Client Type: Global ESG & Sustainability Data Platform
Headquarters: New York, USA (with European & Middle East operations)
The client operates a cloud-based ESG intelligence platform that delivers governance, sustainability, and risk analytics to asset managers, institutional investors, banks, and corporations worldwide.
Their services broadly include:
- ESG data collection and validation
- Governance, environmental, and social risk scoring
- Regulatory-aligned ESG disclosures
- Benchmarking, peer comparison, and analytics
- AI-driven insights embedded into investment and compliance workflows
Business Challenge (2021)
In 2021, the client partnered with FinacPlus to strengthen and scale its Governance Pillar data operations.
With accelerating demand from:
- Asset managers
- Institutional investors
- Regulators and compliance teams
The client faced increasing pressure to deliver audit-ready, high-accuracy governance datasets across thousands of global companies.
Key Challenges
- High complexity of governance indicators:
- Board structure & independence
- Executive remuneration
- Shareholder rights
- Risk oversight frameworks
- Corporate policies & disclosures
- Constantly evolving ESG disclosure standards
- Institutional-grade quality thresholds
- Need for scalable capacity without compromising accuracy
The client required a flexible, specialist operating model rather than fixed internal hiring.
FinacPlus Solution
1. Deep Governance Alignment
FinacPlus worked closely with the client’s Governance, Product, and Quality teams to align on:
- Governance definitions and taxonomies
- Research methodologies
- Scoring logic and escalation rules
- Quality benchmarks and audit expectations
2. Role-Based Governance Analyst Model
Rather than generic data staffing, FinacPlus designed role-specific governance analyst profiles aligned to:
- Board and leadership data
- Executive compensation analysis
- Policy and disclosure research
- Quality assurance and peer review
3. Flexible Freelancer-Based Delivery Model
To support agility and cost efficiency:
- All 28 team members were specialized ESG freelancers
- Enabled rapid scaling, flexibility, and domain specialization
- Supported both resource-based delivery and on-demand datasets
Incremental Team Growth Timeline
| Year | Team Size | Key Milestones |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | <10 Analysts | Pilot engagement, governance coverage stabilization |
| 2022 | 17 Analysts | Expanded company universe, stricter QA layers |
| 2023 | 28 Analysts | Full-scale governance operations |
| 2024–2026 | 28 Analysts | Stable delivery, new ESG product support |
Important: The 28-member team was not hired at once. Growth was organic and demand-driven, ensuring quality remained uncompromised at every stage.
Managed Operating Model
Beyond talent deployment, FinacPlus delivered a fully managed ESG operations framework, covering:
- Freelancer recruitment & vetting
- ESG governance training programs
- Productivity and capacity planning
- Multi-layer quality control
- SLA-based performance reporting
This allowed the client to scale without internal operational overhead.
Business Impact
Measurable Outcomes
- Stable 28-member Governance data delivery team
- Improved data accuracy and consistency
- Reduced quality exceptions and rework
- Faster turnaround times for governance updates
Strategic Benefits
- Enabled expansion of governance coverage
- Supported launch of new ESG products
- Improved responsiveness to regulatory and market changes
- Maintained institutional-grade credibility with end clients
Why This Engagement Matters
This case demonstrates FinacPlus’s strength in building scalable, specialist ESG data operations using:
- Domain-trained governance talent
- Flexible freelancer delivery models
- Enterprise-grade quality and governance controls
By combining operational rigor with scalability, FinacPlus can contribute to serve as a long-term backbone for ESG data platforms that are navigating rapid growth and regulatory scrutiny.
Keywords
ESG Governance, Governance Pillar, Corporate Governance Data, Board Structure, Board Independence, Executive Compensation, Shareholder Rights, Corporate Policies, ESG Disclosure, ESG Research, Data Quality, Quality Assurance, Regulatory Filings, Sustainable Finance, Responsible Investment, Virtual Process Services, Offshore ESG Support, Scalable Delivery Model
