Companies in the industry range from large multi-national asset managers with a wide range of investable products, strategies, and asset classes to small boutique firms providing services to a very specific market niche. The industry provides an essential service in assisting a range of customers from individual retail investors to large, institutional asset owners to meet specified investment goals. Specific companies are engaged in venture capital and private equity investments. Investment portfolios and strategies may be diversified across multiple asset classes, which include, but are not limited to, equities, fixed income, and hedge fund investments. In addition, firms in this industry provide wealth management, private banking, financial planning, and investment advisory and retail securities brokerage services. The Asset Management & Custody Activities industry is comprised of companies that manage investment portfolios on a commission or fee basis for institutional, retail, and high net-worth investors. Besides the rates charged, companies compete on the basis of their operational and safety performance, technology and process offerings, and reputation. The contractual relationship between oil and gas services companies and their customers plays a significant role in determining the material impacts of their sustainability performance. Service companies may also provide personnel or subject matter expertise as part of their scope of service. These services are commonly provided on a contractual basis, and the customer will purchase or lease the materials and equipment from the service provider. They also provide support services such as seismic surveying, equipment rental, well cementing, and well monitoring. Companies in the oilfield services segment manufacture equipment that is used in the extraction, storage, and transportation of oil and natural gas. Companies in this segment may also manufacture jack-up rigs, semisubmersible rigs, and drill ships. The drilling and drilling-support segment comprises companies that drill for oil and natural gas on-shore and off-shore on a contract basis. Oil and gas services companies provide support services, manufacture equipment, or are contract drillers for oil and natural gas exploration and production (E&P) companies. There are separate SASB standards for the (EM-MM) industry. Note: With a few exceptions, most companies do not mine their own ore to manufacture steel and iron products. Many companies in the industry operate on an international scale. Steel production occurs via two primary methods: the Basic Oxygen Furnace (BOF), which uses iron ore as an input, and the Electric Arc Furnace (EAF), which uses scrap steel.
The industry also includes metal service centers and other metal merchant wholesalers, which distribute, import, or export ferrous products. Iron and steel foundries, which cast various products, typically purchase iron and steel from other firms. These products include flat-rolled sheets, tin plates, pipes, tubes, and products made of stainless steel, titanium, and high alloy steels. The steel producers segment consists of companies that produce iron and steel products from their own mills. The Iron & Steel Producers industry consists of steel producers with iron and steel mills and companies with iron and steel foundries. Depending on the specific activities and operations of firms in the aforementioned industries, disclosure topics and accounting metrics associated with the E-Commerce industry standard may also be relevant. SASB has separate standards for the Multiline and Specialty Retailers & Distributors (CG-MR) Apparel, Accessories & Footwear (CG-AA) and Toys & Sporting Goods (CG-TS) industries. Many consumer goods manufacturers and retailers have incorporated, or are in the process of incorporating, an e-commerce component to their business. Note: The industry scope exclusively applies to “pure-play” e-commerce operations and does not address the manufacturing or brick-and-mortar retail operations of companies. Because of the accessibility of e-commerce sites, the industry is a global marketplace for buyers and sellers.
Firms in this industry sell to consumers as well as to other businesses. The E-Commerce industry is composed of firms that provide an online marketplace for other firms or individuals to sell their goods and services, as well as retailers and wholesalers that provide an exclusively web-based platform for consumers to buy goods and services.