As part of its ongoing efforts to leverage data to combat the climate crisis, Benchmark Digital Partners LLC today became an Alliance Member of the Value Reporting Foundation (VRF). Benchmark Digital Partners, a leading provider of cloud-based Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) software solutions, believes companies can better safeguard against climate risk when they have built a culture of providing strong, transparent climate disclosures. Joining the VRF will help Benchmark Digital Partners achieve that mission by giving companies with a more holistic understanding of the value they provide.
“Climate-related financial disclosures and investment-grade ESG data are key to reversing the climate crisis,” said R Mukund, CEO and Founder of Benchmark Digital. “Investment-grade ESG data empowers investors to allocate trillions of dollars to companies and projects that make a real difference and allows companies to focus on the initiatives making the largest impact. Becoming an Alliance Member of the VRF is a key step in Benchmark Digital’s mission to enable true investment-grade ESG data. As we help our global community of subscribers develop and strengthen their ESG capabilities, the integration of the Integrated Reporting Framework, the Materiality Map and SASB Standards provided by the VRF into our Benchmark ESG platform will allow our subscribers to generate and disclose the ESG data that key stakeholders now demand. It will provide a replicable, reliable process for communicating sustainability performance in a way the investment community, regulators, and NGOs understand.”
The recent announcement of the formation of the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB), integrating the VRF and Climate Disclosure Standards Board (CDSB), adds to the momentum behind the SASB Standard and moves the global community one step closer to a consistent, investment-grade data standard. The investment-grade data standard will ultimately enable far more effective ESG investments that put resources behind efforts to combat climate change.
SASB Standards provide industry-specific disclosure topics and metrics to help understand sustainability risks opportunities relevant to enterprise value creation. They are especially effective when used with the Integrated Reporting Framework, which provides principles-based guidance for report structure and content. When these frameworks are used together, companies and investors can understand the relationship between sustainability and financial performance. With SASB Standards now used by 54% of the FTSE 100 index and each of the major indices in the S&P Global 1200, there is global momentum behind strong standards.
“Combatting climate change is a generational effort,” continued Mukund. “The Benchmark Digital Partners team is proud to be aiding in the fight and joining the VRF is just our latest action. We will always do our part.”
About Benchmark ESG™
Benchmark ESG™ enables companies to implement robust cross-functional Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) digital solutions – locally, globally and across diverse operating profiles. Our comprehensive cloud-based software suite features intuitive, best-practice process functionality, flexible configurations and powerful extensions. For over two decades and through Year 2020 under the Gensuite® brand, we’ve helped companies to manage safe & sustainable operations worldwide, with a focus on fast return on investment (ROI), service excellence and continuous innovation. Join over 1,500,000 users that trust Benchmark ESG™ with their software system needs for operational risk and compliance, EHS, sustainability, product stewardship and responsible sourcing.
About the Value Reporting Foundation
The Value Reporting Foundation is a global nonprofit organization that offers a comprehensive suite of resources designed to help businesses and investors develop a shared understanding of enterprise value—how it is created, preserved or eroded over time. The resources—including Integrated Thinking Principles, the Integrated Reporting Framework and SASB Standards—can be used alone or in combination, depending on business needs. These tools, already adopted in over 70 countries, comprise the 21st century market infrastructure needed to develop, manage and communicate strategy that creates long-term value and drives improved performance.
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