Cycle 3 results launched 23/04/12
Rating of 360 top US companies on climate innovation
The three Maplecroft Climate Innovation Indexes (CIIs) provide investors and stakeholders with insight into the activities of leading US companies and address the compelling case for climate-related innovation and carbon management as leading indicators of future financial performance. The CIIs provide asset managers with reliable and objective benchmarks to help manage sustainability portfolios and/or create innovative and high-performing tradable indexes.
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Global Risks Atlas 2012
The Global Risks Atlas 2012 assesses strategic risks that impact the global value chains of business, as well as the ability of national institutions to mitigate them. The Atlas includes 33 risk indices and interactive maps assessing exposure to five key global risks: macroeconomics; security risk; resource security; climate change; and pandemics; as well as two resilience factors: governance risks and societal resilience.
In so doing the Atlas examines the vulnerability of 178 countries to global risks. The vulnerability of countries is not just a product of risk exposure but also preparedness and resilience – for any business monitoring global risks this is critical to ensure profitable investments and maintaining business continuity, as well as a good reputation.
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Political Risk Atlas 2012
The Political Risk Atlas 2012 provides a comprehensive appraisal of traditional risk areas including conflict, terrorism, the rule of law as well as the regulatory and business environment. It also focuses on emerging risk areas and structural challenges affecting political stability such as food security, water security, energy security, climate change and poverty. The Atlas assesses, quantifies, compares and monitors 45 political risks for 197 countries around the world with scorecards for each country and maps for each issue. These include sub-national maps for countries where conflict and terrorism represents extreme risk.
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Legal and Regulatory Environment Risk Atlas 2012
Maplecroft’s Legal and Regulatory Environment Risk Atlas 2012 is an ideal tool to help businesses, investors and international organisations to assess, quantify, compare and monitor legal and regulatory risks and develop strategies to mitigate them. The Atlas covers 173 countries and includes 21 indices covering rule of law, corruption, corporate governance, regulatory framework, respect for property rights and supply chain complicity. It also features a unique assessment of the quality of the implementation of ten key legal instruments by international legal practice Norton Rose LLP.
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Human Rights Risk Atlas 2012
Maplecroft’s Human Rights Risk Atlas 2012 is designed to help business, investors and international organisations assess, compare and monitor human rights risk across all countries. The Atlas includes interactive maps and indices for 31 human rights categories and scorecards for 197 countries covering human security, labour standards and protection, civil and political rights and access to remedy. It also features sub-national mapping of human rights violations and human security incidents down to site-specific levels worldwide.
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ESG Atlas and Risk Calculator
Maplecroft’s ESG Atlas and Risk Calculator evaluates and calculates country-level environmental, social & governance risks and responsibilities. Users can select from 49 ESG risk indices to generate their own country scorecards and a custom ESG dashboard for countries of interest. A central feature of the tool is that it enables investors and sustainability professionals to apply their own weightings to risk indices (in addition to the Maplecroft default settings) according to investment or stakeholder priorities and their risk appetite.
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Climate Change and Environmental Risk Atlas 2012
Maplecroft’s Climate Change and Environmental Risk Atlas 2012 provides analysis of the key risks to business in the areas of climate change vulnerability and adaption; emissions and energy use; environmental regulation; and ecosystem services. It also includes interactive maps and indices to enable the identification, evaluation and comparison of climate change and environmental risks, whilst subnational indices focusing on exposure, sensitivity, forests, top soil degradation and water stress pinpoint risk vulnerability down to 25km² worldwide.
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Natural Hazard Risk Atlas 2012
Maplecroft's Natural Hazards Risk Atlas 2012 is designed to help business, investors and international organisations assess and compare the risks and resilience to the occurrence of natural hazard events in 196 countries. The Atlas includes indices and interactive subnational maps of 12 natural hazard risks, as well as scorecards for all countries. In addition, the Atlas also measures countries’ overall economic exposure and socio-economic resilience to natural hazards.
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The Risk Calculator enables users to build instant risk profiles for operations, supply chains, distribution networks and investment portfolios. It draws on our vault of more than 500 political, economic, social and environmental risk indices and indicators to create bespoke country risk scorecards and maps for any country worldwide. Custom versions of the Risk Calculator include the ability to overlay multiple layers of company and supplier risk management information, sector risk scores, product risk scores, spend or revenue information and even stakeholder viewpoints.
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Ethiopia
The Corruption Risk Briefing on Ethiopia analyses the extent to which corruption is a common feature of the country’s political economy and the risk that it might compromise a company’s ability to comply with new legislation at home.
Cumbersome and non-transparent bureaucratic processes continue to place a burden on foreign businesses in Ethiopia and encourage corrupt practices as a means of facilitating their business activities. A largely unregulated private sector means that protection offered to investors is minimal.
Enquire Press release
Ukraine
The Corruption Risk Briefing on Ukraine analyses the extent to which corruption is a common feature of the country’s political economy and the risk that it might compromise a company’s ability to comply with new legislation at home.
Corruption remains a significant obstacle to investment in Ukraine, because it creates considerable risks and burdens on business. President Viktor Yanukovych has so far failed to reduce levels of corruption which continues to pervade all spheres of economic activity. In Ukraine corruption is prevalent on a petty, grand and state capture level and the potential for investors to be implicated in corrupt practices remains a concern due to the associated legal and reputational risks.
Enquire Press release
Corruption Risk Briefings analyse major corruption risks affecting countries at both national and provincial levels.
The 20+ page briefings have been developed in response to the proliferation of extraterritorial anti-corruption legislation, such as the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) in the U.S. and the Bribery Act in the UK. They provide in depth analysis, risk indices and trends, country overviews, case studies, detailed corruption statistics and a breakdown of anti-corruption laws and the ratification of international conventions.
Corruption Risk Briefings are available on demand for all countries and sectors
Executive summary of the Corruption Risk Briefing for China
Press release
Human Rights Quarterly Monitor offers up-to-date, one-page country risk scorecards for organisations with operations, supply chains and investments in countries that present high levels of risk to human rights protection.
Sample scorecard (available on free trial)
Press release
Political Risk Quarterly Outlook, offers up-to-date, one-page country risk scorecards for organisations with operations, supply chains and investments in environments with high levels of inherent political risk. It provides qualitative analysis of significant recent events for each of the three core risk areas and includes country scores and trends across eleven risk areas.
Sample scorecard (available on free trial) (PDF 189.2 KB)
Press release
Argentina
The Election Monitor Argentina offers analysis, forecasts and results of the election and assessments of the implications to industry sectors and investors.
President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner will be sworn in for her second term on 10 December 2011 following a landslide re-election victory in the first round, held on 23 October. President Fernandez will continue to push the Kirchner political agenda of centralised political governance and unorthodox economic policy. However, despite widespread public support, she faces a significant challenge in demonstrating her economic model's longevity in a more challenging global economic environment.
Enquire Press release
DRC
The Election Monitor DR Congo is delivered in two parts and offers analysis, forecasts and results of the election and assessments of the implications to industry sectors and investors.
President Joseph Kabila appears guaranteed to win the presidential election should multiple opposition candidates, including veteran UDPS leader Etienne Tshisekedi, continue to split the anti-incumbent vote. The opposition could stage a last minute decision to back a single candidate, most likely UDPS leader Etienne Tshisekedi. However, Tshisekedi’s pre-election conduct, proclaiming himself President and calling for the immediate release of imprisoned UPDS supporters, may have foreclosed any viable chance of opposition unity. Further deterioration in the country’s security situation is likely, with incidents of pre-election violence already mounting.
Enquire Press release
Russia
The Election Monitor Russia is delivered in two parts. It offers analysis and forecasts in the run-up to the election, plus results, an assessment of the election and analysis of the implications to industry sectors and investors.
Russia is to hold parliamentary elections on 4 December 2011, where it is almost certain United Russia will retain the lion’s share of seats in the State Duma. However, United Russia is expected to reduce its majority in the State Duma, as public support has been affected after the announcement in September that Prime Minister Putin would switch roles with President Medvedev leading to widespread disenfranchisement. Despite the presence of international election observers, the election campaign will not take place in a free and fair environment due to government control of media outlets, where coverage of opposition parties will be restricted.
Enquire Press releaseBriefings and in-depth reports
China
Maplecroft's in-depth Country Risk Report on China offers high-level analysis and illustrative subnational maps of the governance framework, the regulatory and business environment, political violence, human rights, and the environment, as well as an economic overview.
In recent years, Chinese authorities have made progress in adopting and reforming key pieces of business-relevant legislation and enhancing the transparency and consultative nature of the legislation-making process. However, foreign investors in China should be aware of the risks posed by the country’s regulatory and business environment. For instance, in the area of public procurement, potential bidders may be excluded from the process because of a lack of information. Limited transparency also gives local authorities significant power to pursue enforcement at their discretion, which would mean some businesses are arbitrarily discriminated against.
Enquire Press release
Dominican Republic
The Labour Standards Report on the Dominican Republic offers in-depth analysis; maps and country scores for all major labour issues; as well as case studies, key recent events and stakeholder viewpoints.
Allegations of labour rights violations in the Dominican Republic are frequent, posing risks of perceived complicity to investors or companies sourcing from the country. Workers in agriculture, manufacturing and within the country’s free trade zones are particularly vulnerable to abuse, largely because of the government’s inability to consistently enforce labour rights in these sectors. Despite legal protections, non-governmental organisations routinely report that violations of trade union rights are systemic, with employers often dismissing or intimidating workers for engaging in union activities without legal sanctions.
Enquire Press release
Guinea
Maplecroft's in-depth Country Risk Report on Guinea offers high-level analysis and illustrative subnational maps of the governance framework, the regulatory and business environment, political violence, human rights, and the environment, as well as an economic overview.
Policy instability related to Guinea’s current ‘rainbow coalition’ (alliance arc-en-ciél) also affects the country’s regulatory environment. A new mining code, formally adopted by parliament on 9 September 2011, has fundamentally changed Guinea’s mining regulations and injected significant uncertainty into mining sector investments. Re-negotiation of existing mining contracts is underway and will affect all existing mining permits. Investors should expect members of the coalition to have prior interests with certain mining companies or other sectorial players that could complicate future reform processes in the sector. Although the new mining code aims to ensure greater transparency and will provide much needed fiscal relief, the current state institutions are unlikely to effectively absorb the influx of revenues which may lead to elevated corruption risks.
Enquire Press release
India
Maplecroft's in-depth Country Risk Report on India offers high-level analysis and illustrative subnational maps of the governance framework, the regulatory and business environment, political violence, human rights, and the environment, as well as an economic overview.
In recent months, Prime Minister Singh’s government has been plagued by a series of corruption scandals that have brought the legislative process to a halt, impeding progress on reforms such as the Goods and Services Tax. The INC’s loss in several state elections in 2011 can be directly attributed to a protest vote against official corruption. Corruption has been recognised by the government as a risk to investor confidence and to long-term economic growth. The political influence of major Indian industrial families and associated cronyism can hinder the equal treatment for foreign businesses. Corruption is one of the major reasons why FDI into India has been in decline since 2009.
Enquire Press release
Ghana
The Labour Standards Report on Ghana offers in-depth analysis; maps and country scores for all major labour issues; as well as case studies, key recent events and stakeholder viewpoints.
While the government has sought to increase institutional capacity to strengthen labour rights protection, efforts are undermined by financial and manpower constraints. Moreover, the court system is largely unable to provide an effective remedy to those whose labour rights are violated, perpetuating a system where victims remain without viable options to seek redress. Without adequate mitigation strategies, companies thus remain at risk of complicity in the economic exploitation of workers who may be employed by their business partners, including their local supply chain.
Enquire Press release
Indonesia
The Labour Standards Report on Indonesia offers in-depth analysis; maps and country scores for all major labour issues; as well as case studies, key recent events and stakeholder viewpoints.
Labour activism in Indonesia has intensified. Workers struggling to cope with rising costs of living are likely to continue holding protests, demanding fair compensation for their work in light of rising profits of companies, spurred by economic growth. The government so far has failed to protect the rights of workers when leading mediation talks with companies over pay rise. This can be partly explained by the government’s general interest in preserving Indonesia’s comparative advantage in attracting investors. Companies working in Indonesia may be confronted with interruptions to production due to continuing protests. In addition, declining workforce morale may lead to low staff retention and deteriorating industrial relations resulting in negative impacts on productivity.
Enquire Press release
Uganda
Maplecroft's in-depth Country Risk Report on Uganda offers high-level analysis and illustrative subnational maps of the governance framework, the regulatory and business environment, political violence, human rights, and the environment, as well as an economic overview.
Uganda’s macroeconomic stability continues to face severe challenges in the current global economic climate. Structural factors which stand as impediments to macroeconomic stability include food and fuel inflation, as well as a vulnerability to external fluctuations in the price of Uganda’s primary export, coffee. Inflation rose to 28.3% in September 2011, as a result of East Africa’s worst drought in over fifty years, which pushed up the price of food 50% on the previous year. Uganda also faces an acute power supply shortage, which negatively affects all the main areas of the economy, especially the industrial and commercial sectors. High energy costs to business and disruptions to supply have already significantly reduced Uganda’s competitiveness.
Enquire Press release
