Sustainalytics
1. What Sustainalytics Is
Sustainalytics is a global ESG research, ratings, and data provider, owned by Morningstar since 2020.
It evaluates how well companies manage material Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) risks.
It is used by:
- Asset managers & hedge funds
- Pension funds
- Banks & insurers
- Regulators & ESG-compliant funds
- Index providers (MSCI, Morningstar, etc.)
2. What the Sustainalytics Score Exactly Measures
It measures how much unmanaged ESG risk remains.
It answers this question: How exposed is the company to financially material ESG risks, and how well are those risks managed?
So it is a risk metric for financial downside, not a moral score.
3. How the Rating is Calculated
The score is built in 3 layers:
a) ESG Risk Exposure
How exposed the company is to:
- Climate & emissions
- Labor & human rights
- Data security
- Product safety
- Corruption
- Supply-chain risk
- Board structure, etc.
This depends heavily on industry, geography, and business model.
b) ESG Risk Management
How well the company:
- Has policies
- Applies controls
- Reports transparently
- Has audits & governance systems
c) Unmanaged Risk = Final Score
What is left after management efforts. This final number is the Sustainalytics ESG Risk Rating.
4. Sustainalytics Risk Score Scale
| Score | Risk Level |
|---|---|
| 0 – 10 | Negligible risk |
| 10 – 20 | Low risk |
| 20 – 30 | Medium risk |
| 30 – 40 | High risk |
| 40+ | Severe risk |
Lower score = better (less unmanaged ESG risk)
Higher score = worse (more ESG risk still
unmanaged)
Examples:
- Microsoft ≈ 14 → Low Risk
- Shell ≈ 35–40 → High Risk
- Tesla has fluctuated between Medium and High in recent years
5. How Sustainalytics Is Used in Practice
It is used for:
- ESG fund screening
- Regulatory compliance (SFDR in EU)
- Portfolio risk control
- Green bonds & sustainability-linked loans
- Bank credit pricing
- Institutional mandates ("only low-risk ESG stocks allowed")
In Europe it is directly tied to SFDR Article 8 and Article 9 classification.