Proxy adviser ISS has launched a new tool to help investors monitor and report on their exposure to modern slavery risk. Developed by ISS STOXX’s sustainable investment arm, ISS ESG, the tool tracks 25 quantitative and qualitative factors across a universe of 60,000 issuers around the world. It looks at controversies such as forced labour, child labour and human trafficking, and has been designed to help investors assess risk and fulfil reporting requirements, as well as better identify high-risk and low-performing companies for engagement. Till Jung, Head of ISS ESG, said there was growing concern about modern slavery among corporates and investors across Australia, the UK, Canada, France, the Netherlands, Germany and Norway – driven in part by significant regulatory developments on the subject in recent years. “The modern slavery solution’s new reporting functionality allows clients to upload their portfolio and download a report which details their risk exposure, and demonstrates how holdings are managing modern slavery risks,” he added. The tool pulls data from three of the group’s ESG solutions: ESG corporate rating, norm-based research and ESG country rating.
