Euronext goes ESG: ‘My ESG Profile’, ‘Biodiversity Enablers’ index, ESG pre-IPO, and foundation

Euronext has taken significant steps towards accelerating the transition to sustainable finance with the launch of a series of strategic ESG initiatives.

These new services were revealed during the inaugural Euronext Sustainability Week, demonstrating Euronext’s commitment to sustainable finance and its dedication to promoting positive change within the industry.

My ESG Profile

What began as Italian Sustainability Week in 2017 has now evolved into a pan-European event spanning all of Euronext’s geographies. Over the course of five days, this flagship event hosted around 40 external and internal events, including conferences, workshops, and webinars, targeting both corporate and investor audiences. The goal was to foster sustainable finance across Europe.

At the core of Euronext’s sustainable finance strategy is its commitment to supporting issuers at all stages of their ESG journey. In a groundbreaking move, Euronext introduced “My ESG Profile,” a pioneering digital tool.

This tool allows issuers to showcase their sustainability efforts while providing investors with access to relevant ESG data. Euronext will feature nearly 1,900 ESG company profiles, making it the first stock exchange to offer its issuers’ individual non-financial data in a standardized form on its website.

Issuers can enrich their profiles through Euronext’s customer portal, enhancing transparency in financial markets and democratizing access to reliable ESG data.

The Euronext Biodiversity Enablers index

Additionally, Euronext unveiled the creation of a groundbreaking family of biodiversity indices known as the Euronext Biodiversity Enablers index.

Developed in collaboration with Iceberg Data Lab, this index is the world’s first benchmark highlighting the positive impact companies can have on biodiversity.

It measures the dual materiality assessment of companies worldwide, introducing two innovative metrics: a Dependency Exposure Score and a Biodiversity Avoided Impact. The index’s constituent companies are selected from the “Euronext World Index” universe.

The ESG pre-IPO guide

Recognizing the growing significance of ESG in investment decisions, Euronext is strengthening ESG content in its pre-IPO educational programs. In collaboration with specialized partners, Euronext will introduce new ESG modules as of 2024.

Moreover, Euronext is launching an “ESG pre-IPO guide” in collaboration with the Paris Institute for Sustainable Finance (Institut de la Finance Durable).

This guide offers recommendations on best practices for ESG during the IPO process and provides insights into investor expectations regarding corporates’ ESG maturity during this critical phase.

Euronext Foundation to lead by example

Euronext also unveiled the establishment of the “Euronext Foundation,” aimed at fostering support for local sustainable communities and projects across Europe. The foundation’s focus areas include financial literacy, diversity and inclusion, and marine resources. It seeks to serve as an umbrella organization, encompassing Euronext’s philanthropic and educational initiatives via funding and volunteering to empower young people, promote sustainability, and strengthen ties with local communities.

Stéphane Boujnah, CEO and Chairman of the Managing Board of Euronext N.V., said: “Effective positive change requires efforts and cooperation among key players in the market. Euronext can significantly impact the European sustainability agenda by leveraging its distinct position in financing the real economy and linking local economies with global capital markets.”

Euronext’s newly introduced ESG products and services are poised to empower companies on their journey towards sustainable finance, aligning with the company’s mission to drive responsible change within the financial industry.