NORWALK, Conn., March 08, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- FactSet^® (NYSE:FDS) (NASDAQ:FDS), a global provider of integrated financial information, analytical applications, and industry-leading service, has announced the launch of the Truvalue Labs^® SDG Monitor, designed to enable investors and other interested parties to view the alignment of corporations around the globe to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in real time and review how this alignment differs in emphasis across regions.

Truvalue Labs, which was recently acquired by FactSet, has built a dataset underpinning the SDG Monitor that arises from more than 100,000 information sources in 13 languages, such as news, NGO reports, industry publications, trade journals and social media, and now covers more than 21,000 companies worldwide. The Monitor itself is free to use and is organized by country and/or region, allowing investors and investment professionals to see how companies in aggregate compare across regions in their alignment to the SDGs.

The analysis goes beyond the conventional approach of measuring SDG alignment via percentage of company revenue categorized by the goals and centers on externalities from a stakeholder perspective. For example, a clean energy car company that has a history of poor labor practices will be evaluated not just on the goal of clean energy, an area in which it generates revenue, but also on the goal of decent work, in which it does not. This focus on overall corporate effect – both positive and negative – offers users a differentiated perspective on how companies impact their environments.

According to the Truvalue ESG Investor Forum 2020 poll, 28% of respondents said their investment framework was currently aligned to the UN SDGs while 42% said they have plans to align. Moreover, 72% of respondents said social factors are the most difficult to analyze and integrate, with environmental ones next at 18%. These responses indicate that one of the keys to wider SDG adoption is access to better data for both the social and environmental pillars.

“FactSet is filling a significant data gap,” said Adam Salvatori, Global Head of ESG Client Solutions and Research at FactSet. “Our research and analysis are helping to lead the way by focusing on a more holistic external stakeholder assessment of ESG impact. The Truvalue Labs SDG Monitor is one major step on that journey.”

“The UN Global Compact drives business awareness and action in support of the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. Fulfilling these ambitions will take an unprecedented effort by all sectors in society,” said Lila Karbassi, Chief of Programs at United Nations Global Compact. “We are delighted to see Truvalue Labs harnessing technology to provide a new layer of understanding around real world outcomes through the framework of the UN Sustainable Development Goals.”

The Truvalue Labs SDG Monitor is structured as a public service and is free to all. For more information, visit: https://sdg.factset.com.

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