Qontigo to Expand Sustainable Offering through Partnership with Chinese ESG Data Provider IIGF

HONG KONG, March 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Qontigo, an investment intelligence leader and provider of best-of-breed analytics and world-class indices, has announced an exclusive agreement with the International Institute of Green Finance (IIGF), a provider focused on ESG ratings for Chinese companies – across both fixed income and equities. The partnership will enable Qontigo to develop indices under the STOXX brand names as well as to integrate the data within their leading Axioma portfolio construction and risk management software. 

"We are delighted to add IIGF data to our open architecture, sustainable investment ecosystem," said Rick Chau, Head of Asia Pacific, Qontigo. "Having a partner embedded in the local Chinese market gives us – and in turn, our clients – a deeper, more nuanced view of the companies they evaluate. Further, it's important to recognize the role that China plays in the global ESG supply chain: the insights gained from IIGF will help clients better understand risk and performance of large corporates throughout the world." 

The IIGF ESG database, which currently includes all A-Shares listed companies and Chinese Bond issuers (approximately 8,956 companies), is focused on four main areas of coverage: Climate Finance, Green Finance, Energy Finance and Health Finance – pivotal to assessing an entity's contribution to core Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with regards to natural and human capital. The analysis is based on an IIGF proprietary approach (The Green Evaluation System and ESG Evaluation System), which comprises both qualitative and quantitative indicators of ESG contribution but also negative indicators arising from company behavior and risks. 

Since 2016, IIGF has provided consultancy and advisory services on green credit, green bond, carbon trading and risk assessment for local and international entities. 

"There are clear synergies between our two firms resulting in a natural partnership," said Yichen Shi, Deputy Dean of IIGF. "Our rigorous and robust analysis combined with our deep knowledge of China, makes us well positioned to provide quality ESG insight for our clients. Qontigo is equally focused on bringing best-of-breed, innovative products to help their clients meet the growing demand of sustainable investing and reporting in Asia."

Qontigo currently partners with a number of data providers within the sustainability space, including Clarity AI, ISS and Sustainalytics. The company has recently become a signatory of the UN-supported investor initiative, the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI). It has a wide range of sustainable indices covering ESG, Climate, and Low Carbon universes.  

About Qontigo

Qontigo is a financial intelligence innovator and a leader in the modernization of investment management, from risk to return. The combination of the group's world-class indices and best-of-breed analytics, with its technological expertise and customer-driven innovation, enables its clients to achieve competitive advantage in a rapidly changing marketplace.

About the IIGF

The International Institute of Green Finance (IIGF) of the Central University of Finance and Economics (CUFE) is an independent and non-profit think tank in Beijing, China. Its goal is to support the development of green finance in China and internationally.

SOURCE Qontigo