Corporate Responsibility
Our goal is to bring greater clarity to investment decisions through research-based data and tools. The impact of climate change is accelerating, and investors and issuers urgently need sustainability and climate data and tools to provide insights about the risks and opportunities. At MSCI, we believe we can speed progress toward a more sustainable future through the increased transparency that our sustainability and climate solutions provide investors and issuers, and through our actions as a firm.
Our research demonstrates that sound sustainability and climate practices can better position companies for the future.1 As a leading provider of sustainability and climate transparency tools, we help capital markets participants gain clarity to navigate risks and identify opportunities. We also strive to demonstrate leading corporate responsibility practices. Our Materiality Assessment highlights our sustainability priorities.
We regularly report on our website and in other disclosures about our sustainability actions and the progress of our sustainability commitments. This section of our website serves as our “Corporate Responsibility Report,” providing updates on our efforts. Visit our Sustainability Reporting and Policies Hub for current and historical reports, disclosures and policies and our Investor Relations webpages with governance disclosures for more information.
“At MSCI, corporate responsibility is the foundation of everything we do. We aspire to demonstrate the highest possible standards in how we manage our company and support our clients. With that in mind, MSCI has embedded responsible and sustainable practices throughout our operations, and we have seen how they can strengthen our performance. From casting a wide net to ensure we attract the best talent from around the world to sound governance and our drive for net-zero emissions, these policies can help us build a more innovative, competitive and resilient business.”
Environmental sustainability
While our environmental impact as an innovative company providing data and technology solutions to global institutional investors is relatively small, we take action to reduce our impact on the planet. We believe in being transparent about the progress we make toward our climate-related goals and how we address climate-related risks and opportunities.
Social practices
We are committed to retaining and developing our people to foster a high-performing workforce that drives innovation and delivers impactful products and research to the market. Our talent management, inclusion and belonging, learning and development, flexible work, and safety and well-being programs enable us to attract top talent and create an environment where employees are engaged and can thrive. Acting responsibly is also central to our approach to supply chain management and information security.
Responsible business and robust governance
We believe in the importance of robust governance practices. Our governance structure is intended to allocate proper oversight of key risks, functions and opportunities across our Board of Directors and management, ensuring integrity in everything we do.
Enabling sustainable investing
Investors today understand, better than ever before, how sustainability and climate considerations can impact long-term risks and opportunities in financial markets. Our research-based content, investor-grade data and integrated solutions are designed to help clients incorporate sustainability considerations and navigate the transition to a low-carbon economy.
“Capital markets participants are essential to driving the whole-economy transition to mitigate climate risks. Our own net-zero pledge aligns with the Paris Agreement goal of limiting global temperature rise to 1.5°C. We hope it inspires ambitious commitments from all participants in the capital markets. Together we can help drive meaningful progress.”
Spotlight
We are committed to reaching net-zero by 2040, aligned with the Paris Agreement goal of limiting global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius. Our near-term, long-term and net-zero science-based CO2e emissions reduction targets have been validated by the Science Based Targets initiative.2
We set milestones to achieve in 2025: Source 100% renewable electricity, reduce absolute Scope 1 and 2 CO2e emissions by 60%, and increase to 60% by spend our suppliers with science-based targets.3
Our Board is actively engaged in overseeing MSCI’s corporate responsibility efforts.
1 For example, MSCI research found a significant historical correlation between a company’s MSCI ESG Rating and its financing costs. Companies assessed to be the most resilient to financially material sustainability-related risks consistently financed themselves more cheaply than those considered more vulnerable. See the full research paper, MSCI ESG Ratings and Cost of Capital: June 2024: MSCI ESG Ratings and Cost of Capital.
2 CO2e is a unit used to express the global warming potential of different greenhouse gases as a single figure, namely the equivalent amount or concentration of carbon dioxide.
3 2019 is the base year for our CO2e reduction targets.