We continuously and systematically seek dialogue with our internal and external stakeholders. Understanding the needs, concerns, and expectations of our stakeholders helps us to determine the focus topics of your work. Our stakeholder engagement includes discussions with ESG rating agencies, memberships in and commitments to various initiatives, as well as our social and regulatory engagement.

Our ESG ratings 

The exchange with rating agencies is a central element of our stakeholder engagement. There are numerous sustainability ratings by independent institutions that assess companies according to their approach to ecological, economic and social impacts, risks, and opportunities. We use this external validation of our own ESG endeavours to continuously improve and sharpen our ESG profile. Insights from the ESG rating process were also factored into our materiality analysis. Besides providing valuable information and implications for the rated company, ratings and indices enhance transparency by supplying important information on markets and competition.  

Our aim is to remain among the 90th percentile in three leading independent ESG ratings (S&P, Sustainalytics, MSCI). In addition to the actual ESG rating, we therefore monitor the development of our ESG ratings very closely, in order to systematically identify and realise potential for improvements over the years. 
 

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Our memberships and commitments  

We foster exchange with various stakeholder groups by initiating and actively participating in local, national and global initiatives. Through our membership in these initiatives, we support a range of activities related to sustainable development, climate change and environmental protection, social welfare and financial market transparency. 

The UN Global Compact (UNGC), an initiative of the United Nations with the goal to build a more sustainable and equitable global economy, is one of our memberships. Since 2009, Deutsche Börse Group has committed itself to implementing the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the “2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development” set by the UN. You can learn more about how we are implementing the UNGC principles from our communication on progress, which is integrated in our GRI-Index as well as from our current annual report.

In November 2022, Deutsche Börse AG joined the Net Zero Financial Service Providers Alliance (NZFSPA), committing to support the goal of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 or sooner, in line with a maximum global temperature rise of 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. As one of the eight sector-specific initiatives of the Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero (GFANZ), launched in April 2021, the NZFSPA includes service providers like investment advisors, rating agencies, auditors, and exchanges. Members have pledged to set targets for transforming services and products to support the goal of a net-zero global economy. To fulfil these commitments, NZFSPA subgroups have developed industry-specific targets. The exchange subgroup has provided guidance that has special reference to the context of the exchange industry as a whole as well as the varied circumstances of individual exchanges. In 2023, Deutsche Börse AG has published its first report for the NZFSPA following such guidance. The objective of this report is to outline to what extent Deutsche Börse AG is currently meeting or working towards meeting the exchange-focused and market-focused targets set by the NZFSPA exchange sub-group. The disclosures within this report align with the information, timelines, and NZFSPA target setting guidance for exchanges.

You can find our NZFSPA 2023 Report here and an overview of all our memberships here.

Our social engagement 

As a socially responsible company we want to give something back to society – we live up to this claim by participating in charitable causes and, together with experienced partners, seek to create positive social value. You can find further information about our engagement activities here. 

Our regulatory engagement ​ 

Based on our specific knowledge as a financial market infrastructure provider, we share our expertise about the evolution of the regulatory framework. Thus, we make a permanent contribution to strengthening financial market infrastructure and capital markets as a vital tool for achieving society’s overarching objectives. We take part in consultations on political and regulatory initiatives, for example, and submit comments and papers to explain the implications of certain regulatory proposals for Deutsche Börse Group, our clients, the financial markets and society as a whole. Our white papers and studies also contribute to an improved understanding of specific aspects of financial market regulation. 

You can find more information about our regulatory engagement here. 

ESG Best Practice Guide 

We are offering an ESG Best Practice Guide as a guideline for companies affected by regulation. The Guide presents internationally valid reporting methods including selected best-practice examples and, by giving seven recommendations, offers a structured approach to an intelligent and above all efficient way of dealing with the topic of sustainability in capital market communications. This makes it particularly suitable for smaller and medium-sized companies as well as for newcomers to reporting. The Guide, which is reviewed regularly to ensure it is up to date, therefore supplements Deutsche Börse Group’s range of services for issuers.