UBS is to use environmental, social and corporate governance data supplied by RepRisk to enhance risk management and control in customer on-boarding and transaction due diligence.

The UBS compliance database will now also incorporate RepRisk's comprehensive environmental and social risk information on controversial companies. The bank will use the information on a global scale for client vetting within all divisions, including Wealth Management and Swiss Bank, Global Asset Management and the Investment Bank. RepRisk data will be used in the on-boarding process to screen potential new clients and suppliers, as well as for periodic client review processes and to check on risks related to transactions.

"RepRisk has been a trusted business intelligence partner of UBS for five years. The integration of this data into our existing compliance and risk processes is a key component in the systematic implementation of UBS' environmental and social risk standards and will help ensure that our due diligence processes are comprehensive and standardised at a global level," said Liselotte Arni, head of environmental and social risk at UBS.

RepRisk draws from third party sources including print media, government sites, NGOs and think tanks, as well as other independent websites, newsletters and blogs. On a daily basis, it detects environmental, social and corporate governance criticism about companies and projects in 13 languages.