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Press Release

Marsh launches ESG Risk Rating to measure companies’ ESG performance

Marsh, the world’s leading insurance broker and risk advisor, today announced the launch of its Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Risk Rating, an assessment tool that can measure an organisation’s ESG performance, enabling them to improve their ESG risks, and gain access to additional insurance market capacity.

Liberty Mutual Insurance to provide its clients with ESG-related risk advisory services

London, 20 March, 2022

Marsh, the world’s leading insurance broker and risk advisor, today announced the launch of its Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Risk Rating, an assessment tool that can measure an organisation’s ESG performance, enabling them to improve their ESG risks, and gain access to additional insurance market capacity.

Measured against more than 10 internationally recognised standards and frameworks published by leading organisations – including the Global Reporting Initiative, Sustainability Accounting Standards Board, Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures, and the World Economic Forum – the ESG Risk Rating scores a client’s performance across 18 ESG themes. On completion of the free assessment, the organisation receives an overall ESG risk score, as well as a rating for each ESG component.

Clients will use the results to identify their most critical sustainability and climate-related risks and opportunities to further develop their ESG strategies. As organisations are increasingly being asked to provide ESG metrics as part of the procurement process, the rating can be shared with the organisation’s external stakeholders.

As part of the offering, Liberty Mutual Insurance will offer its clients in the US and Canada who opt-in to Marsh’s ESG Risk Rating complimentary access to risk advisory services relating to sustainability and climate-related risks and opportunities.

“Embedding ESG is increasingly a source of competitive advantage to the organisations that do it well,” said Amy Barnes, Head of Climate and Sustainability Strategy, Marsh. “With the ESG Risk Rating, we are providing our clients with a clear framework from which to better understand their ESG performance, make more informed investment decisions, and realise better risk management outcomes.”

“Marsh firmly believes that insurers should recognise organisations with strong ESG frameworks as better risks. Liberty Mutual’s risk advisory benefit is a positive step forward on this journey; we look forward to working with other parts of the insurance market on this important initiative.”

Tracy Ryan, President of North America Global Risk Solutions at Liberty Mutual Insurance, added: “We are excited to collaborate with Marsh on this important initiative to help firms improve their understanding of their ESG risks. Our risk advisory offer is in mutual recognition of the importance of ESG and Liberty’s commitment to help clients advance their sustainability journeys.”

As part of the development of the ESG Risk Rating and to support clients in managing their ESG risks, Marsh also plans to publish anonymised ESG risk insights by country and sector, deepening our understanding of how ESG ratings performance correlates with losses.

Last year, Marsh launched a new directors and officers liability (D&O) insurance initiative that recognises US-based clients with superior ESG frameworks. Following an independent review of their ESG frameworks, Marsh clients are then considered for preferred D&O policy terms and conditions on ESG-related exposures – such as climate change disclosures and representations – from four leading D&O underwriters.

About Marsh

Marsh is the world’s leading insurance broker and risk advisor. With more than 45,000 colleagues advising clients in over 130 countries, Marsh serves commercial and individual clients with data-driven risk solutions and advisory services. Marsh is a business of Marsh McLennan (NYSE: MMC), the world’s leading professional services firm in the areas of risk, strategy and people. With annual revenue of $23 billion, Marsh McLennan helps clients navigate an increasingly dynamic and complex environment through four market-leading businesses: Marsh, Guy Carpenter, Mercer and Oliver Wyman. For more information, visit marsh.com, and follow us on LinkedIn and X.

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