(Head office: Hakata-ku, Fukuoka; Representative Director: Shunsuke Managi; hereinafter "aiESG"), a start-up company from Kyushu University that carries out quantitative ESG assessments, and METRIKA Inc, (Head office: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo; President: Ryoga Kobayashi; hereinafter 'METRIKA'), a data solutions company that supports the design and construction of distributed data analysis bases, will collaborate to provide highly reliable and precise ESG assessment services in line with the growing interest in ESG (environment, human rights and governance). With the aim of reducing man-hours and increasing the efficiency of companies that are forced to respond quickly to international sustainability standards, METRIKA will provide consistent services ranging from the collection and integration of vast amounts of data dispersed within companies to quantitative ESG analysis based on academic evidence.

⚫︎ Background: the gap between the looming deadline and current ESG disclosures

In recent years, growing interest in climate change, human rights issues and corporate governance has made the disclosure of non-financial information increasingly important to enhance corporate value: from the year ending 31 March 2023, the disclosure of sustainability information in annual reports has become mandatory. In line with this trend, there is a growing demand for sustainable management in accordance with international standards and the disclosure of assuranced, reliable ESG information.

However, the current situation is that ESG disclosure standards are in disarray, and even ESG information disclosure dating back to the supply chain is required. In addition, deadlines for mandatory disclosure set by various bodies are approaching, such as the start of the international carbon tax in the US and EU in 2025-2026.

While companies are under pressure to take efficient measures, they are also faced with a heavy practical burden: 'Data management systems differ from division to division and department to department, and data collection and integration has not progressed' and 'ESG disclosure information that is not only a qualitative assessment of the company but also reliable internationally is required'.

Refining ⚫ESG analysis: efficient integration of dispersed data enables sophisticated ESG analysis.

Through this collaboration, aiESG and METRIKA can now work hand in hand to provide even more efficient and detailed ESG analysis services based on internationally and academically trusted technologies. aiESG's supply chain analysis and assessment of companies and their products and services based on 'material cost' and 'usage data', coupled with METRIKA's data management technology, facilitates the collection and integration of data not only from primary suppliers but also from secondary to nth tier suppliers. The supply chain analysis and evaluation of companies and their products and services based on 'material cost' and 'usage data' by aiESG, combined with data management technology by METRIKA, facilitates the collection and integration of data not only from primary suppliers, but also from secondary suppliers to nth-order suppliers. This ensures traceability, fully supports the collection and integration of distributed data across divisions and business units within a company, and enables the provision of thoroughly precise ESG analysis services that better reflect actual data, from product and service supply chain information to company-wide information.

⚫︎ESG assurance: ensuring reliable ESG analysis using solid information evidence

To be valued by the market, ESG information disclosures need to be precise and accurate, assured by professional bodies, rather than arbitrary. From an assurance perspective, an elaborate information basis is required and the process of data collection and integration is audited. It is not sufficient for data collection to be interview-based with business partners, and unless the process is justified, it cannot comply with regulations such as CSRD (Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive), which also increases the risk of fire.

METRIKA provides secure and consistent integration and management in ESG source data by supporting from the construction of the data infrastructure in data collection to analysis, and aiESG uses its independently developed AI to conduct academically grounded analysis, enabling highly reliable quantitative ESG analysis. We can also calculate and analyse each piece of information precisely and in real time to comply with evolving CSRD, IFRS (International Financial Reporting Standards) and other international regulations, and propose remedial measures.

⚫︎ Representative comments

◾️ Comment by Shunsuke Managi, Representative Director, aiESG Inc.
aiESG has been providing comprehensive ESG analysis services based on academically and scientifically sound technology, covering the supply chain of companies, products and services. We are honoured to be able to collaborate with METRIKA, a company with strong data infrastructure construction capabilities, to provide more precise ESG analysis than ever before. As compliance with international sustainability standards becomes increasingly essential, we look forward to working together to help companies do business more efficiently and sustainably."

◾️ Comments by Ryoga Kobayashi, CEO and Representative Director, METRIKA Corporation
METRIKA has developed diverse projects in which business, technology and creativity are designed and harmonised to create value. In particular, we have been studying data-related fields such as data infrastructure construction and data analysis. We are very pleased to collaborate with aiESG, an intelligent company in the environmental field, to provide highly reliable ESG assessments. We look forward to working together to help companies understand their own environmental information and return even more value to society."

What is aiESG, a product-level ESG analysis service?

aiESG is the world's first service that enables comprehensive ESG analysis at product and service level. AI analysis using our ESG supply chain big data enables detailed calculations of over 3,200 ESG indicators, as well as comparisons with industry averages and conventional products. In particular, the CO₂It is the world's first solution in that it can quantitatively assess not only environmental aspects such as human rights, biodiversity and labour environment, but also social and governance aspects, including human rights, biodiversity and labour environment, which have become increasingly important in recent years.

Furthermore, analysis by aiESG enables geographical estimation, which is difficult with conventional Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), and enables visualisation of environmental, social and corporate governance hotspots, not only for direct suppliers, but also for secondary and upstream suppliers.

In addition, as the only data required from the customer is product cost composition data or physical quantity data, ESG supply chain disclosures, which previously required huge amounts of man-hours, are facilitated.

Click here for an introduction to our services (https://aiesg.co.jp/report/20230515_service_aiesg/)

About aiESG Inc.

We are a start-up company from Kyushu University that aims to realise a sustainable society through product- and service-level ESG analysis. We provide aiESG, an ESG assessment platform that traces back the entire supply chain, based on the results of many years of international and academic ESG research, including UN report representatives. It also provides support services on all aspects of ESG.

Click here to visit our corporate website (https://aiesg.co.jp/)

Company profile.

Name of company: aiESG Inc.
Head office: 2F NMF Hakata Ekimae Building, 1-15-20 Hakata Ekimae, Hakata-ku, Fukuoka City, Fukuoka
President : Shunsuke Managi
Business : Product/service level ESG analysis business.
HP : https://aiesg.co.jp/
Establishment : July 2022.

About METRIKA, which provides consistent support from database design to analysis, system development and business creation.

METRIKA is a data science venture that supports the digitalisation of companies based on the concept of 'weaving data and strategy'. In today's era of rapid transition to digitalisation, METRIKA is working with customers to design data-driven ways in which the way we work and live in the future will change, while envisioning a society of 2030 and 2050 for companies ahead of time, and accompanying them through this transformation journey by making full use of AI and data analysis.

The sustainability and ESG area is said to be the area of the business scene in the future society where perspectives on the nature and approach to sustainability and ESG will change most rapidly. Severe regulatory changes are being issued simultaneously in many parts of the world, with Carbon Border Adjustment Measures (CBAM) leading the way, and there is a regulatory move to certify business activities in the region only for companies and products that meet ESG regulatory levels. This will require companies to strictly supervise all processes in their production activities and to monitor their environmental impact in real time and with great precision, which also implies that the environment will play a major role in the criteria for future management in the transition to 2030. Companies will now be required to prepare for such a response, making efficient use of the diverse digital elements of data, automation and visualisation.

METRIKA supports this kind of 'data-driven ESG-responsiveness' in corporate business by building a secure, real-time data management infrastructure, drawing on its expertise in designing and building distributed data infrastructures, creating data collection robots and developing analysis algorithms. This enables companies to securely integrate and manage the data generated in their supply chains, regardless of the conditions of their diverse business sectors and locations. Even if a company has operations abroad and needs to manage vast amounts of data, or requires a greater amount of man-hours than usual, it can flexibly introduce creative design methods, for example by matching the level of security in conjunction with regional data officers and building robots for data analysis, while also taking into account the perspectives and risks from each company's stakeholders. The data analysis infrastructure is built taking into account the perspectives and risk considerations of the stakeholders of each company.

About METRIKA Ltd.

METRIKA provides consulting support that consistently accompanies data acquisition, data analysis, system development and business creation, as well as product development centred on distributed data management and analysis systems across a wide range of business areas and organisations.

Click here to visit our corporate website (https://www.metrika.jp)

Company profile.

Company name: METRIKA Ltd.
Location : 5F, Atrium Ebisu Minami 1-chome Building, 20-15, Ebisu Minami 1-chome, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-0022, Japan
Establishment : April 2021.
Representative: Ryoga Kobayashi, President and Representative Director
Business activities: data infrastructure building business, data analysis business, AI development business, digital human resources development business, others
URL:https://www.metrika.jp

[For further information on this matter, please contact.
Addressed to public relations, aiESG Inc.
Email address:pr@aiesg.co.jp 

METRIKA Corporation Contact.
Email address:info@metrika.jp