Niche99 ESG Ratings for Banks and Financial Institutions

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Niche99 is a SEBI-registered ESG Rating Provider (ERP), Category II, operating under the Subscriber Pays Model. We provide independent, data-backed ESG+C™ ratings designed specifically for Indian regulatory, socio-economic, and market realities, enabling better risk, compliance, and sustainability decisions for banks 

 Purpose: To use sustainability and ESG research to enable impactful actions by all, for all.
Vision: To enable sustainable businesses and communities through credible ESG intelligence.
Mission: To deliver consistent, fair, transparent ESG ratings and actionable insights that support compliance and long-term growth 

Banks increasingly use ESG ratings to:

• Price credit and lending risk
• Design green and sustainability-linked finance
• Monitor portfolio-level ESG exposure
• Meet SEBI, RBI, and global investor expectations
• Protect reputation and stakeholder trust

Niche99 ratings convert ESG from a compliance exercise into a risk and value management tool

Niche99 provides an independent ESG risk lens on borrowers, helping banks:

• Identify hidden environmental, social, and governance risks
• Improve loan quality and reduce defaults
• Adjust risk pricing and lending policies by sector and borrower maturity

Niche99 provides an independent ESG risk lens on borrowers, helping banks:

• Identify hidden environmental, social, and governance risks
• Improve loan quality and reduce defaults
• Adjust risk pricing and lending policies by sector and borrower maturity

We support green loans, sustainability-linked loans (SLLs), and green bonds by:

• Establishing ESG baselines
• Monitoring ongoing ESG performance
• Preventing greenwashing through independent verification

This builds investor confidence and market credibility

Yes. Niche99 offers portfolio-wide ESG monitoring, including:

• Continuous ESG score updates
• Early-warning alerts for ESG red flags
• Identification of sectoral and regional risk hotspots
• Inputs for ESG stress testing and scenario analysis

Niche99 helps banks meet SEBI, RBI, and national sustainable finance requirements through:

• Independent ESG validation 
• Disclosure gap analysis
• ESG and sustainability reporting support
• Optional third-party assurance
  

This reduces compliance burden, time, and regulatory risk 

Niche99 uses a four-pillar ESG+C™ framework:

• Environment (E)
• Social (S)
• Governance (G)
• Commitment (C) – a unique pillar assessing leadership intent, capital stewardship, reputational resilience, and future readiness

This makes our ratings forward-looking, contextual, and decision-useful for banks

Niche99 offers:

• ESG ratings from India, for India, in Indian context
• Strong alignment with Indian laws and SEBI BRSR Core
• Sector-specific weightings reflecting Indian realities
• Integration of global standards (GRI, SASB, TCFD, CSRD) without one-size-fits-all assumptions

We combine:

• Public disclosures and non-public engagement
• Alternative data and controversy tracking
• AI-enabled analytics and sentiment monitoring
• Independent third-party verification

This reduces subjectivity and strengthens ESG due diligence 

Banks receive:

• Prestige Scores (0–100) indicating ESG risk and sustainability maturity
• Pillar-wise and theme-wise scores
• Transition (Parivartan) scores
• Benchmarks, diagnostics, and improvement pathways

These outputs integrate easily into credit, risk, and pricing models 

 Under SEBI’s Subscriber Pays Model, Niche99 is paid by users of ESG insights (banks, investors, institutions), not by rated entities alone. This ensures objectivity, transparency, and credibility of ratings 

Banks and Financial Institutions choose Niche99 for:

• Regulatory-ready ESG intelligence 
• Independent, India-first analysis
• Scalable portfolio solutions
• Strong alignment with risk management and sustainable finance goals
   

Your ESG advantage starts here.