Asset owner-led sustainability data platform the Sustainable Development Investments Asset Owner Platform (SDI AOP) announced the launch of SDI Outcomes, a new solution aimed at providing investors with consistent and comparable sustainability outcome data to assess the real-world outcomes of sustainable investments.

Launched in 2020 by pension asset managers APG, AustralianSuper, British Columbia Investment Management Corporation (BCI) and PGGM, SDI AOP was established to investors to assess companies on their contribution to the SDGs, the 17 categories of goals adopted as part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, with the aim to protect the planet and improve the quality of life globally, with targets such as ending poverty and hunger, improving education, and protecting the environment.

According to SDI AOP, the new dataset analyses company outputs data to quantify the products and services which sit underneath the existing revenue alignment data. Information provided includes “avoided carbon emissions,” measuring contributions from areas such as renewable energy, energy efficiency, sustainable transport, and electric vehicles, and “people served,” in categories such as access to clean water, education, healthcare, telecom services , and financial inclusion, for more than 1,600 listed companies globally.

The organization added that the solution aims to enhance transparency, support better investment decision-making, and combat greenwashing concerns, while helping asset owners and managers track portfolio outcomes and align with sustainability goals including net zero targets and SDG objectives.

The new solution delivers a comprehensive data set comprising company level, geographic level, outputs layer and outcomes data.

James Leaton, Research Director at SDI AOP, said:

“The SDI Outcomes product was developed to meet client demand for this type of granular outputs data to help fight greenwashing concerns. Clients find it difficult to compare the data companies provide relating to outcomes as various methodologies are used. The SDI Outcomes approach takes care of the adjustments and validation for clients to produce consistent numbers.”