ESG stands for Environmental, Social, and Governance. It represents the three central factors used to measure the sustainability and ethical impact of an investment in a company or business. Evaluating ESG criteria helps investors assess the potential long-term risks and opportunities associated with a company, including its environmental impact, social responsibility, and governance practices.

Companies' ESG rankings are typically determined by assessing various factors related to their environmental, social, and governance performance. This evaluation can include criteria such as carbon emissions, resource usage, labor practices, diversity and inclusion policies, board diversity, executive compensation, transparency, and ethical business practices.

Yes, ESG rankings often provide a framework for comparing the performance of companies across different industries. While the specific ESG metrics may vary based on industry-specific considerations, comparative analysis can still be valuable for investors seeking to make informed decisions about their investments based on sustainability and ethical criteria.

Several regulatory standards and frameworks exist to guide ESG reporting and ranking, including the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB), and the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD). These frameworks provide guidelines for companies to disclose relevant ESG information in a consistent and comparable manner.

ESG rankings may vary in terms of frequency of updates depending on the provider. Some platforms update their rankings annually, while others may provide more frequent updates. Investors can typically access the latest data on ESG performance for companies worldwide through specialized ESG research firms, financial databases, or dedicated ESG rating agencies.