Australian Banks Well Placed to Manage ESG Risks

Environmental, social and governance, or ESG, factors can have a material bearing on the cash flow and valuation of firms. In the past, issues such as James Hardie’s asbestos liability or AMP’s management of its conflicts of interest have had a material impact on the valuation of those firms. Identifying and assessing ESG risks is critical to any thorough assessment of a company’s cash flow and earnings potential. At Morningstar, we incorporate ESG into our long-term-oriented methodology by focusing on issues with the highest risk, defined by likelihood and materiality to a company’s intrinsic value.