Stakeholder Capitalism Metrics: The Investors’ Case

The World Economic Forum's Stakeholder Capitalism Metrics (SCM) provide a market-led set of 21 core and 34 expanded universal ESG metrics designed to improve the consistency and comparability of corporate sustainability reporting. The document posits that the current 'alphabet soup' of overlapping ESG standards hampers accurate risk assessment for investors. By adopting the SCM, companies can build reporting capacity and contribute to the momentum needed to establish a future global sustainability reporting solution, such as the proposed International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB).

• The Stakeholder Capitalism Metrics (SCM) consist of a baseline of 21 core universal metrics and disclosures applicable to all sectors, supplemented by 34 expanded metrics that cover a broader value-chain scope or provide monetary impact data.
• The SCM are organized around four primary pillars: people, planet, prosperity, and principles of governance.
• Current ESG reporting is hindered by a lack of mandated global standards and a proliferation of overlapping frameworks, which the document describes as an 'alphabet soup' that makes it difficult for investors to assess performance.
• The SCM initiative aims to achieve three specific goals: improving the consistency and comparability of ESG information, increasing the adoption of ESG reporting, and inspiring the convergence of a global sustainability reporting solution.
• The SCM were developed through a year-long process involving over 200 companies, investors, regulators, and standard setters, drawing from existing frameworks including the GRI, SASB, and TCFD.
• The World Economic Forum is collaborating with the IFRS Foundation and other bodies (SASB, IIRC, TCFD, and CDSB) to lay the groundwork for the potential creation of an International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB).
• Approximately 80 global corporations from the International Business Council (IBC) have committed to incorporating the SCM into their reporting.

APA

World Economic Forum (2021). Stakeholder Capitalism Metrics: The Investors’ Case. http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Stakeholder_Capitalism_Metrics_The_Investors_Case_2021.pdf

Chicago

World Economic Forum. Stakeholder Capitalism Metrics: The Investors’ Case. 2021. http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Stakeholder_Capitalism_Metrics_The_Investors_Case_2021.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Economic Forum |title=Stakeholder Capitalism Metrics: The Investors’ Case |date=June 2021 |url=http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Stakeholder_Capitalism_Metrics_The_Investors_Case_2021.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldeconomicforum2021stakeholder, author = {{World Economic Forum}}, title = {{Stakeholder Capitalism Metrics: The Investors’ Case}}, institution = {World Economic Forum}, year = {2021}, month = jun, url = {http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Stakeholder_Capitalism_Metrics_The_Investors_Case_2021.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }