Euronext strengthens its commitment to sustainable finance and corporate transparency with new initiatives unveiled during Euronext Sustainability Week

• Launch of the Euronext Sustainable Network

• Release of the first annual ESG Trends Report, offering unique insights into how Euronext-listed companies make progress in their ESG reporting and performance

• New ESG Peer Benchmarking tool under My ESG Profile, which enables issuers to assess their ESG performance relative to their peers

• Introduction of a new ESG advisory service to support SMEs in implementing European Sustainability Reporting Standards under the CSRD

Amsterdam, Brussels, Dublin, Lisbon, Milan, Oslo and Paris – 9 September 2024 – Euronext, the leading pan-European market infrastructure, today announced the launch of a series of strategic ESG initiatives aimed at accelerating the transition towards sustainable finance. These innovative ESG services were unveiled during the second edition of Euronext Sustainability Week, further delivering on Euronext’s “Fit For 1.5°” commitment and “Growth for Impact 2024” strategy, while paving the way for Euronext’s next strategic plan, which will be presented in November 2024.

Stéphane Boujnah, CEO and Chairman of the Managing Board of Euronext N.V., said: "Achieving sustainability in finance is a collective responsibility that requires collaboration across all market stakeholders. At Euronext, we are committed to advancing the European sustainability agenda by bridging local economies with global capital markets. The ongoing development of our ESG products and services underscores our dedication to equipping companies with the essential tools to navigate the evolving regulatory landscape, elevate their ESG performance, and contribute to a more sustainable future.”

Euronext Sustainability Week: a pan-European commitment to sustainable finance

Euronext Sustainability Week provides a platform for fostering discussions on sustainable finance and raising public awareness on this crucial topic.

Building on the success of the original Italian Sustainability Week, launched in 2017, it expanded its reach in 2023 to include all Euronext locations across Europe. Last year's event featured 40 internal and external sessions with over 2,800 attendees and 120 speakers. The event spanned five days across nine European cities and attracted more than 1,200 investors and corporate participants, showcasing Euronext's growing influence in promoting sustainable finance.

For this year’s edition, Euronext has planned 40 external events, including conferences, workshops, and webinars. These events will be held throughout the week, across ten European locations, targeting both corporate and investor audiences to further advance sustainable finance. Read about this year’s events.

Leveraging collective expertise: the Euronext Sustainable Network

Euronext today unveils the Euronext Sustainable Network, aimed at creating a collaborative ecosystem among key European players in sustainable finance, including investment firms, banks, lawyers, audit and advisory companies, carbon brokers and data providers. This network will focus on promoting the best ESG practices, supporting the around 1,900 European issuers and 6,000 international investors associated with Euronext, and enhancing collaboration to drive innovation in ESG practices. Additionally, it will seek to advance sustainable finance by aligning efforts across stakeholders and educating members on ESG topics, regulations, and emerging trends. The network will leverage collective expertise and foster a collaborative environment in order to achieve significant progress in sustainable finance.

Innovative products to promote ESG transparency and harmonisation

Building on the success of My ESG Profile and utilising the comprehensive data collected by Euronext’s partner Cofisem, Euronext releases today its pioneering ESG Trends Report 2024. This report offers valuable insights into how companies listed on Euronext make progress in their ESG reporting and performance. Presenting a thorough overview of their progress over time, it also highlights the evolution of ESG regulation and the accelerated path of its adoption among corporates. The full report can be accessed HERE.

Euronext is also reinforcing My ESG Profile with a new ESG Peer Benchmarking Report to provide further insights to issuers. This enhanced feature enables companies to assess their ESG performance relative to their peers listed on Euronext, providing essential comparison points for improving sustainability practices.

The introduction of these innovative products demonstrates Euronext’s ongoing commitment to helping businesses achieve their ESG goals and foster a more transparent and responsible corporate environment.

Euronext was the first stock exchange to standardise and publish individual non-financial data of its issuers, with nearly 1,900 ESG profiles already accessible through My ESG Profile. My ESG Profile increases transparency in company reporting, facilitates sustainable investment and advertises Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) indicators to the wider public.

Advancing ESG education and support services for sustainable growth

As ESG becomes an increasingly important factor in the investment decision-making process, Euronext's commitment to ESG education ensures that listed companies are well-prepared to embrace evolving sustainable regulation and responsible business practices. Therefore, Euronext presents an updated version of its ESG Reporting Guide, incorporating the latest EU ESG Regulations, recent developments in ESG standards and case studies on ESG practices among listed companies.

The Euronext ESG Reporting Guide is a comprehensive resource provided by Euronext to assist listed companies, including SMEs, in understanding and implementing best practices for ESG reporting. The guide also includes essential resources for private companies interested in advancing their ESG strategy, communicating it to their investors and getting started in their ESG journey. The updated version of the Euronext ESG Reporting Guide can be accessed HERE.

Recognising the challenges SMEs face in implementing ESG regulations, Euronext is also launching a new service under Euronext Corporate Services: an ESG Advisory solution dedicated to SMEs to support them in implementing European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS) specific to small- and medium-sized companies under the CSRD.

Additionally, Euronext Academy introduces the Academy Coaching service. This new offering is designed to support Corporate Sustainability Officers and C-suite executives in understanding and adhering to EU regulations and global ESG standards. Through expert coaching, Euronext helps leaders meet legal obligations, adopt best practices, and integrate ESG strategies into their company's long-term plans. These sessions are conducted in partnership with international practitioners and ESG experts to help clients navigate the complexity of the ESG and sustainable finance landscape.

These initiatives reflect Euronext’s dedication to fostering sustainable development and enabling businesses to succeed in an increasingly regulated environment.

Euronext Foundation: championing financial literacy and education

Following the launch of the Euronext Foundation last year and the Group’s ongoing commitment to promoting financial education across Europe, Euronext is proud to expand its financial literacy offerings by launching the Euronext Trading Game in partnership with NextWise, a fintech that has been running the Next Challenge in France since 2021. The Euronext Trading Game is a European trading simulation competition aimed at university students in Euronext locations: Belgium, France, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, and Portugal. This competition offers a highly educational approach to investment, with participants engaging in simulated trading activities to boost their understanding of trading strategies, risk management, and investment principles, while also fostering an appreciation for sustainable and responsible investing. The challenge will be run using market data from Euronext's seven marketplaces. Euronext is building on NextWise’s experience in providing financial literacy training to nearly 4,000 students to date.

This initiative aligns with Euronext’s broader commitment to promoting financial education and literacy across Europe. The initiative also complements the established Euronext Blue Challenge, an entrepreneurship education programme designed to inspire students aged 16 to 18 in sustainable finance, helping them develop core competencies such as teamwork, problem-solving and entrepreneurial skills.

Enhancing governance with AI

To support companies in improving transparency and governance practices, Euronext is introducing an AI-based solution integrated with iBabs, Euronext Corporate Services’ premier board management tool. The new iBabs solution, to be released in 2025, can automatically record all board discussions, providing board members with immediate access to comprehensive written records. This functionality aims to streamline board operations, increase transparency, and support effective governance practices.

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About Euronext and ESG: Shaping capital markets for future generations

The Euronext Group holds a vital position in the financial ecosystem. It connects European economies to global capital markets, to accelerate innovation and sustainable growth. The Group’s ambition is to build the leading market infrastructure in Europe, to shape capital markets for future generations.

Euronext has fully embraced ESG principles within its operations. The Group has set ambitious science-based environmental targets to reduce its carbon footprint, embrace renewable energy sources and adopt sustainable practices in its offices worldwide. Euronext has prioritised diversity and inclusion, nurturing a culture that thrives on different perspectives and experiences. Euronext's governance structure upholds the highest standards of integrity, transparency and ethical conduct, setting an example for others in the industry.

Euronext is fully committed to accelerating the European trajectory towards sustainable growth, both through its own operations and through its role in empowering sustainable finance.

Under its strategic plan “Growth for Impact 2024”, Euronext launched its "Fit for 1.5°" climate commitment. This commitment extends to Euronext's own business, its partners and its clients. Euronext signed the "Business Ambition for 1.5°C" campaign, led by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). 

Euronext's dedication to sustainability has been recognised by investors, as evidenced by its first-place ranking for its ESG programme in the specialty and other finance category in the Institutional Investor’s Developed Europe Executive Team 2023 survey of global investment professionals. This recognition further solidifies Euronext's position as a leading actor in sustainable finance.

Read more about Euronext and ESG at Euronext’s ESG profile.

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