San Francisco – Manama, September 2020
SICO, a leading regional asset manager, broker, research house and investment bank, announced that it will begin embedding IdealRatings’ ESG data to be available as part of SICO’s research platform. This initiative by SICO is among the first in the MENA region to highlight ESG performance in company reports to support the increasing demand for ESG data for their clients.
The IdealRatings data set provides performance summaries, constituent rankings highlighting best-in-class and bottom performers. IdealRatings determines a company’s ESG rating by researching and documenting answers to a series of qualitative questions across the environmental, social, and governance pillars captured during the research process.
SICO will now include the IdealRatings ESG data in its listed companies’ reports featuring insights into companies’ ESG progress, providing investors with a full picture of companies’ performance. This new addition will offer SICO’s clients better investment strategies, superior portfolio allocation and attract ESG-focused investors globally to the MENA region. SICO is a leading provider of sell-side research in the Middle East offering high quality and insightful research products to its diverse client base across the region covering 13 key regional sectors. The Research division aims to provide timely and accurate advice to clients who rely on its best-in-class products and services.
“IdealRatings is delighted to support SICO’s initiative in the MENA region, incorporating ESG data will provide SICOs clients a more holistic view of their investment risks, exposures, and opportunities; and will help to insure that investments are aligned with their values” Said Mohamed Donia, IdealRatings CEO.
“ESG ratings are becoming an increasingly important consideration to investors and funds across the MENA region, with more companies and stock exchanges, including the MENA region’s top exchanges, seeking to incorporate ESG ratings into their data,” said SICO CEO Najla Al-Shirawi. “As we see more investments being made based on ESG considerations, we seek to offer more comprehensive research products featuring robust ESG data in order to allow our clients to make better informed financial decisions.”
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About SICO
SICO is a leading regional asset manager, broker, and investment bank. Today SICO operates under a wholesale banking license from the Central Bank of Bahrain and also oversees three wholly owned subsidiaries: an Abu Dhabi-based brokerage firm, SICO Financial Brokerage, a specialized regional custody house, SICO Fund Services Company (SFS), and a Saudi-based asset management provider, SICO Financial Saudi Company. Headquartered in the Kingdom of Bahrain with a growing regional and international presence, SICO has a well-established track record as a trusted regional bank offering a comprehensive suite of financial solutions, including asset management, brokerage, investment banking, and market making, backed by a robust and experienced research team that provides regional insight and analysis of more than 90 percent of the region’s major equities. Since inception in 1995, SICO has consistently outperformed the market and developed a solid base of institutional clients. Going forward, the bank’s continued growth will be guided by its commitments to strong corporate governance and developing trusting relationships with its clients. The bank will also continue to invest in its information technology capabilities and the human capital of its 100 exceptional employees.
About IdealRatings
IdealRatings, incorporated in San Francisco, is a global solutions provider for Responsible Investments. Its database solutions for Equities, REITs, and Fixed Income are aimed at global investment managers and asset owners. IdealRatings solutions are licensed by leading financial institutions, asset managers, index providers, data vendors and brokerage firms in over 25 countries across all continents.
For more info visit IdealRatings website at www.idealratings.com
Media contacts
SICO
Ms. Nadeen Oweis
Head of Corporate Communications, SICO
+973 1751 5017
IdealRatings Inc
Mr. Magdy Eissa
+ 1 415 955 2737
