Category: ESG fundamentals · Reviewed by Taylor Watts, Broker · New Business · Last reviewed 2026-06-10
Bloomberg ESG comprises a suite of ESG data products distributed through the Bloomberg Terminal, including the Bloomberg ESG Disclosure Scores, the Bloomberg ESG Scores and the Bloomberg Carbon Emissions Estimates. The products are widely used by UK insurer investment teams given the deep penetration of the Bloomberg Terminal across the City of London and the Lloyd’s market.
Category: ESG fundamentals Also known as: Bloomberg ESG Disclosure Scores, Bloomberg Sustainability Data, BBG ESG Established / Date: Bloomberg ESG Disclosure Scores launched 2009; Bloomberg ESG Scores launched 2020 Related concepts: ESG ratings, Refinitiv ESG, S&P Global ESG
Bloomberg L.P. operates two related but distinct ESG offerings. The longer-established Bloomberg ESG Disclosure Score measures the comprehensiveness of an issuer’s ESG disclosure on a 0 to 100 scale, based on the extent to which the company publicly reports against a defined set of ESG data points. A high Disclosure Score indicates extensive reporting but does not necessarily indicate strong ESG performance.
The Bloomberg ESG Scores, launched in 2020 and progressively expanded since, are proprietary issue-specific scores that go beyond disclosure to evaluate performance. They currently cover Environmental and Social pillar topics including emissions, water, gender equality, labour standards and product safety, with industry-tailored materiality maps. A separate Bloomberg Governance Score covers board and management governance issues. Bloomberg also publishes Carbon Emissions Estimates for issuers that do not disclose scope 1 and 2 data, derived from sector and revenue models.
The methodology is documented in the Bloomberg ESG Data Methodology publications [1], available through the Bloomberg Terminal under the {ESG
Bloomberg L.P. is a privately-held US company. Its ESG data business operates through Bloomberg Index Services Limited (a UK-authorised benchmark administrator under the UK Benchmarks Regulation), although the ESG ratings business is separately positioned. HM Treasury’s November 2023 consultation response on ESG ratings provider regulation will bring Bloomberg’s ESG ratings activity within the FCA’s perimeter from 2026 [2]. EU Regulation 2024/3005 applies from 2 July 2026 to EU-targeted services.
UK regulated firms using Bloomberg ESG data are subject to the FCA’s PS23/16 expectation of methodology understanding and the PRA’s SS 3/19 expectation that climate-related data inputs are integrated with appropriate diligence [3][4].
The Bloomberg Terminal is ubiquitous in UK insurance investment and treasury functions, and Bloomberg ESG data is therefore among the most frequently accessed ESG inputs by UK insurers’ investment teams. The Disclosure Score is often used as a first-pass screen for portfolio-level engagement, while the proprietary Bloomberg ESG Scores feed into more detailed credit and equity analysis.
For underwriting purposes, Bloomberg ESG data is used principally in support of investment-side analysis but also features in some London market underwriting workflows for D&O liability covering large listed companies. Lloyd’s managing agents typically licence multiple data sources to avoid single-provider concentration risk.
The Bloomberg Carbon Emissions Estimates are particularly important for insurers calculating insurance-associated emissions under the Partnership for Carbon Accounting Financials’ methodology published in November 2022, since not all underlying insureds disclose scope 1 and 2 emissions.
UK listed companies can directly influence their Bloomberg ESG Disclosure Score by ensuring that the data points captured by Bloomberg’s data model are reported, ideally in structured (XBRL or similar) formats. Companies should engage with Bloomberg’s ESG data team to verify input data accuracy.
For unlisted UK companies, Bloomberg ESG coverage is more limited, but insurers underwriting D&O or financial institutions cover may still reference parent-group Bloomberg data where the parent is listed.
A UK-listed FTSE 250 industrials group reports a Bloomberg ESG Disclosure Score of 58, reflecting partial scope 3 disclosure and gaps in social pillar metrics. The company’s Bloomberg-estimated scope 1 and 2 emissions diverge materially from its self-reported figures, prompting questions from the lead D&O underwriter at renewal. The company commissions external assurance of its emissions inventory, publishes a reconciled scope 1, 2 and 3 disclosure and engages Bloomberg’s ESG data team to update inputs. The Disclosure Score increases to 71 and the next year’s D&O renewal proceeds without additional ESG-related conditions.
This entry is part of the Apex Insurance Wiki. Last reviewed by Matt Bartlett on 2026-06-10. Next review: 2026-12-10.
Apex Insurance Brokers Limited. Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, FRN 724952. Registered in England and Wales, Companies House 07014570. This entry provides general information about UK insurance concepts and is not regulated advice. Consult your insurance broker on your specific position.
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