Answered By: Farha Hasan
Last Updated: Feb 02, 2024     Views: 19715

Q.
Companies: social responsibility

Where can I find social responsibility ratings and reports for companies?


A.

The following databases rate or rank the social responsibility of companies:

  • MSCI GMI Ratings (via WRDS): GMI Ratings, formerly known as Corporate Library, offers annual historical data captures for each proxy year beginning in 2001.
  • S&P Global ESG Scores (via WRDS): Provides environment, social and governance data and scores and TruCost data.  Includes: Climate Analytics, ESG Scores, and Trucost Environmental.
  • Sustainalytics (via WRDS): Provides environmental, social, and governance (ESG) research, ratings, and data.
  • Datastream: Provides Asset4 ESG (environment, social and governance) data. From the Datastream Formula Builder, choose "Constituent Lists," (under category) and then use the "find series," option to search for  Refinitiv ESG in the Explorer window.  LA4CT is the mnemonic for Asset4.
  • KLDHistorical ratings from KLD Socrates (covering 1991-2008) are available to the HBS community in spreadsheet form.

The following websites also rate or rank social responsibility:


The following websites give background information on social responsibility issues and companies:

  • Benefit Corp Information Center: Benefit corporations have a corporate purpose to create a material positive impact on society and the environment.  The Information Center maintains a database of benefit corporations.
  • Corpwatch.org: Provide articles, reports and data on violations by multinational corporations to activists, media, the general public and policy makers.
  • Corporate Citizenship Awards: US Chamber of Commerce Foundation honors businesses for their significant positive impacts in communities around the world.

The following databases provide companies' own (self-reported) social responsibility reports:

  • Sustainability Disclosure Database: a free database from the Global Social Reporting Initiative of self-reported of sustainability, corporate responsibility and integrated reports.
  • Refinitiv Workspace:
    • Click on Filings & Events in the top banner.
    • Select Advanced Filings from the list of options.
    • Under the Filters, click into the Categories text box and type in ESG.
    • Check off ESG Disclosure.
    • Add other criteria as desired.
    • Click Search.

For a multimedia learning module on Refinitiv Workspace check out our Learn with Baker Library Refinitiv Workspace Introduction.