Role and types of ESG ratings in the financial market

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to discuss the role and types of ESG ratings in the financial market. Selected issues related to the integration of sustainability into mainstream risk management in the financial industry are presented. The following research hypotheses were formulated for the consideration undertaken in the article:
Hypothesis 1: Green bonds are increasingly important in the financial market both globally and in Europe.
Hypothesis 2: Investors use ESG ratings to confirm information on companies’ environmental, social and governance performance.
Hypothesis 3: ESG ratings from many providers are difficult to compare due to differing methodologies.
Achieving the research objective required a systematic review of the Polish and English-language literature using scientific information databases (CEJSH, SCOPUS, Web of Science, Connected Papers and arXiv), as well as professional sources in online format such as: Financial Times, Bloomberg, Thomson Reuters. The paper uses descriptive and comparative analysis methods, as well as analysis and inference based on secondary data – published by the World Bank and the International Capital Markets Association. The growth of the sustainable debt (bond) market in terms of the volume of issued instruments of this type was identified. The results of the analyses also indicate a diversity of methodologies for assigning ESG ratings. In addition, addressing ESG issues appropriately can have a tangible impact on a company’s real-world business operations.