"A business that doesn't consider the environment is not sustainable, nor is a solar company that cannot meet its cost of capital." But doing the research independently adds to the expense, especially as ESG standards stipulated by index providers are constantly changing. S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC is reviewing its sustainability benchmarks to include factors such as flexible work arrangements and a firm's governance structures for handling sudden risks from medical issues. MSCI Inc. expects its ESG offerings to eventually gain more of a following than traditional benchmarks.