Finance

Goldman Laments ‘Noise’ of ESG Data Barrage Amid New Rules

  • Goldman’s head of sustainability favors less, but better, data
  • Wall Street firm weighs in as issuers navigate ESG regulations

The European headquarters of Goldman Sachs Group in London.

Photographer: Chris J. Ratcliffe/Bloomberg
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The head of sustainable finance at Goldman Sachs Group Inc. says companies are starting to provide more data on their climate and social metrics than is useful for investors.

John Goldstein, who’s been running the Wall Street firm’s sustainable finance group since it was createdBloomberg Terminal in 2019, says the risk is that asset managers lose track of what’s important, and businesses buckle under the paperwork as they try to demonstrate their commitment to environmental, social and governance goals.