In a recent interview, CEO Sylvain Forté spoke with Fintech Global about how the SESAMm has evolved, the role of AI in transforming ESG risk detection, and what's next for the industry.

Can you tell us about SESAMm's origins and how the company has evolved since 2014?

SESAMm started with a focus on analyzing sentiment and reputational signals on social media to understand how narratives influenced financial performance. We began by working with asset managers and quickly realized that reputational risks were not only impacting public equities but were becoming critical in other asset classes.

As we evolved, we discovered a much broader blind spot in private markets. ESG and reputational data simply didn't exist for private companies, infrastructure projects, or suppliers, yet these made up a significant share of global exposure. This expansion was supported by Carlyle, a leading private equity firm and a SESAMm investor, which helped us deepen our expertise in private markets. Since then, we've expanded to supply chain and procurement use cases as well.

The name SESAMm stands for "open sesame." We were designed to unlock this missing layer of insight, opening access to critical ESG risks across public, private, and supply chain assets.

How is AI transforming the way financial institutions detect and understand ESG risks?

AI is a fundamental enabler of SESAMm's platform. We cover over 5 million companies, public and private, across more than 4 million sources, making it the largest private asset ESG coverage in the industry. This would be impossible to maintain with traditional manual workflows.

But our AI enables not just massive scale; it delivers quality. We aggregate documents, match events over multiple years, classify and score controversies properly, and do all of this in real time. There is no lag between detection and delivery.

We've gone further than data delivery. With AI agents, we've moved from surfacing insights to solving real problems. For example, for an insurance company, our AI agents don't just provide controversy data; they fully complete underwriting risk questionnaires. This is not just enhanced ESG; it's a workflow transformation.

Can you share an example where SESAMm caught an ESG signal that others missed?

One example is Loro Piana, an LVMH company, where we were able to surface early signals from regional news and filings before they became broadly visible.

For private markets, some of our clients, including major US private equity firms, have used our insights to stop due diligence processes early, saving millions of dollars by identifying major ESG risks at the pre-deal stage. These events were buried in local reports or niche sources and would have gone undetected using traditional tools. This is where SESAMm's multilingual, real-time coverage delivers immediate and material value.

How does SESAMm's global, multilingual scope lead to better ESG insights?

SESAMm's reach is a key differentiator. We process content from over 100 languages and 4 million data sources, including local news, NGO reports, legal documents, blogs, and more. For global private investment firms, this makes it possible to monitor hundreds of portfolio companies and thousands of credit lines every single day, without human intervention.

Due diligence becomes instant. Customers can type a company name into the platform and get immediate access to source data, scores, and an auto-generated report. This level of coverage and automation is only achievable with AI. Without multilingual processing, most of these risks would remain hidden in local languages and never surface in English datasets.

What role does Generative AI play in turning complex data into actionable intelligence?

GenAI allows us to go beyond raw data or filtered alerts. SESAMm now delivers fully automated ESG due diligence reports in under 30 minutes, complete with citations, severity levels, and multi-language source integration. These are dynamically built with real insights. The same applies to legal reports, private equity and M&A deal screening, secondary and credit due diligence, and more.

Teams no longer need to sift through events, tag them, write memos, or manually structure reports. We also accelerate regulatory workflows by automatically flagging potential significant harm, governance issues, and controversial activities, enabling clients to meet disclosure requirements more quickly and focus their time on high-impact actions.

SESAMm has announced partnerships with Clarity AI and Sayari. How do these enhance your offering?

These partnerships are both strategic and complementary. SESAMm offers comprehensive data coverage, particularly for private firms and complex events, which many partners utilize to enhance their own offerings. Sayari enhances the mapping of supply chains and tier-N suppliers. Clarity AI provides a full ESG analytics platform. SESAMm plugs into each of them, either as a source of controversy intelligence or to enrich end-user offerings.

In return, they help our clients go further, from data to action, whether through real-world audits, regulatory support, or deeper portfolio insights. The goal is to offer an ecosystem of ESG solutions that go beyond alerts and into implementation.

Why are financial institutions now treating ESG and reputational risk as strategic intelligence rather than just compliance?

The stakes are higher than regulation. Of course, frameworks like SFDR and PAI 10 are important, but firms come to us because they need actionable insight. Corporates monitor their suppliers and group entities. Investors track portfolio companies, screen for risk during deal flow, and respond to reputational events.

ESG controversies now have direct financial implications, influencing deal approvals, investment decisions, and valuations. This is especially true in private markets. We work with both LPs and GPs to integrate controversy detection into due diligence and ongoing monitoring. In many cases, ESG insights are the trigger for early engagement or the reason to walk away from a deal.

What do you see as the next frontier for AI in ESG and reputational risk?

The next frontier is clearly AI agents. SESAMm is already building and deploying agents that automate entire workflows, from detection and classification to full reporting. This includes ESG due diligence in 30 minutes, secondary screening, good governance screening, controversial activity screening, legal risk reports, and more.

For secondary funds, this means being able to screen hundreds of underlying assets in hours, not days. For compliance teams, it means automated risk reports with source evidence and scoring. For ESG professionals, this means saving time to focus on engagement, strategy, and impact, rather than data wrangling.

We believe AI agents will power the next generation of ESG intelligence, providing seamless, embedded, and action-ready solutions.

Click here to access the full ESGFintech100 2025 report.

Reach out to SESAMm

TextReveal’s web data analysis of over five million public and private companies is essential for keeping tabs on ESG investment risks. To learn more about how you can analyze web data or to request a demo, reach out to one of our representatives.

Mining projects around the world often promise development and economic growth, yet their legacies reveal a far more complicated story. Sites like Cerrejón in Colombia, Córrego do Feijão and Samarco in Brazil show how environmental, social, and human rights risks can ripple through communities for decades. Rivers are poisoned, soils contaminated, and ecosystems devastated, while thousands of residents face health crises, displacement, and loss of livelihoods. Legal actions, class lawsuits, and ongoing remediation efforts illustrate that the consequences of these operations do not end when production stops. Communities continue to grapple with the aftermath, from toxic waste and tailings spills to the psychological scars of displacement and conflict.

What are the most pressing ESG challenges currently facing the mining sector? Read on to find out.

Córrego do Feijão Mine: ESG Challenges and Ongoing Controversies

The Córrego do Feijão Mine is facing serious ESG controversies following a dam collapse that resulted in 270 fatalities and contamination of the Paraopeba River. Indigenous villagers still lack safe land and access to clean water and food. The operating company, Vale, is dealing with ongoing legal challenges, including fines and criminal charges for negligence and bribery. Environmental and social impacts persist, with continued monitoring of water quality and safety risks from existing dams. Governance issues remain significant, highlighted by employee arrests and scrutiny over manipulated audits, prompting calls from local and international NGOs for improved remediation efforts and oversight of the mine’s operations.

Key Controversies:

• Prosecutors Appeal Supreme Court Over Córrego do Feijão Mine Dam Collapse
• Unsafe Dam at Córrego do Feijão Mine Kills 270 as Operator Is Convicted of Homicide and Bribery
• Vale Fined US$17 Million for Brumadinho Tailings Dam Disaster at Córrego do Feijão Mine
• Indigenous Communities Still Lack Safe Land, Clean Water, And Food, Following The Córrego Do Feijão Mine Dam Collapse
  

Cerrejon Mine: Human Rights, Health, and Environmental Impacts

Cerrejón Mine faces significant ESG issues, particularly in environmental and social areas. Its expansion has displaced over 20,000 indigenous people, especially from the Wayúu community, leading to severe health problems and the deaths of 5,000 children. Environmental concerns include the diversion of the Bruno Stream, excessive water use during droughts, and significant air and water pollution. Labor unrest persists, with over 4,600 unionized workers striking over job cuts and unsafe conditions. The mine continues to face international criticism for violating local community rights and harming regional ecosystems.

Key Controversies:

• Cerrejón Coal Mine Expansion Sparks Protests Over Air Pollution and Water Diversion Affecting Indigenous Communities
• Cerrejón Coal Mine Poses Serious Threats to Indigenous Wayúu Community’s Health, Water, and Livelihoods
• Ecocide and Child Deaths Ravage Wayúu Community at El Cerrejón
• Cerrejón Mine Workers Strike Against Job Cuts, Dangerous Shifts, and Benefit Reductions

Samarco Mine: Escalating ESG Challenges and Corporate Accountability

Samarco Mine faces intense ESG scrutiny nearly a decade after the 2015 Fundão dam collapse, with over 700,000 claimants in a $44 billion lawsuit for contaminated water and pollution. The operator risks bankruptcy due to environmental liabilities and failed debt restructuring, exacerbating financial instability. Ongoing issues include heavy metal contamination in wildlife and dust pollution exceeding health standards, prompting NGOs to demand the operator's removal from the UN Global Compact. Governance concerns have risen with employee arrests linked to safety protocol violations and falsified audits, raising questions about corporate accountability.

Key Controversies:

• Samarco Mine Disaster Lawsuit Escalates to $44 Billion with Over 700,000 Claimants
• Samarco Mine’s Operator Faced Bankruptcy Risk Due to Environmental Liabilities, Compensation Claims, and Operational Shutdowns
• NGOs Urge Removal of Samarco Mine Operator from UN Pact Over Dam Disaster
• Samarco Mine Faces New Legal Actions and Investigations Over Contaminated Water Crisis

Conclusion

The ongoing ESG challenges in the mining sector highlight significant environmental, social, and governance failures that profoundly impact affected communities. The cases of Córrego do Feijão, Cerrejón, and Samarco reveal the dire consequences of prioritizing profit over sustainability. Mining companies must embrace accountability, transparency, and community engagement to rebuild trust and ensure a positive impact.

Reach out to SESAMm

TextReveal’s web data analysis of over five million public and private companies is essential for keeping tabs on ESG investment risks. To learn more about how you can analyze web data or to request a demo, reach out to one of our representatives.

November 11, 2022, FTX, a $32 billion cryptocurrency exchange company that many believed would “change the world,” filed for bankruptcy. This news shook the crypto and financial communities, compelling many to debate the future of the crypto market and its platforms.

How did FTX collapse?

You could say that FTX’s collapse began before the news broke, but here’s a summary of events as The New York Times and ABC News details:

Breaking news

In early November, CoinDesk, a crypto publication, broke the news on a leaked document from FTX. The balance sheet showed that the hedge fund run by Sam Bankman-Fried (SBF), Alameda Research, held a substantial amount of FTT tokens. In short, SBF had set up Alameda (his trading firm) and FTX (his exchange firm) in such a way that if one unit experienced trouble, such as dropping cryptocurrency prices, the other experienced it, too.

First domino falls

By the way, FTT is used for various functions, including traders’ payment of operation fees. Also, by the way, Changpeng Zhao, Binance’s Chief Executive, sold his stake in FTX to SBF in 2021, partially with FTT. So, “due to recent revelations,” Binance (Zhao) announced on November 6, 2022, that it would sell its FTT tokens.

Other dominos follow

Traders responded; they hurried to pull funds out of FTX out of fear, and FTT’s price fell. Meanwhile, FTX processed withdrawal requests over three days, amounting to an estimated $6 billion. The liquidity crunch was upon it.

Then, on November 8, Binance said it would bail out FTX. But on November 9, Binance backtracked and announced in a Tweet that it would not “as a result of corporate due diligence,” while also citing regulatory investigations and reports of mishandled funds.

Things get worse

The next day, November 10, the Securities Commission of the Bahamas froze FTX’s assets, citing the public statement about potentially “mishandled” and “mismanaged” customer funds. On November 11, FTX filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protections, and SBF resigned as CEO. John J. Ray III—famously known as the CEO who headed the infamously known energy company, Enron, through its collapse in the 2000s—replaced SBF on November 17.

Fallout

Today, FTX faces federal investigation for securities laws violations based on a report by The Wall Street Journal regarding FTX lending customer deposits to Alameda Research for liabilities, of which the company’s top executives were aware. Investors have suffered loss, traders have suffered loss, and the greater crypto community and regulators are asking questions.

FTX and SBF web data analysis

News about FTX’s collapse generated tons of web data for us to scour. With this data, here’s what we aimed to find out:

• How did the public web react to FTX’s collapse?
• Could we have seen red flags before the news broke?
• What was FTX’s collapse’s effect on the cryptocurrency market’s sentiment?
• Is it possible to evaluate cryptocurrency exchange companies’ ESG risks and opportunities?
• Was FTX’s collapse unprecedented? If not, what does web data tell us about that?

FTX and Sam Bankman-Fried mentions analysis

Web public sentiment for FTX and SBF was consistently positive until Q1 of 2022. As mentions volume increased, their sentiment polarity decreased (Figure 1). The mentions spike for both in November when CoinDesk broke the news. Likewise, polarity dips into the negative range for both.

Definition: Polarity represents the aggregate of positive and negative sentiments (opinions or reviews) on a company. A 0 score means there is as much positive as negative sentiment expressed. The dotted and dashed lines represent sentiment in the following charts.

Looking closer at Q1 (Figure 2), we find that mentions affecting sentiment increased for FTX and SBF during this period. What are the mentions about, and why did they affect polarity negatively?

It turns out that SBF is linked to other keywords—we call these co-mentions—and between January 2022 and November 2022, SBF/withdrawal co-mentions (Figure 3) spiked in July when SBF defended Terra Luna’s founder, who was accused of peddling a Ponzi scheme.

If withdrawal co-mentions brought up possible reasons why SBF and FTX experienced dips in sentiment, what other co-mentions could give us more insight? How about donations, SEC, and U.S. elections?

Bankman-Fried has exhibited patterns of making political statements, attempting to influence crypto regulations, and donating funds before elections. It should be no surprise that SBF’s co-mentions with C-level unethical practices yield additional data.

Note: To see the co-mentions with unethical practices chart, contact a SESAMm representative today.

Sam Bankman-Fried ESG risk analysis

Corporate governance stands out when evaluating SBF’s ESG risks, but his social risks are nothing to ignore either.

Two areas of governance risks to note are money laundering and board of directors (Figure 5). Money laundering as a co-mention has been an issue as early as February 2022, but it became a bigger issue in October. These risks may be popping up due to allegations of manipulating the price of the APT token and a securities violations probe.

Note: To see the social risks over time chart, contact a SESAMm representative today.

FTX and crypto market web data analysis

If you’ve read this far, you by now get an impression of FTX and SBF, from mention volume to sentiment analysis and ESG risk. But how did FTX’s collapse affect the overall cryptocurrency market? Let’s find out.

In comparing the sentiment polarities for FTX and the crypto market from January 2021 through November 2022 (Figure 6), the sentiment for crypto remains relatively steady despite FTX’s sentiment taking a hit.

When comparing other cryptocurrency exchanges to FTX (Figure 7), sentiment polarity for them is hardly affected, except Binance, because of its connection with FTX. Oddly enough, eToro experienced a boost in sentiment, possibly because of its core values around openness and transparency, the fact that they’ve been around since 2007, its early compliance with regulations (i.e., AMF, FCA, ASIC, BaFin, and ACPR), and that it also proposes investing in stocks and ETFs, a contrast to most other crypto market exchanges. Bitfinex has its own issues, so its dip in sentiment might not be correlated.

At this time, FTX’s ESG risks based on the mention volume are only surpassed by Bitfinex (Figure 8), which its risks are based on many other reasons we won’t get into in this article.

Note: To see a comparison chart of social and governance risks for each exchange, contact a SESAMm representative today.

Centralized vs. decentralized crypto exchange platforms

FTX’s collapse also affected sentiment around the centralized vs. decentralized debate. Since October 2022, sentiment for centralized exchange platforms, such as FTX and its competitors, has fallen (Figure 9).

Likewise, the mention volume for self-custody has more than doubled in the last couple of months (Figure 10). Although centralized platforms offer quicker and easier access to crypto trading, traders are considering complex but more secure options such as crypto wallets and keys because, like banks, centralized exchanges can do what they will with cryptocurrency while it’s in their possession. With self-custody, owners are in control.

Note: To see additional charts, such as competitive data share for crypto wallets, contact a SESAMm representative today.

FTX not the first exchange collapse

Believe it or not, FTX was not the first crypto exchange to collapse. In 2014, Mt. Gox—the biggest crypto exchange at the time—lost half a billion dollars worth of Bitcoin due to a hack. How did Mt. Gox’s collapse affect sentiment for the crypto market then? The short answer is: It didn’t.

Figure 11 shows that while Mt. Gox’s sentiment polarity fluctuated, even reaching negative territories, the sentiment for the crypto market remained relatively stable and positive.

Is FTX’s collapse a warning for investors?

Our analysis is that investors should treat cryptocurrency exchanges like any investment opportunity. Do your due diligence and monitor your portfolio with tools like SESAMm’s TextReveal®.

As for the cryptocurrency market, data shows that sentiment for it remains level and positive. We speculate that cryptocurrency and centralized exchanges are here to stay. However, based on historical data and current news, we suspect conversations about crypto regulations to increase.

Reach out to SESAMm

For a deeper analysis of FTX’s collapse and access to all charts and supportive-article links, reach out to a representative today.