Nigel Beck, Head of Sustainable Finance and ESG Advisory at RMB. “We embrace this change and want to empower our clients to do the same. ESGo! and ESGNow will be an essential enabler to our clients’ businesses, and a vital tool to understanding investment aligned to ESG criteria.”

ESGo! and ESGNow form part of RMB’s Sustainable Investment Analytics suite that independently assesses client portfolio risk profiles relating to sustainability issues.

“We want to equip clients with information to support their investment decision-making,” explains Hendrik Fourie, Head of Invest at RMB. “ESGo! offers an on-the-go, high-level view of a portfolio’s ESG risk, highlighting areas that may warrant investor attention.”

With such a perspective, clients and portfolio managers are positioned to assess a portfolio’s underlying ESG components or instruments. “As the name intimates,” adds Fourie, “clients are empowered to ‘go’ – to move towards making the most informed investment decisions they can. It’s an action-oriented approach to what we believe is intelligent investing.” 

For clients wanting deeper insights, ESGNow offers real-time information when it comes to sustainability-related investment and enables a current sustainable-investment assessment, tracking changes over time or from a specific date.

Explains RMB’s Head of Global Securities Services, Sifiso Ndala: “The user-friendly ESGNow dashboard offers analytics with breadth, allowing reporting on a number of sustainability components – ESG, controversy association, climate metrics and alignment to international standards.”

Depth is also key. ESGNow drills down to sector and holdings levels. Says Ndala: “RMB’s functionality incorporates detailed ESG calculations on the client’s portfolio, interprets and applies international standards and provides transparency into underlying metrics drivers. This, so our client is equipped ‘now’ to make informed decisions that will impact tomorrow.”

“ESG issues have become top of mind, both for our clients and for us, and more so in recent years,” concludes Beck. “As such, we partner with them – not only in driving performance for them but in working with them for a better world.”

End

Contact:

Joandra Griesel l RMB l joandra.griesel@rmb.co.za