Preqin's environmental, social and governance (ESG) datasets cover company ESG data across the firm, fund and asset level, enabling clients to increase their proprietary data. It aims to fill what is sees as a gap in the market, whereby private markets lag behind public markets on data availability and transparency, making it difficult to analyse private markets' environmental, social and governance (ESG) data at scale.

Sustainable Investment Awards judges chose Preqin as its ESG data provider of the year – Asia, with one judge noting: "It addresses a gap in the private markets space, allowing for greater transparency and benchmark-able data."

In Asia, its ESG data covers 3,960 fund managers, with at least one ESG management indicator, and 230 ESG-labelled funds. Preqin's ESG data coverage grew by at least 10% in 2023, and up to 59% for ESG risk exposure estimates for portfolio companies at the asset level.

"We are delighted to see our ESG data be cited as a winner this year. As the APAC alternative asset markets continue to grow, more fund managers, investors and advisers are seeking the best-in-class data to help lead their sustainable investment decisions," said Jaclyn Bouchard, executive vice president and head of ESG Solutions and corporate responsibility at Preqin.

Preqin also won ESG research of the year, Americas, despite finding 2023 a particularly challenging year for the ESG market, particularly in terms of standardisation and openness in data, primarily due to regulatory developments and political regimes.

It claims to have overcome this issue by putting in the groundwork to understand clients' challenges and, through its long-standing relationships with market participants and their willingness to share proprietary data with Preqin, it was able to bolster its products' coverage, going beyond publicly disclosed data.

"At Preqin, we are proud of our research that is fuelled by our industry-leading data," added Bouchard. "By shining a light on the alternative assets market, a historically opaque market, we want to introduce increased knowledge sharing and transparency within the industry when it comes to ESG considerations."

To drive its research Preqin tracks the sustainability strategies, policies, and commitments of 19,000 investors, as of the end of 2023, a 12% increase since 2022. It currently tracks 46,000 fund managers, 10% more than 2022, and 36,000 funds. It has ESG risk exposure estimates for over 255,000 portfolio companies, 59% more than in 2022, and 33,000 funds – a 35% increase since 2022. At the asset level, Preqin tracks carbon emission and water withdrawal estimates for more than 190,000 portfolio companies, a 48% increase from 2022.