On October 1st, SESAMm hosted its second annual “SESAMm Day” in Paris at the EY Impact Lab. The evening kicked off with the Paris 2043 immersive experience, an eye-opening scenario of Paris in 2043 should climate commitments fail. Designed to spark forward-looking discussions, the experience set the stage for a full evening of insight, exchange, and networking among peers across private equity, asset management, banking, and consulting.
The event also featured a dynamic 45-minute panel discussion moderated by Sylvain Forté, CEO of SESAMm, with three distinguished panelists:
- Dr. Julia Haake, Head of ESG Rating Agency at EthiFinance
- Elsa Couteaud, RSE Director at Praemia
- Abigail Arellano Sanchez, Sustainability Project Manager and Data Specialist at Natixis Investment Managers
From Data to Decisions
The conversation opened with a critical challenge facing the industry: transforming abundant ESG data into actionable insights. The panelists discussed their approaches to filtering signal from noise, focusing on how controversy alerts, automated reports, and ESG scores inform actual investment, financing, and rating decisions. The key, they emphasized, lies in establishing clear hierarchies and methodologies to prevent information overload.
Addressing ESG Skepticism
The panel also addressed the growing concerns around greenwashing, regulatory complexity, and "ESG fatigue." An interesting linguistic shift emerged during the discussion. One panelist noted that the term “sustainability” is increasingly preferred over "ESG" in job titles. In contrast, another panelist pointed out that 10-15 years ago, the trend was reversed, as the industry moved from sustainability to ESG.
While European skepticism focuses less on ESG fundamentals and more on complexity and costs, particularly with regulations like Omnibus, the panelists acknowledged growing operational fatigue. For example, the speakers highlighted that teams are demanding more pragmatism and concrete action over the burden of reporting.
The Future of ESG Data and Themes
Looking forward, the panel identified several emerging priorities:
Climate adaptation is taking center stage, with physical risks such as heatwaves and flooding becoming increasingly impossible to ignore. The future of ESG data will be increasingly forward-looking and predictive.
New themes are reshaping the ESG landscape. Biodiversity remains a work in progress requiring significant development. Responsible AI has emerged as both an ESG theme and a transformative force for the industry itself. Even defense has become a consideration as an exclusion or inclusion criterion, raising questions about which other exclusion themes might emerge or fade.
Supply chain risks are gaining prominence, particularly in emerging markets where local taxonomies and data remain scarce. One panelist shared that accessing reliable data on emissions and physical risks in these regions is challenging, with insurance data often providing the most qualified information.
A Call to Action
The panel concluded with a pragmatic vision: rather than being overwhelmed by ever-increasing data, the focus should shift toward enhancing real-world impact and climate resilience. With reputational and financial risks mounting, the message is clear: it's time to move from reporting to action.
Closing Reflections
SESAMm Day 2025 closed on a high note, with participants continuing the conversation over networking drinks. We extend our warm thanks to everyone who joined us, and in particular to our panelists for sharing their perspectives and making the evening both insightful and engaging.
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