Solidatus Chief Data Officer Lorraine Waters recently chatted virtually with Nasdaq TradeTalks global markets reporter Jill Malandrino about the importance of ESG data and the role that data lineage is playing. Here are a few of her key takeaways:

"Alongside the rise and rise of ESG and the data challenges every company will face, are the number of sectorial, regional, supra-regional, governmental, rating agency, and investment fund standards, principles and frameworks – each with their own set of criteria and measurements" - Lorraine Waters, Chief Data Officer, Solidatus.

"ESG is not primarily an environmental challenge for businesses. It is instead a data sourcing and governance challenge, requiring transparency and clear links to company objectives to drive it successfully. Dealing with changes in regulations and disclosures is going to be required for a few years to come."

"ESG is a data sourcing and governance challenge, requiring transparency and clear links to company objectives to drive it successfully. Investing in mapping and understanding data flows – and relating them to ESG priorities – will help companies make a positive impact." - John Tobin, Data Architect and ESG specialist at Solidatus on the issues surrounding ESG and implementing a successful data strategy.

"Over the next few years, it's going to be critical to get this right. Organisations that have it wrong are going to see share prices hit and investor confidence reduced. This is now so big and involved in every decision - right from the top of the house to the bottom - it's going to be very expensive for organisations that do this at the last minute and get it wrong."