Performance Assessment of Firms Following Sustainalytics ESG Principles

Abstract

The authors explore whether firms rated highly by Sustainalytics based on ESG criteria are rewarded with superior long-term stock price performance. They find that firms with the highest ESG ratings statistically outperform the S&P 500 index, although not on a risk-adjusted basis. Firms with higher governance and social scores also statistically outperform those firms with corresponding lower scores. Firms with better (worse) governance scores produce statistically significant positive (negative) alpha values. Firms less likely to adhere to strong governance principles are penalized in the market, while firms more likely following strong social and environmental principles are negatively assessed. Improved governance scores and to a lesser extent improved social scores produce statistically significant positive alpha values whereas negative changes in environmental scores are positively received by the market. Overall, investors are not hurt by following an ESG philosophy with the market rewarding firms for good governance, penalizing those with strong environmental records, and meeting with ambivalence those with strong social records.