EDHEC Vox interview with Scientific Climate Ratings CEO, Rémy Estran-Fraioli: “We are embarking on an intense journey with knowledge and tools that are unique in the sector”

In an exclusive interview published on EDHEC Vox,  Rémy Estran-Fraioli, CEO of EDHEC’s new venture, Scientific Climate Ratings, explained why now was the time to launch the first rating agency fully dedicated to quantifying the financial impact of climate risk, and how SCR’s methodology provides actionable insights for both investors and issuers.

Key themes from the interview included:

• What gap does Scientific Climate Ratings address, and why ESG scores and current climate risk assessments are disconnected from financial relevance;
• What “science-based” ratings mean in practice and how the agency turns climate data into decision-useful financial insights;
• How the ClimaTech database , a central element to its methodology, sets the agency apart;
• How the agency aims to “shift the market norm” by systematically pricing climate risk into financial analysis.

“Our goal is to fill that gap by translating climate science into forward-looking, decision-useful ratings that quantify financial materiality, in line with the spirit and broader culture of EDHEC Business School, which has been interested in these issues for many years.

“(…) every step of our methodology, from forward-looking climate data to scenario modeling, financial valuation, and rating adjustment, is grounded in scientific research. And this isn’t just a label. It’s reflected in the team itself: every member of our management holds a PhD in either finance or climatology. That may seem anecdotal, but in a field often dominated by opinion and noise, we believe it matters. It underscores our commitment to analytical rigor and methodological integrity.

“Ultimately, our goal is to create a credible financial language for climate risk, as clear and integrated as credit ratings are today.”

Read the full interview here.