As 2023 draws to a close, it's mind-blowing to reflect on the year's events. SESAMm experienced a remarkable year, beginning with a successful funding round in a challenging fundraising climate. We're grateful to our long-standing investors who renewed their trust by investing again and to our new investors who share our vision and have joined us on our journey.

Our mission, though consistent, has expanded to place greater emphasis on ESG. We see the combination of AI and ESG as crucial to the future of responsible investment and sustainable development. At SESAMm, we're committed to leading the way towards a more sustainable future.

To our esteemed C-suite team – my cofounders Pierre Rinaldi COO & Florian Aubry CTO, Marie-Charlotte Deucher CFO, Jorge Alvarez CMO, Eric Sionnet CDO – I am impressed by the successes you have achieved in 2023 and by your exceptional capacity to scale up and lead change across your teams and throughout the organization.

To the SESAMm team, I want to share my deepest appreciation to each and every one of you for your dedication, and unwavering commitment to our shared mission.

This year was filled with activity. We identified over 600k ESG controversies to aid our clients and partners, expanded our data lake by over 3 billion documents, won 5 prestigious awards, including placements on the ESG Fintech 100 and CB Insights Fintech 100 lists, and integrated Generative AI capabilities.

A highlight of the year was our ESG-focused team-building event in Belgium in September. Gathering with our global team for a few days of bonding and learning was an unparalleled experience.

None of this would have been possible without our investors, clients, advisors, and collaborators. Your support fuels our daily motivation to innovate and create. We have a strong vision that can only be realized with your continued partnership. Thank you for being a part of SESAMm in 2024!

We wish you a restful holiday season filled with joy and time spent with loved ones.

Sylvain Forté

CEO & Co-founder

SESAMm

SESAMm’s AI Technology Reveals ESG Insights

Discover unparalleled insights into ESG controversies, risks, and opportunities across industries. Learn more about how SESAMm can help you analyze millions of private and public companies using AI-powered text analysis tools.

BNP Paribas has passed a significant milestone in its energy financing strategy, with more than 80% of its energy production financing now directed toward low-carbon energies.

The increase marks a notable acceleration compared with previous periods. Low-carbon energy financing accounted for approximately 65% of BNP Paribas’ energy production exposure in 2023, rising to around 76% in 2024, before surpassing the 80% threshold in 2025. The category includes renewable energy sources such as wind, solar and hydropower, as well as nuclear energy, which the bank classifies as low-carbon.

At the same time, BNP Paribas has continued to reduce its exposure to fossil fuel energy production. Credit exposure linked to oil and gas projects has declined as financing volumes for renewables and other low-carbon technologies increased, reflecting the bank’s longer-term commitment to rebalancing its energy portfolio in line with climate objectives.
Beyond energy production financing, the bank has also reported progress against its broader transition finance ambitions. By the end of 2025, BNP Paribas had mobilized more than €250 billion in financing supporting the low-carbon transition, exceeding its initial €200 billion target ahead of schedule. The bank has since confirmed updated objectives, including a target to reach 90% low-carbon energy financing by 2030.

While the figures relate specifically to energy production financing exposure, rather than BNP Paribas’ total lending activity, they nonetheless highlight the pace at which large financial institutions are reshaping their energy strategies. As regulatory scrutiny, investor expectations, and transition risks continue to intensify, the composition of energy financing portfolios is increasingly viewed as a key indicator of alignment with long-term climate goals.

With sustainability being imperative, it's essential to examine how public and private companies align with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This article, leveraging insights from SESAMm's TextReveal, dives into the behaviors of both sectors across industries, exploring their impact on achieving a sustainable future. Join us as we unravel the complexities of corporate contributions to the SDGs, highlighting key differences and challenges public and private entities face in their journey toward sustainability.

What are the 17 Sustainable Development Goals?

The 17 UN SDG objectives, introduced in 2015 with the target of achievement by 2030, are geared towards building a sustainable society. Initially designed for governments, certain companies can contribute significantly to these goals through their products or conduct. However, our focus here will center on identifying behaviors that counter these 17 objectives.

The analysis of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) adverse behaviors, as identified by SESAMm's TextReveal, offers a comprehensive comparison between public and private companies within various industries. The focus is to discern disparities in SDG behaviors within the same sector and pinpoint the predominant SDG goal breaches in these industries.

Excluding Goal 2 ("End hunger") due to its alignment with state-related initiatives, the analysis concentrates on corporate-impactful goals.

Public and private sectors face challenges in meeting SDGs, particularly Goals 1 ("End poverty") and 16 ("Peace & justice and strong institutions"), with issues in labor rights and governance. However, public companies are more aligned with Goal 8 ("Decent work and economic growth") across industries, facing a range of controversies from biodiversity to management issues. In contrast, private companies focus on Goal 11 ("Sustainable cities"), dealing with climate change and customer relations risks.

Both sectors show high breaches in Goal 1 ("End poverty"), indicating widespread controversies related to labor rights, human capital, and governance-related pay issues, spanning senior board compensation, tax strategies, and potential anti-competitive practices.

Goal 16 ("Peace & justice and strong institutions") is significant in both sectors but particularly in the Financials and Information Technology for public companies and in Financials, Fossil Fuels, and Health Care for private companies. This goal involves human rights, labor rights, human capital, and governance-related controversies.

Sector-Specific Trends

Public Companies

Goal 8 ("Decent work and economic growth") is prominent across all industries, especially in Utilities. The range of controversies includes biodiversity, human rights, labor rights, human capital, supply chain social management, and governance issues like senior management structures and anti-competitive practices.

Private Companies

Goal 11 ("Sustainable cities") is notably significant in Consumer Staples and Utilities. Risks are primarily associated with climate change, atmospheric pollution, waste management, fundamental human rights, human capital, customer relations, anti-competitive practices, and influence strategy and communication.

These findings highlight the profound impact of SDG-related risks on economic growth and stability across various sectors. Industries like Information Technology, Industrials, and Consumer Discretionary exhibit heightened susceptibility to SDG adverse behaviors, underscoring the necessity for vigilant risk management to ensure economic prosperity and security.

Industrial UNGC Use Case

What is the UN Global Compact?

The United Nations Global Compact (UNGC), established in 2000, outlines ten principles across four main pillars: human rights, labor standards, and anti-corruption. These principles are critical in guiding companies toward ethical and responsible behaviors.

The analysis reveals distinct patterns in breaches of UNGC principles. Private companies in the industrials and fossil fuel sectors show a notable correlation with anti-corruption breaches, emphasizing the importance of due diligence in these areas. In the fossil fuel industry, public companies primarily breach environmental principles, while private companies show more breaches related to anti-corruption along with environmental concerns.

Public utilities companies exhibit more environmental breaches, including issues like gas leaks and unauthorized discharges. In contrast, private companies in the basic materials sector experience more environmental breaches, marked by incidents such as plant explosions and non-compliance with environmental regulations. Public companies in this sector, however, tend to have more anti-corruption breaches.

Private industrial companies also display a significant number of anti-corruption breaches involving various legal challenges. In the consumer staples sector, public companies primarily face human rights breaches, including forced labor and privacy violations. The private consumer discretionary sector also shows a high number of human rights breaches, particularly related to privacy and diversity and inclusion.

Overall, public companies across various sectors tend to have more frequent or severe UNGC breaches compared to private companies. This highlights the different challenges faced by public and private entities in adhering to the UNGC principles.

Conclusion

Significant variations in sustainability strategies emerge when looking at public and private companies through their SDG performances. Public companies prioritize economic growth and grapple with environmental and governance concerns, while private companies focus on creating sustainable cities, addressing climate change, and fulfilling social responsibilities. Both sectors encounter obstacles in eradicating poverty and ensuring justice, highlighting their crucial roles in promoting global sustainability objectives. This analysis underscores the essential proactive approach needed from both public and private entities to tackle sustainability challenges effectively.

Download the full report to discover how different sectors navigate regulatory pressures and sustainability challenges with real-world examples to guide your strategy.

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.