By signing the ESG in credit risk and ratings statement, credit rating agencies and fixed income investors commit to incorporating ESG into credit ratings and analysis in a systematic and transparent way. To date, the statement is supported by around than 180 investors (with over US$40trn in collective AUM) and 25 credit rating agencies (CRAs).

This statement remains open to new credit rating agency and investor signatories.

Contact [email protected] for information on how to sign up.

We, the undersigned, recognise that environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors can affect borrowers’ cash flows and the likelihood that they will default on their debt obligations. ESG factors are therefore important elements in assessing the creditworthiness of borrowers. For corporates, concerns such as stranded assets linked to climate change, labour relations challenges or lack of transparency around accounting practices can cause unexpected losses, expenditure, inefficiencies, litigation, regulatory pressure and reputational impacts.

At a sovereign level, risks related to, inter alia, natural resource management, public health standards and corruption can all affect tax revenues, trade balance and foreign investment. The same is true for local governments and special purpose vehicles issuing project bonds. Such events can result in bond price volatility, and increase the risk of defaults.

In order to more fully address major market and idiosyncratic risk in debt capital markets, underwriters, credit rating agencies and investors should consider the potential financial materiality of ESG factors in a strategic and systematic way. Transparency on which ESG factors are considered, how these are integrated, and the extent to which they are deemed material in credit assessments will enable better alignment of key stakeholders.

In doing this the stakeholders should recognise that credit ratings reflect exclusively an assessment of an issuer’s creditworthiness. Credit rating agencies must be allowed to maintain full independence in determining which criteria may be material to their ratings. While issuer ESG analysis may be considered an important part of a credit rating, the two assessments should not be confused or seen as interchangeable.

With this in mind, we share a common vision to enhance systematic and transparent consideration of ESG factors in the assessment of creditworthiness.

How credit rating agencies support this vision

The credit rating agencies listed below recognise the needs of investors for greater clarity on how ESG factors are considered in credit analysis. In order to achieve this shared goal to enhance systematic and transparent consideration of ESG factors in the assessment of creditworthiness, the credit rating agencies listed below affirm their commitment to:

  • evaluate the extent to which ESG factors are credit-relevant for different issuers;
  • publish their views transparently on the ways in which ESG factors are considered in credit ratings;
  • review the ways ESG factors are integrated into credit analysis as our understanding of these factors evolves;
  • maintain organisational governance and resourcing to deliver quality ratings, including ESG analysis where relevant;
  • participate in industry-wide efforts to develop consistent public disclosure by issuers on ESG factors that could impact their creditworthiness;
  • participate in dialogue with investors to identify and understand ESG risks to creditworthiness.

Credit rating agency signatories

Organisation A-Z 

Cerved Rating Agency S.p.A.
China Chengxin International Credit Rating Co., Ltd.
China Lianhe Credit Rating Co.,Ltd
Creditreform Rating AG
Dagong Global Credit Ratings Group
Morningstar DBRS
EthiFinance
Fedafin AG
Fitch Group, Inc.
Golden Credit Rating International Co., Ltd.
HR Ratings
Islamic International Rating Agency
Japan Credit Rating Agency

JCR Eurasia Rating
Kroll Bond Rating Agency
Liberum Ratings
Microfinanza Rating
Moody’s Corporation
Nordic Credit Rating
Pacific Credit Rating
RAM Ratings
Rating-Agentur Expert RA GmbH
Rating and Investment Information, Inc.
Scope Ratings
S&P Global Ratings

How investors support this vision

The investors listed are all signatories to the six UN-supported Principles for Responsible Investment. In signing the Principles, the investors listed below affirm their commitment to:

  • incorporate ESG factors into investment analysis and decision-making processes;
  • seek appropriate disclosure on ESG issues by investee entities;
  • report on activities and progress towards implementing responsible investment.

Specifically, as fixed income investors, and as the primary users of credit ratings, the signatories of this statement will support formal integration of ESG factors into ratings. This helps ensure ESG risks are appropriately addressed in investment decision making, which will increase investor confidence in the quality and utility of those ratings. To support these efforts, these investors seek to participate in dialogue and engage in collaborative initiatives with other investors and credit rating agencies to further efforts to integrate ESG. 

Investor signatories

A-ZOrganisation

A

Aberdeen Standard Investments
Addenda Capital Inc.
AEGON Asset Management
Alberta Investment Management Corporation
Alcentra
Alecta Pensionsforsakring
AllianceBernstein
Allianz Global Investors
Allianz SE
AlphaFixe Capital Inc.
AMF

AMP Capital Investors
Amundi
Anima Sgr
APG Asset Management
Ardea Investment Management
ASR Nederland N.V.
Australian Ethical Investment Ltd.
AustralianSuper
Aviva Investors
Aware Super
AXA Group
AXA Investment Managers

B

Bank J. Safra Sarasin Ltd
Barings LLC
Bâtirente
Beutel, Goodman & Company Ltd
BMO Global Asset Management
BNP Paribas Asset Management
Brandywine Global Investment Management, LLC
Breckinridge Capital Advisors
Brigade Capital Management, LP

British Columbia Investment Management Corporation
British Columbia Municipal Pension Plan
Brown Advisory
BT Pension Scheme

C

Caisse de dépot et placement du Québec (CDPQ)
Caja Ingenieros Gestión SGIIC, SAU
California Public Employees’ Retirement System CalPERS
Calvert Research and Management
Candriam Investors Group
Cardano
CCOO, FP
CDC - Caisse des dépôts et consignations
Challenger Limited

Christian Brothers Investment Services, Inc.
Church of Sweden
CIBC Asset Management Inc.
Colchester Global Investors Limited
Commonfund
Compass Group
Conning
Connor, Clark & Lunn Investment Management Ltd.
Crescent Capital Group

D

Daintree Capital
Desjardins Global Asset Management

Domini Impact Investments

E

Elmwood Asset Management LLC
ERAFP - Etablissement de Retraite Additionnelle de la Fonction Publique Pension Scheme

Erste Asset Management GmbH
ESG Portfolio Management

F

Federal Finance / Schelcher Prince Gestion
Federated Hermes, Inc. (formerly Federated Investors, Inc.)
Fidelity International
Fiera Capital Corporation
First Sentier Investors (including First State Investments)

Fountain Square Asset Management GmbH
Fonds de réserve pour les retraites - FRR
Franklin Templeton Investments
Futuregrowth Asset Management

G

Galliard Capital Management, Inc.
GAM Investments
Generation Investment Management LLP
GEROA PENTSIOAK E.P.S.V. de EMPLEO

Global Evolution
Goldman Sachs Asset Management (GSAM)
Gramercy Funds Management

HESTA Super Fund

HSBC Global Asset Management

I

IFM Investors
Income Research & Management

Insight Investment
Itaú Asset Management
IVM Caring Capital

J

Janus Henderson Investors
Jarislowsky, Fraser Limited

Jupiter Asset Management

K

Kairos Partners SGR Spa
KfW Bankengruppe 

KLP
Kutxabank Gestion SGIIC SAU

L

Länsförsäkringar AB
Legal & General Investment Management (Holdings)
Leith Wheeler Investment Counsel Ltd.

LocalTapiola Asset Management Ltd
Lombard Odier
Longfellow Investment Management Co., LLC
Lord Abbett

M

M&G Investments
MandG Investments Southern Africa (Pty) Ltd
MAIF
Maple-Brown Abbott Limited
Mariner Investment Group, LLC.
Marsham Investment Management
Merganser Capital Management, LLC
MFS Investment Management

Mirova
MN
Mondrian Investment Partners Limited
Moneda Asset Management
Montrusco Bolton Investments Inc. (MBII)
Morgan Stanley Investment Management
Muzinich & Co

N

Neuberger Berman Group LLC
Nikko Asset Management Co. Ltd.
Ninety One

NN Investment Partners
Nomura Asset Management Co., Ltd.
Norwegian Government Pension Fund Norway (Norwegian Ministry of Finance and Folketrygdfondet)

O

Oak Hill Advisors
Octagon Credit Investors, LLC
OFI Asset Management
Ohman

Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan
OP Wealth Management (OP Asset Management Ltd, OP Fund Management Ltd and OP Property Management Ltd)
Ostrum Asset Management

P

Partners Group AG
Payden & Rygel
Pegaso - Fondo pensione complementare
Pension Protection Fund
PGGM Investments
PGIM Fixed Income
PIMCO

PineBridge Investments
Polus Capital Management Group Limited
Premier Miton Investors
Principal Global Investors
Public Investment Corporation (PIC)
Public Sector Pension Investment Board

Q

QBE Insurance Group Limited

QIC

R

RBC Global Asset Management
Régime de Retraite de l’Université de Montréal
Revolution Asset Management

Robeco
Royal London Asset Management

S

Sage Advisory Services Ltd. Co.
Sanlam Investment Management (SIM)
Sarasin & Partners LLP
Schroders
Sequoia Investment Management Company
Skandia

SKY Harbor Capital Management
Stone Harbor Investment Partners LP
Storebrand ASA
Storm Capital Management
Svenska Handelsbanken AB (Publ)

T

T&D Asset Management Co., Ltd.
Tareno AG
TD Asset Management (TDAM.)
The international business of Federated Hermes (formerly Hermes Investment Management)

Tokio Marine Asset Management Co., Ltd. Japan
TPT Retirement Solutions
Treehouse Investments, LLC
Triodos Investment Management B.V.

U

UBS Asset Management
Union Asset Management Holding AG

Union Bancaire Privée, UBP SA
University of Toronto Asset Management Corporation (re University of Toronto Endowment)

V

Van Lanschot Kempen N.V
Vancity Investment Management

Victorian Funds Management Corporation

W

Wellington Management Company LLP

Wespath Benefits and Investments

Z

Zurich Insurance Group

 

This statement remains open to new credit rating agency and investor signatories.

Contact [email protected] for information on how to sign up.