Relevance

The relevance analysis inquires whether the report discloses information on topics identified as relevant for the company, industry and country. Issues have been selected from an inside-out and outside-in perspective, using the RepRisk ESG Risk Platform, the Materiality Map™ of the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) and the Umweltatlas Supply Chain Management of FOEN. Read more about the methodology.

Industry Ranking

On average, companies score around 49% (in 2019: 53%), with the chemistry & pharmaceuticals, food & beverage and construction builders & suppliers sectors scoring the highest with 63% and real estate and machine industry scoring lowest with 32%.

%

Average industry score

Preparing (0-25%)
Progressing (25-50%)
Avancing (50-75%)
Leading (75-100%)
  • Chemistry & pharmaceuticals (2019: 70%) 63% 63%
  • Food & beverage sector (2019: 65%) 63% 63%
  • Construction builders suppliers (2019: 60%) 63% 63%
  • IT, medical & electrical engineering (2019: 50%) 55% 55%
  • Mobility, transport & logistics (2019: 50%) 55% 55%
  • Retail & wholesale trade (2019: 57%) 54% 54%
  • Manufacturing industry (2019: 46%) 54% 54%
  • Gastronomy & hospitality (2019: 52%) 48% 48%
  • Financial services (2019: 49%) 46% 46%
  • Insurance services (2019: 57%) 45% 45%
  • Other service providers (2019: 51%) 39% 39%
  • Energy supply & distribution (2019: 45%) 34% 34%
  • Real estate (2019: 35%) 32% 32%
  • Machine industry (2019: 51%) 32% 32%
Company level

Critical press articles about the company, on environmental, social and governance issues (ESG), identified via the RepRisk ESG Risk Platform

Industry level

Material sustainability issues on an industry-by-industry basis, identified via the SASB Materiality Map™ and the RepRisk ESG Risk Platform

International & supply chain level

Relevant international issues, identified via the FOEN Umweltatlas Supply Chain Management tool, which pinpoints hotspots along the supply chain

Company level

 

,A sustainability report must mention critical or negative press articles on environmental, social and governance issues (ESG) to increase trust.

43% of the companies analysed had ESG cases published in press articles. These cases are classified as VERY RELEVANT (in 2019: 33%). Among those exposed, more than half do not report on these cases in their sustainability report (23% vs. 20%). 

RepRisk Company Reports

RepRisk offers company reports that highlight high-risk issues and disclose specific ESG articles in media that affect the company.

 

See example

Industry level

 

Companies should consider to assess the relevance of critical industry issues to the company.

68% of analysed companies report on at least 50% of identified industry issues (in 2019: 61%), of which 7% cover all topics (in 2019: 2%). The remaining companies cover less than 50% of industry issues, including 3% that do not report on any sector-specific issue (in 2019: 5%).

International & supply chain level

The majority of companies address at least 50% of relevant issues at international level and on supply chain level, whereby non of them covers all issues. 3% did not address any issues.

As the methodology concerning this criteria has been adapted between 2019 and 2021, the comparability with results from previous years is limited.