ESG data: how investors can bridge the information gap

The selection of ESG metrics by companies affects the quality and use of data. The information reported must be consistent and complete to have a significant impact. The discrepancies in data create difficulties for investors, who often find themselves comparing companies with different reporting methods. The banks, when assessing the sustainability of investments and credit counterparties, use enriched datasets with standardised methodologies, collecting more reliable and consistent data for an accurate assessment.

With the introduction of the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) in Europe and the new standards of the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) globally, non-financial reporting is being progressively harmonised. These standards oblige companies to declare relevant information according to the principle of double materiality, improving the quality of data available to investors. As of May 2025, more than 1,000 companies have already included CSRD requirements in their 2024 financial statements. The data is now accessible via dedicated platforms, facilitating more robust, consistent and comparable ESG analyses. For banks, this means finally having reliable information sets that are also useful for credit risk assessment and compliance with the sustainability requirements of the EU Taxonomy.

To address the fragmentation of ESG data, banks and institutional investors need to adopt advanced tools that integrate different sources and apply normalisation criteria. According to a recent study, some solutions allow almost 94% of global market capitalisation to be analysed with harmonised indicators. This makes it possible to manage sustainable portfolios, meet regulatory obligations and anticipate emerging risks. Furthermore, the standardisation foreseen by CSRD and IFRS S1-S2 is expected to reduce bilateral data requests to companies, increasing the efficiency of the entire information ecosystem. Looking forward, greater relevance and reliability of data can be achieved, with a positive impact on both risk management and long-term performance.

This article has been realised within the project "Biodiversity services EU expansion" (CUP: E43D22000480009) in the framework of the Lombardy Region's call for tenders "PR FESR 2021-2027 - LINEA INTERNAZIONALIZZAZIONE 21-27", aimed at supporting the internationalisation of Italian companies. 3Bee is the naturetech company that develops innovative technologies for monitoring, protecting and regenerating biodiversity, supporting companies in defining customised climate strategies based on the analysis of their impacts and dependencies on nature. With an established portfolio in Italy, Germany and France and prominent partnerships, 3Bee continues its expansion into international markets to create real impact through technology.