At SESAMm, we have always been at the forefront of utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) for Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) risk analysis. Our journey began in 2014, leveraging natural language processing (NLP) to analyze vast amounts of data to identify company risks - from public equities to expanding into private assets. Our technology stack, deeply rooted in AI-first principles, has evolved significantly over the years, incorporating deep learning and large language models since their inception.

2023 marked a significant leap in generative AI, breaking data quality and precision barriers. Our ability to attain human-level precision in ESG control detection across dozens of languages is a testament to our commitment to continual technological advancement. We plan to further integrate generative AI into our processes, enhancing data quality and expanding our coverage, especially for smaller firms and infrastructure projects that often go unnoticed in the market.

Enhancing User Interaction with AI: The Future of Client Engagement

A significant focus for SESAMm in 2024 is transforming how clients interact with our SaaS platform. Last year, we introduced a prototype of our generative AI chatbot, which marked the beginning of a new era in user interaction. Our goal is to utilize generative AI not just for data improvement but to enhance the overall user experience. This includes making data more accessible and addressing challenges like the lack of unique identifiers in the private space.

Accelerating Innovation and Development with AI

Our team of 60 engineers and researchers is the driving force behind our rapid development and innovation. The integration of large language models has enabled us to deliver features more quickly and efficiently. With a robust infrastructure and an agile AI team, we're pushing the boundaries of what's achievable with AI, outpacing traditional human analyst capabilities. This agility in innovation is crucial for our continued leadership in the market.

The Future of AI Technologies in SESAMm's Roadmap

We keep a close eye on the latest AI advancements, from new open-source libraries to cutting-edge commercial models. Our team is deeply engaged in fine-tuning models for specific applications, especially in tracking ESG events and uncovering insights about smaller, lesser-known companies. This approach reflects our culture – an AI-first company specializing in the financial and ESG space, always eager to incorporate more technology and innovate.

Cementing Leadership in AI-Powered ESG Analysis

Our vision extends beyond 2024, aiming to be the premier global player in ESG controversy and risk analysis. With regulations evolving globally, we anticipate a significant expansion in our market. Our focus remains on delivering unparalleled reputational insights, especially in the investment world, but also rapidly expanding into supply chain analysis and client monitoring. We're not just keeping pace with the market but setting the standard for AI-powered ESG analysis.

The Expanding Global ESG Landscape: Opportunities and Challenges

As regulations intensify worldwide, including in polarized markets like the US and Asia, we see a growing demand for ESG analysis. This global shift presents both opportunities and challenges. Our strategy includes further integrating our solutions into various ecosystems, such as ESG reporting tools, portfolio management systems, and CRMs. Through strategic partnerships, we aim to position SESAMm as an integral part of the global ESG analysis framework.

Walking the Talk: SESAMm's Commitment to Sustainability

In 2024, SESAMm is not just about leading in technology; we're deeply committed to practicing what we preach regarding sustainability. We have a robust ESG Manifesto and a series of actions aligned with environmental, social, and governance principles. Recognizing our relatively limited carbon footprint as a tech company, we focus on making impactful choices and fostering a culture of awareness and change within our team.

We've implemented programs for environmental awareness, like our Climate Risk training, conducted by certified employees. Our efforts in governance are highlighted by the appointment of our first independent board member, Stephane Beson, signifying our dedication to having diverse external perspectives guiding our company.

Regarding environmental footprint, we prioritize partnering with providers that use clean energy in their data centers. This conscious decision-making extends to selecting partners who can offset their carbon emissions, reflecting our commitment to sustainability.

Remote Work and Sustainability: A Dual Focus

Our approach to remote work has always been progressive. We see it as not just a productivity enhancer but also as a key sustainability strategy. Given our global presence, with teams in France, New York, Tunisia, and London, remote work is essential. It brings our team closer, transcends cultural barriers, and reduces our carbon footprint by significantly cutting down on travel. This strategy aligns with our dedication to work-life balance, recognizing the importance of flexibility for our employees.

Targeting the Right Market with Tailored Services

2024 is a year of strategic focus for SESAMm, especially in terms of our target market. We're seeing a growing trend among banks to aggregate ESG controversy data. Our unique capability to provide comprehensive coverage, encompassing mixed assets portfolios, positions us as a key player for these institutions.

We continue strengthening our presence in private equity and expanding our reach into the banking sector, private debt, and infrastructure funds. Our dedicated corporate business practice is another area of expansion, helping European companies monitor ESG controversies. We also focus on sustainability and ESG teams, procurement teams, and third-party risk teams, ensuring a broad yet targeted market approach.

Upholding Data Security and Privacy

Data security and privacy are paramount, especially given the increasing sophistication of cyber threats. Our co-founder and CTO brings invaluable expertise in cybersecurity. We conduct annual audits, have robust systems to monitor and preempt attacks, and continuously train our teams to be vigilant. While we don't deal with personal data, we focus on protecting critical systems for our clients, ensuring that we maintain the highest standards in data security.

Building a Team for the Future

Looking ahead, our confidence in 2024 stems from our team's exceptional capabilities. We've implemented agile processes and onboarded talented individuals across all levels. Our team's passion and dedication are key drivers in adapting to market changes and delivering high-quality services. It's not just about where SESAMm is now but how our team will continue to excel and innovate in the future.

A Vision of Innovation and Responsibility

As we move into 2024, SESAMm stands at the forefront of AI-powered ESG analysis, not just through technological innovation but also through a steadfast commitment to sustainability and security. Our focus on the right markets, combined with a forward-thinking approach to remote work and data protection, positions us to meet the evolving needs of our clients.

Join us at SESAMm as we navigate the future of ESG analysis, leveraging our expertise to foster a sustainable, secure, and innovative business environment. Explore SESAMm's cutting-edge solutions and be part of a future where technology meets responsibility.

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.

Corporate responsibility and sustainability are not just buzzwords anymore but integral aspects of business strategy. The importance of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) compliance cannot be overstated. With the introduction of stringent and complex regulations like the CS3D, corporations face an unprecedented challenge in aligning their operations with these evolving standards. This is where Artificial Intelligence (AI) steps in, offering not just a solution but a transformative approach to staying ahead in the ESG compliance game.

The New ESG Compliance Challenge: CS3D Regulation and Beyond

The CS3D regulation marks a pivotal change in the corporate world, demanding greater diligence and transparency in sustainability practices. This regulation encompasses a broad spectrum of ESG aspects, from environmental impact to social responsibility and governance standards. It necessitates a comprehensive approach to due diligence, extending beyond the corporation to its entire supply chain. This means every partner, supplier, and stakeholder must align with these stringent standards, complicating compliance efforts.

However, CS3D is just the tip of the iceberg. Other regulations like the EU Green Taxonomy and the German Supply Chain Law further add layers to this complex regulatory tapestry. Each of these regulations brings its own set of challenges and nuances, making it increasingly difficult for corporations to keep pace using traditional compliance methods.

Understanding CS3D in Depth

Delving deeper into the CS3D regulation, it's clear that its impact is far-reaching. Corporations are now required to ensure their practices are sustainable and ethical and verify that their suppliers and partners adhere to similar standards. This means conducting thorough audits, maintaining a high level of transparency, and being accountable for the entire supply chain's ESG impact. The regulation also demands regular reporting and public disclosure of these practices, adding another layer of complexity to compliance.

Broader ESG Regulatory Landscape

While focusing on CS3D, it's essential to understand its place within the broader ESG regulatory landscape. Regulations like the EU Green Taxonomy, which classifies sustainable activities and investments, and the German Supply Chain Law, which focuses on human rights and environmental standards in supply chains, complement CS3D's objectives. Together, they create a comprehensive framework that guides corporations toward more ethical, sustainable, and socially responsible business practices.

AI: A Game-Changer in ESG Compliance

The advent of AI technologies has opened new avenues for corporations to manage their ESG compliance needs effectively. AI's capability to process vast amounts of data, identify patterns, and predict outcomes is invaluable in navigating the complexities of ESG regulations.

Real-Time Controversy and Reputational Risk Monitoring

One of the most significant advantages of AI in ESG compliance is its ability to monitor and analyze textual data in real-time. This is crucial in the context of regulations like CS3D, where ongoing vigilance is necessary. AI algorithms can sift through vast amounts of text data from various sources – news, reports, social media, etc., to identify potential controversies and non-compliance issues. This proactive approach enables corporations to address issues before they escalate, ensuring continuous alignment with regulatory standards.

Enhanced Supply Chain Management

Another critical area where AI makes a significant impact is in supply chain management. Under regulations like CS3D, corporations must ensure that their entire supply chain complies with ESG standards. AI-driven tools can analyze supplier data, audit reports, and other relevant information to provide a comprehensive view of the supply chain's compliance status. This helps identify potential risks, assess supplier performance, and make informed decisions about partnerships and procurement strategies.

Case Studies and Success Stories

Illustrating the power of AI in ESG compliance, several corporations have successfully leveraged these technologies to meet regulatory requirements. For instance, a leading multinational company used AI-driven analytics to monitor its global supply chain, ensuring compliance with CS3D and other ESG regulations. The AI system provided real-time insights into supplier practices, flagged potential risks, and enabled the company to take proactive measures to maintain compliance.

SESAMm: Pioneering AI-Driven ESG Compliance

At SESAMm, we specialize in providing AI-powered solutions tailored to the unique challenges of ESG compliance. Our flagship product, TextReveal, is a testament to our commitment to innovation in this field.

SESAMm utilizes advanced natural language processing and machine learning algorithms to analyze unstructured data from multiple sources. It provides actionable insights that help corporations monitor ESG risks, understand regulatory changes, and maintain compliance. By leveraging TextReveal, corporations can:

• Continuously monitor global news, social media, and other data sources for ESG-related risks and opportunities.
• Conduct thorough sentiment analysis and trend forecasting to anticipate potential compliance issues.
• Gain a deeper understanding of the ESG landscape and the evolving regulatory requirements.

Partnering for Success

Our partnership with leading corporations and financial institutions exemplifies the effectiveness of our AI-driven approach. By collaborating with SESAMm, these organizations have enhanced their ESG compliance strategies, effectively navigated the regulatory landscape, and made more informed decisions.

Staying ahead of the curve in the rapidly evolving world of ESG compliance is not just about meeting regulatory requirements – it's about leading the way in corporate responsibility and sustainability. AI technologies, with their unparalleled capabilities in data analysis and predictive insights, are the key to this leadership.

As pioneers in AI-driven ESG compliance solutions, SESAMm is committed to helping corporations navigate these challenges. Our innovative tools and expertise are designed to empower you to meet and exceed regulatory standards confidently. We invite you to explore the potential of AI in transforming your ESG compliance strategy and join us in shaping a more sustainable, ethical, and compliant corporate future.

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.

SESAMm recently announced its successful Series B2 fundraising round. The news was covered by TechCrunch, a popular technology news website known for its comprehensive coverage of the latest developments in the tech industry.

Here are some excerpts, first published on TechCrunch:

SESAMm, a French startup that helps financial firms and corporates adhere to their ESG goals by using natural language processing (NLP) to generate insights from digital content, has raised €35 million ($37 million) in a round of funding to expand internationally.

Despite a growing backlash against ESG efforts from some politicians and vocal executives, companies are still cognizant of the reputational and commercial risks of ignoring their environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) responsibilities — this applies both to their internal practices and those of third-parties they do business with.

With that in mind, SESAMm enables businesses to track textual data from across the web — including news portals, NGO reports, and social networks — and convert this into actionable insights.

SESAMm has amassed a fairly impressive roster of clients from across the financial realm specifically, including U.S. investment giant Carlyle Group, French corporate and investment bank Natixis, Japanese multinational insurance holding company Tokio Marine, and U.K.-based asset management firm Unigestion.

Companies can access SESAMm’s flagship product, TextReveal, via several conduits, including an API that brings SESAMm’s NLP engine into their own systems. But on top of that, SESAMm also offers a web-based dashboard where companies can access data analysis, visualizations, and push notifications for various due diligence, compliance, and ESG scenarios.

For example, a company that wants to keep tabs on its supply chain partners can use SESAMm to track anything related to those partners that hits the public domain, such as emerging fraud litigation or other lawsuits. This allows them to proactively respond the instant they receive an alert via SESAMm — these ESG alerts, which SESAMm launched a few months back, can be delivered by email or system integrations, for example a customer relationship management (CRM) application.

Elsewhere, private equity firms can use SESAMm for due diligence on potential acquisition or investment targets. Indeed, SESAMm boasts a “20 billion article data lake” which it applies its NLP algorithms to to identify mentions on any type of company, with the data sliced, diced, and categorized into user-friendly dashboards.

“Private equity firms usually engage with consulting firms to perform due diligence on target companies,” SESAMm co-founder and CEO Sylvain Forté explained to TechCrunch. “The cost of doing this is very high, and the result is suboptimal as the amount of data on the web is enormous for individuals to go through it. Therefore frequently, the results are not comprehensive enough, leading to inaccuracies.”

However, the SESAMm platform can be configured for any number of use-cases, such as “share of voice” competitor analysis, or any other theme that might be relevant to a company.

“With the current attention on ESG in the industry, many of our use-cases are focused on that — however, we provide insights into several types of information,” Forté said. “This includes sentiment on brands, thematic stock baskets and indices, company leadership reputation, and web insights on macro-economic indicators such as inflation, among others.”

According to Forté, SESAMm pre-trains large language models, similar to that of ChatGPT, the generative AI poster child of the moment — on all the data it hoovers up, and fine-tunes the algorithms on its own datasets, which are annotated across the 100-plus languages it supports.

“SESAMm integrates a variety of data — over 20 billion articles in 100 languages with 14 years of history,” Forté said. “Data sources include highly-vetted news organizations, expert blogs, and social media. SESAMm also manages licenses for proprietary data sources from premium news channels.”

However, against the backdrop of the ChatGPT hype train and burgeoning corporate ESG commitments, the fact that SESAMm has raised a significant sum of money at a time when investors’ cash has seemingly dried up tells something of a story.

“Raising a significant amount during challenging market conditions highlights the relevancy of SESAMms focus on two key trends — AI and sustainability,” Forté said. “In turn, these tools enable organizations to make better decisions and fill the data gaps, particularly in ESG, on both public and private companies.”

Excerpts were first published on TechCrunch.