Economy as a Code
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·2 min read·Tristan Méneret

Open data and ESG: why transparency changes everything

open-datatransparencyINSPIREopen-source

The impact measurement paradox

Companies invest millions in ESG reporting. Yet trust in these reports remains low. Why? Because the methodologies used are often proprietary, opaque, and impossible to verify.

An ESG score produced by a black box is only worth the trust you place in it. Without methodological transparency, there is no credibility.

The open data revolution in Europe

The European INSPIRE directive of 2007 laid the groundwork for opening public data. Since then, economic, social, and environmental data has been progressively made available to all.

In France, several sources are now accessible:

  • SIRENE API (INSEE): identification and activity data for all companies
  • National Business Register (RNE): governance and beneficial owners
  • Empreinte Database (ADEME): greenhouse gas emission factors by sector
  • Public fiscal data: information on local government taxation

This data is certified, regularly updated, and freely accessible.

EaaC: a methodology built on open data

Economy as a Code doesn't just use open data. It is itself open:

  • Published formulas: each indicator is defined by a documented formula
  • Identified sources: each data point is traceable to its public source
  • Open code: the calculation engine is available on GitHub
  • Reproducibility: anyone can rerun the calculations and obtain the same results

How it differs from traditional ESG ratings

ESG rating agencies (MSCI, Sustainalytics, etc.) use proprietary methodologies. Two agencies can assign radically different scores to the same company, with no way to understand why.

EaaC takes the opposite approach: one methodology, open, that anyone can audit. If a result seems inconsistent, you can trace the calculation chain back to the raw data.

Transparency as a standard

Open source is not just a technical matter. It's a commitment: enabling the community, researchers, companies, regulators, citizens, to verify and improve impact measurement.

In a world where trust is the rarest commodity, transparency is not an option. It's the foundation.

Going further

Explore the complete methodology on the GitHub repository or get the book Economy as a Code on Amazon.