Industry Comparison

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Current language: English (2023)

You are viewing information about the following Industries:

  • Medical Equipment & Supplies The Medical Equipment & Supplies industry researches, develops and produces medical, surgical, dental, ophthalmic and veterinary instruments and devices. Hospitals, clinics and laboratories use these products, which range from disposable items to highly specialised equipment. The increased prevalence of diseases associated with unhealthy lifestyles and an ageing population are important factors that may encourage growth in this industry. Emerging markets and the expansion of health insurance may contribute to further growth. However, the extension of government insurance programmes, provider and payer consolidation, and regulatory emphasis on reduced costs in all markets may result in downward pricing pressure.
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  • Forestry Management Forestry Management industry entities own or manage natural and planted forestry lands and timber tracts or operate non-retail tree nurseries and rubber plantations. The industry conducts operations on lands that can be entity-owned or leased from public or private landowners. Entities typically sell timber to wood products manufacturers, pulp and paper producers, energy producers, and a variety of other customers. Although some integrated entities also may operate sawmills, wood products facilities, or pulp and paper facilities, sustainability issues arising from these activities are addressed in the Building Products & Furnishings (CG-BP) and Pulp & Paper Products (RR-PP) industries.
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Relevant Issues for both Industries (9 of 26)

Why are some issues greyed out? The SASB Standards vary by industry based on the different sustainability-related risks and opportunities within an industry. The issues in grey were not identified during the standard-setting process as the most likely to be useful to investors, so they are not included in the Standard. Over time, as the ISSB continues to receive market feedback, some issues may be added or removed from the Standard. Each company determines which sustainability-related risks and opportunities are relevant to its business. The Standard is designed for the typical company in an industry, but individual companies may choose to report on different sustainability-related risks and opportunities based on their unique business model.

Disclosure Topics

What is the relationship between General Issue Category and Disclosure Topics? The General Issue Category is an industry-agnostic version of the Disclosure Topics that appear in each SASB Standard. Disclosure topics represent the industry-specific impacts of General Issue Categories. The industry-specific Disclosure Topics ensure each SASB Standard is tailored to the industry, while the General Issue Categories enable comparability across industries. For example, Health & Nutrition is a disclosure topic in the Non-Alcoholic Beverages industry, representing an industry-specific measure of the general issue of Customer Welfare. The issue of Customer Welfare, however, manifests as the Counterfeit Drugs disclosure topic in the Biotechnology & Pharmaceuticals industry.
  • Medical Equipment & Supplies Remove
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    • Ecological Impacts The category addresses management of the company’s impacts on ecosystems and biodiversity through activities including, but not limited to, land use for exploration, natural resource extraction, and cultivation, as well as project development, construction, and siting. The impacts include, but are not limited to, biodiversity loss, habitat destruction, and deforestation at all stages – planning, land acquisition, permitting, development, operations, and site remediation. The category does not cover impacts of climate change on ecosystems and biodiversity.
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    • Human Rights & Community Relations The category addresses management of the relationship between businesses and the communities in which they operate, including, but not limited to, management of direct and indirect impacts on core human rights and the treatment of indigenous peoples. More specifically, such management may cover socio-economic community impacts, community engagement, environmental justice, cultivation of local workforces, impact on local businesses, license to operate, and environmental/social impact assessments. The category does not include environmental impacts such as air pollution or waste which, although they may impact the health and safety of members of local communities, are addressed in separate categories.
      None
    • Access & Affordability The category addresses a company’s ability to ensure broad access to its products and services, specifically in the context of underserved markets and/or population groups. It includes the management of issues related to universal needs, such as the accessibility and affordability of health care, financial services, utilities, education, and telecommunications.
      • Affordability & Pricing Health care cost containment and health care access regulatory initiatives may place downward pricing pressures on the Medical Equipment & Supplies industry. This pressure may be increased further by consolidation among health care providers and the role of government-sponsored insurance programmes. Entities that ensure fair pricing may limit the negative effects of cost containment as well as benefitting from the potential revenue opportunities associated with expanded access. Entities that successfully balance the risks and opportunities associated with cost containment and improved access to health care may increase their market share among segments of the population that might ordinarily be less likely to seek health care.
    • Product Quality & Safety The category addresses issues involving unintended characteristics of products sold or services provided that may create health or safety risks to end-users. It addresses a company’s ability to offer manufactured products and/or services that meet customer expectations with respect to their health and safety characteristics. It includes, but is not limited to, issues involving liability, management of recalls and market withdrawals, product testing, and chemicals/content/ingredient management in products.
      • Product Safety Information on product safety and side effects may be discovered after controlled clinical trials and approval. In such cases, entities are exposed to the financial implications of recalls and other adverse events, such as unfavourable media coverage, fines or investigations. Issues related to product safety, such as equipment failures, manufacturing defects, design flaws or inadequate disclosure of product-related risks, may result in significant product liability claims. Entities that limit the incidence of recalls, safety concerns and enforcement actions for manufacturing concerns may better protect shareholder value.
    • Selling Practices & Product Labeling The category addresses social issues that may arise from a failure to manage the transparency, accuracy, and comprehensibility of marketing statements, advertising, and labeling of products and services. It includes, but is not limited to, advertising standards and regulations, ethical and responsible marketing practices, misleading or deceptive labeling, as well as discriminatory or predatory selling and lending practices. This may include deceptive or aggressive selling practices in which incentive structures for employees could encourage the sale of products or services that are not in the best interest of customers or clients.
      • Ethical Marketing Entities in the Medical Equipment & Supplies industry face legal and regulatory challenges associated with product marketing. Direct-to-consumer advertisements for medical devices and outreach to physicians provide opportunities for entities to increase their market share. However, challenges arise from the potential for marketing off-label uses, which may result in significant fines and settlements. Corporate disclosure of legal and regulatory fines and the codes of ethics that govern marketing activities may allow investors to develop a better understanding of performance in this area.
    • Product Design & Lifecycle Management The category addresses incorporation of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) considerations in characteristics of products and services provided or sold by the company. It includes, but is not limited to, managing the lifecycle impacts of products and services, such as those related to packaging, distribution, use-phase resource intensity, and other environmental and social externalities that may occur during their use-phase or at the end of life. The category captures a company’s ability to address customer and societal demand for more sustainable products and services as well as to meet evolving environmental and social regulation. It does not address direct environmental or social impacts of the company’s operations nor does it address health and safety risks to consumers from product use, which are covered in other categories.
      • Product Design & Lifecycle Management Medical equipment and supplies entities face increasing challenges associated with the human and environmental impact of the industry’s products. Entities may face consumer and regulatory pressure to limit the use of material inputs associated with health concerns, while also addressing issues such as the energy efficiency and end-of-life disposal of specific products. Entities that address these concerns while engaging in efforts to enhance product take-back may satisfy consumer demand and reduce future liabilities better.
    • Supply Chain Management The category addresses management of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) risks within a company’s supply chain. It addresses issues associated with environmental and social externalities created by suppliers through their operational activities. Such issues include, but are not limited to, environmental responsibility, human rights, labour practices, and ethics and corruption. Management may involve screening, selection, monitoring, and engagement with suppliers on their environmental and social impacts. The category does not address the impacts of external factors – such as climate change and other environmental and social factors – on suppliers’ operations and/or on the availability and pricing of key resources, which is covered in a separate category.
      • Supply Chain Management Supply chain quality is essential to protecting consumer health and corporate value. Entities that fail to ensure quality and traceability throughout their supply chains may be susceptible to fines, lost revenue and reputational damage. Additionally, entities may need to manage the use of material inputs that are considered scarce. Disclosure of supply chain audit programmes, strategies to ensure traceability and management of critical materials may better inform investors how entities in this industry are protecting shareholder value.
    • Physical Impacts of Climate Change The category addresses the company’s ability to manage risks and opportunities associated with direct exposure of its owned or controlled assets and operations to actual or potential physical impacts of climate change. It captures environmental and social issues that may arise from operational disruptions due to physical impacts of climate change. It further captures socio-economic issues resulting from companies failing to incorporate climate change consideration in products and services sold, such as insurance policies and mortgages. The category relates to the company’s ability to adapt to increased frequency and severity of extreme weather, shifting climate, sea level risk, and other expected physical impacts of climate change. Management may involve enhancing resiliency of physical assets and/or surrounding infrastructure as well as incorporation of climate change-related considerations into key business activities (e.g., mortgage and insurance underwriting, planning and development of real estate projects).
      None
    • Business Ethics The category addresses the company’s approach to managing risks and opportunities surrounding ethical conduct of business, including fraud, corruption, bribery and facilitation payments, fiduciary responsibilities, and other behaviour that may have an ethical component. This includes sensitivity to business norms and standards as they shift over time, jurisdiction, and culture. It addresses the company’s ability to provide services that satisfy the highest professional and ethical standards of the industry, which means to avoid conflicts of interest, misrepresentation, bias, and negligence through training employees adequately and implementing policies and procedures to ensure employees provide services free from bias and error.
      • Business Ethics Entities in the Medical Equipment & Supplies industry are subject to various international, national and local laws pertaining to health care fraud and abuse. An entity’s ability to ensure compliance throughout its global and domestic operational footprint may have notable effects on enterprise viability and reputation. Corporate disclosure of legal and regulatory fines and the codes of ethics that govern interactions with health professionals may better allow investors to monitor performance in this area.
  • Forestry Management Remove
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    • Ecological Impacts The category addresses management of the company’s impacts on ecosystems and biodiversity through activities including, but not limited to, land use for exploration, natural resource extraction, and cultivation, as well as project development, construction, and siting. The impacts include, but are not limited to, biodiversity loss, habitat destruction, and deforestation at all stages – planning, land acquisition, permitting, development, operations, and site remediation. The category does not cover impacts of climate change on ecosystems and biodiversity.
      • Ecosystem Services & Impacts Along with their timber output, forests provide valuable ecosystem services including carbon sequestration, wildlife habitat, water purification and storage, soil formation, and recreational opportunities. Meanwhile, in many regions, regulations related to water quality and endangered species protection, as well as harvesting rights that are contingent upon environmental preservation, may create operational risks for entities. As such, protecting or enhancing ecosystem services within managed forestlands could mitigate reputational, demand and operational risks related to the potential adverse environmental impacts of forestry. Entities increasingly use third-party certification to show sustainable forestry management practices that serve to enhance forest asset value and productivity, as well as to meet rising consumer demand for sustainably produced forest products.
    • Human Rights & Community Relations The category addresses management of the relationship between businesses and the communities in which they operate, including, but not limited to, management of direct and indirect impacts on core human rights and the treatment of indigenous peoples. More specifically, such management may cover socio-economic community impacts, community engagement, environmental justice, cultivation of local workforces, impact on local businesses, license to operate, and environmental/social impact assessments. The category does not include environmental impacts such as air pollution or waste which, although they may impact the health and safety of members of local communities, are addressed in separate categories.
      • Rights of Indigenous Peoples Forests contribute directly to the livelihoods of millions of people worldwide. Effective relations and engagement with local communities and indigenous populations are important to many forestry entities. Communities may be affected by forestry management operations because of environmental degradation or competition for natural resources such as land and water. Conflict with local communities, including indigenous populations, may affect an entity’s ability to operate in some regions, result in regulatory action, and could affect brand value adversely. Conversely, entities may provide benefits to community stakeholders through employment opportunities, revenue sharing and increased commerce. Entities may adopt various community engagement strategies to manage the risks and opportunities associated with community rights and interests, such as maintaining positive relations with local stakeholders and accommodating communities’ needs.
    • Access & Affordability The category addresses a company’s ability to ensure broad access to its products and services, specifically in the context of underserved markets and/or population groups. It includes the management of issues related to universal needs, such as the accessibility and affordability of health care, financial services, utilities, education, and telecommunications.
      None
    • Product Quality & Safety The category addresses issues involving unintended characteristics of products sold or services provided that may create health or safety risks to end-users. It addresses a company’s ability to offer manufactured products and/or services that meet customer expectations with respect to their health and safety characteristics. It includes, but is not limited to, issues involving liability, management of recalls and market withdrawals, product testing, and chemicals/content/ingredient management in products.
      None
    • Selling Practices & Product Labeling The category addresses social issues that may arise from a failure to manage the transparency, accuracy, and comprehensibility of marketing statements, advertising, and labeling of products and services. It includes, but is not limited to, advertising standards and regulations, ethical and responsible marketing practices, misleading or deceptive labeling, as well as discriminatory or predatory selling and lending practices. This may include deceptive or aggressive selling practices in which incentive structures for employees could encourage the sale of products or services that are not in the best interest of customers or clients.
      None
    • Product Design & Lifecycle Management The category addresses incorporation of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) considerations in characteristics of products and services provided or sold by the company. It includes, but is not limited to, managing the lifecycle impacts of products and services, such as those related to packaging, distribution, use-phase resource intensity, and other environmental and social externalities that may occur during their use-phase or at the end of life. The category captures a company’s ability to address customer and societal demand for more sustainable products and services as well as to meet evolving environmental and social regulation. It does not address direct environmental or social impacts of the company’s operations nor does it address health and safety risks to consumers from product use, which are covered in other categories.
      None
    • Supply Chain Management The category addresses management of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) risks within a company’s supply chain. It addresses issues associated with environmental and social externalities created by suppliers through their operational activities. Such issues include, but are not limited to, environmental responsibility, human rights, labour practices, and ethics and corruption. Management may involve screening, selection, monitoring, and engagement with suppliers on their environmental and social impacts. The category does not address the impacts of external factors – such as climate change and other environmental and social factors – on suppliers’ operations and/or on the availability and pricing of key resources, which is covered in a separate category.
      None
    • Physical Impacts of Climate Change The category addresses the company’s ability to manage risks and opportunities associated with direct exposure of its owned or controlled assets and operations to actual or potential physical impacts of climate change. It captures environmental and social issues that may arise from operational disruptions due to physical impacts of climate change. It further captures socio-economic issues resulting from companies failing to incorporate climate change consideration in products and services sold, such as insurance policies and mortgages. The category relates to the company’s ability to adapt to increased frequency and severity of extreme weather, shifting climate, sea level risk, and other expected physical impacts of climate change. Management may involve enhancing resiliency of physical assets and/or surrounding infrastructure as well as incorporation of climate change-related considerations into key business activities (e.g., mortgage and insurance underwriting, planning and development of real estate projects).
      • Climate Change Adaptation Global climate change may create long-term business uncertainty for some forestry management entities. Variations in precipitation patterns and temperatures, more frequent extreme weather events and forest fires, and an increased prevalence of tree diseases and pests may impact timberlands adversely through increased mortality or diminished productivity. Conversely, positively impacting forest productivity, climate change also may facilitate forest productivity through increased atmospheric carbon dioxide, a longer growing season, moderating temperatures in high latitudes, greater precipitation, and expanded geographical ranges for some species. Considering such variability, entities may benefit from identifying and understanding potential long-term impacts of climate change on the productivity of forestlands and from adjusting forestry management strategies to optimise the productivity of their forestland assets.
    • Business Ethics The category addresses the company’s approach to managing risks and opportunities surrounding ethical conduct of business, including fraud, corruption, bribery and facilitation payments, fiduciary responsibilities, and other behaviour that may have an ethical component. This includes sensitivity to business norms and standards as they shift over time, jurisdiction, and culture. It addresses the company’s ability to provide services that satisfy the highest professional and ethical standards of the industry, which means to avoid conflicts of interest, misrepresentation, bias, and negligence through training employees adequately and implementing policies and procedures to ensure employees provide services free from bias and error.
      None

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Current Industries:
Medical Equipment & Supplies
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Forestry Management
Health Care
Renewable Resources & Alternative Energy
Consumer Goods
Extractives & Minerals Processing
Financials
Food & Beverage
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Resource Transformation
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Transportation