Transparency

This indicator provides the entity with the opportunity to disclose additional context to support the interpretation of its responses to the Transparency indicators, helping stakeholders better understand the entity’s disclosures and circumstances.

Select ‘Yes’ or ‘No’. If ‘Yes’, provide context to support the interpretation of the entity’s responses to this aspect’s indicators.

Open text box: The content of this open text box is not used for scoring, but will be included in the Insights and Benchmark Reports. Participants should use this open text box to provide further details, context, or comments related to the subject.

Terminology

Investor or similar stakeholder

An investor or other interested party who uses the disclosed information to understand and assess the entity’s sustainability-related approach, practices, or performance.

Transparency

The extent to which the entity provides clear, relevant, and reliable information on sustainability-related policies, practices, and performance to enable investors and other stakeholders to understand and assess its practices.

No evidence required.

This indicator assesses whether the entity discloses sustainability information as part of its annual or financial reporting, including whether disclosures are aligned with a recognized third-party standard or framework. Formal reporting supports decision-useful transparency and strengthens stakeholder confidence in the entity’s sustainability governance and performance.

Select ‘Yes’ or ‘No’. If 'Yes', select all applicable sub-options.

Indicate whether the report is aligned to a third-party standard/framework. If aligned, select the applicable standard (or select Other and specify).

• Examples of third-party standards/frameworks that may be used include (but are not limited to) GRI, ESRS, or TCFD.

Other: State the other way in which the entity communicates this information. Ensure that the other answer provided is not a duplicate of the selected option above.

Terminology

Alignment

To agree and match with a recognized sustainability standard (either voluntary or mandatory).

Disclosure

The act of making information or data readily accessible and available to all interested individuals and institutions. Disclosure must be external and cannot be an internal and/or ad hoc communication within the participating entity.

Evidence

The evidence provided will be subject to manual validation.

The evidence should sufficiently support all the items selected for this question. If a hyperlink is provided, ensure that it is active and that the relevant page can be accessed within two steps.

General evidence requirements:

1. Reporting year: The disclosure should cover the reporting year as described in EC4. Reports from the prior reporting year detailing actions and/or performance are acceptable if it is explicitly stated that the report for the current reporting year has not yet been published. If an entity reports on a semi-annual basis, both semi-annual reports must be uploaded to cover the 12 months of reporting identified in EC4.

2. Content requirements: The evidence must explicitly address sustainability and include actions and/or performance undertaken by the entity; a list of general goals and/or commitments is not sufficient. For evidence to be accepted, it should cover at least two of the three pillars of sustainability (i.e., environmental, social, and/or governance). If it meets all other requirements but only one pillar is referenced, the evidence will be ‘partially accepted’. Disclosure of GRESB results alone (i.e., without any additional analysis or sustainability performance disclosure) is not sufficient for any disclosure type.

3. Reporting level requirements: The evidence must clearly reference the sustainability actions/performance of the reporting entity.

   1. Fund- or group-level reports that do not reference the entity by name will not be accepted as evidence.

   2. Group-, investment manager- or business unit- level disclosure can only be accepted if sustainability actions and/or performance directly reference the entity by name (i.e., they are not only relevant to the entity via connection to the fund/investment manager/group).

4. Alignment requirements: The evidence provided must support the alignment chosen (if applicable). If listing an alignment that is not predefined, the alignment must be specific and entered in full (i.e., avoid using acronyms).

The scoring of this indicator is equal to the fraction assigned to the selected option, multiplied by the total score of the indicator.

Evidence: For selections subject to manual validation, the validation status acts as a multiplier to determine that selection's final score.

If any requirements are not met, the evidence may not be accepted, depending on the level of alignment with the requirements.

​Scoring Basics

This indicator describes whether the entity makes sustainability information publicly available, including the types of information shared and the channels used to disclose it. Public disclosure fosters trust and demonstrates transparency by helping stakeholders (including local communities) understand the entity’s sustainability approach and the actions it has undertaken, which supports accountability and can contribute to the entity’s social license to operate.

Select ‘Yes’ or ‘No’. If 'Yes', select all applicable sub-options.

The entity should select all options that were used to disseminate information during the reporting year. These publications do not need to exclusively cover sustainability issues, but either qualitative or quantitative sustainability information (or both) should be included.

All elements that were included in any of the channels should be selected.

Other: State what other type(s) of information are shared and/or the other channels through which information is shared. Ensure that the other answer provided is not a duplicate of the selected option above.

Terminology

Sustainability strategy

Strategy which (1) sets out the participant’s procedures and (2) sets the direction and guidance for the entity’s implementation of sustainability measures.

Sustainability management

Processes, systems, and practices established to manage environmental, social, and governance issues and support the achievement of the entity’s sustainability objectives.

Sustainability actions and implementation

Specific activities performed to improve management of environmental, social and governance issues within the entity.

Sustainability performance measurement

The process of tracking, monitoring, and evaluating sustainability-related performance through the use of metrics, indicators, and data to assess progress against objectives and identify opportunities for improvement.

Other Answer

The other answer(s) provided will be subject to manual validation.

For types of information, ensure that the stated information relates to sustainability and is publicly disclosed by the entity.

For the channels, ensure that the channel should be accessible to external stakeholders and used to communicate sustainability-related information.

The scoring of this indicator is equal to the fraction assigned to the selected option, multiplied by the total score of the indicator. It is not necessary to select all options to achieve the maximum score.

Other: The 'Other' answer is validated and assigned a score which is used as a multiplying factor, as per the table below:

Scoring Basics