ISS ESG Sector-Based Screening (covers 18k publicly listed controversial companies)

ISS ESG’s Sector-Based Screening provides an assessment of companies with business involvement in specific controversial sectors, products or services. It identifies and assesses corporate involvement within the following: • Abortion/Abortifacients • Alcohol • Animal Testing • Animal Welfare (incl. Factory Farming) • Cannabis • Civilian Firearms • Contraceptives • ​Community Reinvestment Act​ • Conventional Weapons • Euthanasia • For-profit Correctional Facilities • Gambling • GMOs • Hazardous Substances • Islamic Finance • Military Equipment & Services • Palm Oil • Pork • Pornography • Predatory Lending • Stem Cell Research • Tobacco • Violent Video Games Additional information is available for companies with indications of current involvement, including profile notes on the company’s involvement in a certain product or service, and reported data or estimate of share of revenues derived from certain product or service. Customized thresholds for screening criteria are available, with options varying by issue area. The service covers ISS ESG’s company universe, which is approximately 26,000 issuers globally, including some 18,000 publicly listed companies, for most Sector-Based Screening. ISS ESG employs an issue-based approach to screening which focuses on the actions of companies across the globe. This approach allows ISS ESG to flag potential scrutinized companies that would not otherwise fall into a defined index and allows for fuller coverage. Companies within risk sectors are actively screened to determine the involvement in the relevant controversial activity. Screening data and estimates are based on the most recent annual report and/or financial filings, published company information, expert sources and non-governmental organizations reports. ISS ESG also gathers relevant industry sector statistics. Data entries are validated by senior analysts with additional periodic quality tests being performed by the team lead. Information is updated annually with updates scheduled according to financial data release. Information about corporate events is tracked via news sources and updated as financial releases become available. Clients may access the team of ISS ESG analysts for questions related to research results or broader ESG issues. Data is used by a broad range of institutional investors, asset managers, asset owners, fund managers, banks, government institutions, universities and research firms.