PRESS RELEASEMSCI ESG Metrics Addresses Critical Data Issues
Associated With Measuring Global ESG Risk
New tool standardizes ESG risk data and adds new data set of 8,500 companies
New York – April 6, 2017 – MSCI Inc. (NYSE: MSCI) announced today the launch of MSCI ESG Metrics, provided
by MSCI ESG Research LLC. This new tool delivers a standardized set of environmental, social and governance(ESG) metrics for 8,500 companies globally, that is usable for in-house analytical models or for clientsdeveloping their own investment strategies. ESG Metrics was developed to address critical issues withmeasuring a portfolio’s ESG risk where a lack of standardized data can be a significant barrier today.
Eric Moen, managing director and head of ESG products for MSCI ESG Research, said, "We understand ourclients do not want to be inundated with data; they want relevant, comparable global datasets which provide a
global picture of ESG risks to their investments.”
He continued, “Drawing from the data collection and analytical experience we accumulated in the developmentof our flagship MSCI ESG Ratings, this new tool gives clients a library of data points and metrics to help themunderstand their exposure to global ESG risks and identify regions or business segments where risks arehighest."
The tool is designed to deliver a large set of standardized ESG data and simple flagged metrics that arecomparable across a broad universe of 8,500 companies in the MSCI ACWI Investable Market Index (IMI):••••

Phase I leverages MSCI ESG Research’s proprietary ESG risk models to introduce a new “risk exposure”
dataset, mapping over 50,000 individual business and geographic segments to 22 macro risk factors, suchas carbon regulation, water stressed regions, and corruption risks.
Additional quantitative data and binary metrics are designed to enable institutional investors to measure
the overall exposure of companies and portfolios to ESG risks.
An expanded “controversies” data set flags companies involved in ESG controversies across 25 categories.
Subsequent phases will further expand the risk exposure data set, and introduce new data points covering
management practices and performance. Phase II expansion of the tool is expected later this year.

MSCI ESG Metrics is designed to be an extension of our flagship MSCI ESG Ratings product. MSCI ESG Ratings
assess companies on the key issues that are most material to their industry. MSCI ESG Metrics is a new toolthat expands the analysis by offering clients access to a set of underlying data and comparable metrics acrossthe entire coverage universe enabling ESG portfolio risk exposure analysis and quantitative modeling.
Use our interactive ESG Metrics map to explore geographic exposure to: water stressed regions; fragileecosystems; carbon regulation; chemical safety regulations; climate vulnerable regions; corruption &instability; poor workplace safety standards; frequent work stoppages and privacy regulations.

-Ends-PRESS RELEASE

About MSCIFor more than 40 years, MSCI’s research-based indexes and analytics have helped the world’s leading investors build andmanage better portfolios. Clients rely on our offerings for deeper insights into the drivers of performance and risk in theirportfolios, broad asset class coverage and innovative research.
Our line of products and services includes indexes, analytical models, data, real estate benchmarks and ESG research.
MSCI serves 97 of the top 100 largest money managers, according to the most recent P&I ranking.
For more information, visit us at www.msci.com.

Media Inquiries
Americas:

Krista Meza

kristin.meza@msci.com

EMEA:

MHP Communications

MSCI@mhpc.com

Asia Pacific:

Jenny Jia

jenny.jia@msci.com

MSCI Global Client Service
EMEA Client Service+ 44 20 7618.2222

Americas Client Service

1 888 588 4567 (toll free)

Asia Pacific Client Service+ 852 2844 9333

This document and all of the information contained in it, including without limitation all text, data, graphs, charts (collectively, the “Information”) is the property of MSCI Inc. orits subsidiaries (collectively, “MSCI”), or MSCI’s licensors, direct or indirect suppliers or any third party involved in making or compiling any Information (collectively, with MSCI,the “Information Providers”) and is provided for informational purposes only. The Information may not be modified, reverse-engineered, reproduced or redisseminated inwhole or in part without prior written permission from MSCI.
The Information may not be used to create derivative works or to verify or correct other data or information. For example (but without limitation), the Information may not
be used to create indexes, databases, risk models, analytics, software, or in connection with the issuing, offering, sponsoring, managing or marketing of any securities,
portfolios, financial products or other investment vehicles utilizing or based on, linked to, tracking or otherwise derived from the Information or any other MSCI data,
information, products or services.
The user of the Information assumes the entire risk of any use it may make or permit to be made of the Information. NONE OF THE INFORMATION PROVIDERS MAKES ANYEXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES OR REPRESENTATIONS WITH RESPECT TO THE INFORMATION (OR THE RESULTS TO BE OBTAINED BY THE USE THEREOF), AND TO THEMAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, EACH INFORMATION PROVIDER EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ALL IMPLIED WARRANTIES (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION,ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF ORIGINALITY, ACCURACY, TIMELINESS, NON-INFRINGEMENT, COMPLETENESS, MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE)
WITH RESPECT TO ANY OF THE INFORMATION.
Without limiting any of the foregoing and to the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, in no event shall any Information Provider have any liability regarding any of theInformation for any direct, indirect, special, punitive, consequential (including lost profits) or any other damages even if notified of the possibility of such damages. Theforegoing shall not exclude or limit any liability that may not by applicable law be excluded or limited, including without limitation (as applicable), any liability for death or
personal injury to the extent that such injury results from the negligence or willful default of itself, its servants, agents or sub-contractors.
Information containing any historical information, data or analysis should not be taken as an indication or guarantee of any future performance, analysis, forecast orprediction. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
The Information should not be relied on and is not a substitute for the skill, judgment and experience of the user, its management, employees, advisors and/or clients when
making investment and other business decisions. All Information is impersonal and not tailored to the needs of any person, entity or group of persons.
None of the Information constitutes an offer to sell (or a solicitation of an offer to buy), any security, financial product or other investment vehicle or any trading strategy.
It is not possible to invest directly in an index. Exposure to an asset class or trading strategy or other category represented by an index is only available through third party
investable instruments (if any) based on that index. MSCI does not issue, sponsor, endorse, market, offer, review or otherwise express any opinion regarding any fund, ETF,
derivative or other security, investment, financial product or trading strategy that is based on, linked to or seeks to provide an investment return related to the performance of
any MSCI index (collectively, “Index Linked Investments”). MSCI makes no assurance that any Index Linked Investments will accurately track index performance or provide
positive investment returns. MSCI Inc. is not an investment adviser or fiduciary and MSCI makes no representation regarding the advisability of investing in any Index Linked
Investments.

PRESS RELEASE

Index returns do not represent the results of actual trading of investible assets/securities. MSCI maintains and calculates indexes, but does not manage actual assets. Index
returns do not reflect payment of any sales charges or fees an investor may pay to purchase the securities underlying the index or Index Linked Investments. The imposition ofthese fees and charges would cause the performance of an Index Linked Investment to be different than the MSCI index performance.
The Information may contain back tested data. Back-tested performance is not actual performance, but is hypothetical. There are frequently material differences between
back tested performance results and actual results subsequently achieved by any investment strategy.
Constituents of MSCI equity indexes are listed companies, which are included in or excluded from the indexes according to the application of the relevant index methodologies.
Accordingly, constituents in MSCI equity indexes may include MSCI Inc., clients of MSCI or suppliers to MSCI. Inclusion of a security within an MSCI index is not arecommendation by MSCI to buy, sell, or hold such security, nor is it considered to be investment advice.
Data and information produced by various affiliates of MSCI Inc., including MSCI ESG Research LLC and Barra LLC, may be used in calculating certain MSCI indexes. Moreinformation can be found in the relevant index methodologies on www.msci.com.
MSCI receives compensation in connection with licensing its indexes to third parties. MSCI Inc.’s revenue includes fees based on assets in Index Linked Investments.
Information can be found in MSCI Inc.’s company filings on the Investor Relations section of www.msci.com.
MSCI ESG Research LLC is a Registered Investment Adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 and a subsidiary of MSCI Inc. Except with respect to any applicableproducts or services from MSCI ESG Research, neither MSCI nor any of its products or services recommends, endorses, approves or otherwise expresses any opinion regarding
any issuer, securities, financial products or instruments or trading strategies and MSCI’s products or services are not intended to constitute investment advice or arecommendation to make (or refrain from making) any kind of investment decision and may not be relied on as such. Issuers mentioned or included in any MSCI ESG Researchmaterials may include MSCI Inc., clients of MSCI or suppliers to MSCI, and may also purchase research or other products or services from MSCI ESG Research. MSCI ESG
Research materials, including materials utilized in any MSCI ESG Indexes or other products, have not been submitted to, nor received approval from, the United States
Securities and Exchange Commission or any other regulatory body.
Any use of or access to products, services or information of MSCI requires a license from MSCI. MSCI, Barra, RiskMetrics, IPD, FEA, InvestorForce, and other MSCI brands andproduct names are the trademarks, service marks, or registered trademarks of MSCI or its subsidiaries in the United States and other jurisdictions. The Global IndustryClassification Standard (GICS) was developed by and is the exclusive property of MSCI and Standard & Poor’s. “Global Industry Classification Standard (GICS)” is a service markof MSCI and Standard & Poor’s.