What is Disable opt-out?
Portfolio companies can usually opt out of a data point when it doesn't apply to them. For your core data points, you may need an answer every time. Disable opt-out lets fund managers choose individual data points in a data request that portfolio companies can't opt out of.
Opt-out stays available for every other data point, so companies can still skip the ones that genuinely don't apply.
Role capabilities
Fund manager admins: turn Disable opt-out on or off for each data point when creating or editing a data request.
Fund manager users: can't change the setting, in the same way they can't create or edit data requests.
Portfolio company users: can't opt out of a required data point for the whole year, for an entity, or for a period. If they try, they're told which fund and data request require it.
How to disable opt-out on a new data request
Create a data request as usual.
At the Data point preview step, find the Disable opt-out column, next to Evidence required.
Turn on the switch for each data point portfolio companies must answer. Every switch starts off.
Continue and launch the data request.
Some data points show Not available in this column. These are data points that companies need to be able to opt out of to avoid double counting, such as Scope 3.3 autocollect and Source of energy consumed.
How to disable opt-out on an existing data request
Open the data request.
Go to Edit data point settings.
Turn on the Disable opt-out switch for the data points you want.
Save your changes.
If a company has already opted out
If a company in the request has already opted out of a data point, either for the whole year, an entity or a period, you can't disable opt-out for that data point yet. When you save:
Every other change you made is saved.
The Disable opt-out switch for that data point stays off, and the company's opt-out and reason are kept.
A warning names the data point and the company, for example: Opt-out could not be disabled for Electricity (Company A), because the company has already opted out.
To require the data point, ask the company to opt back in, then turn the switch on again.
The same applies when you add a company to a data request. If it has already opted out of a data point that has opt-out disabled, its opt-out stays and you'll see: Existing opt-outs stay in place for [data point] ([company]), because they were made before the company joined this data request.
How to allow opt-out again
Go to Edit data point settings, turn off the Disable opt-out switch and save. Portfolio companies can opt out of that data point again straight away.
Required data points (portfolio companies)
If you try to opt out of a data point that a fund manager requires, the opt-out window still opens, but you can't save the opt-out. Instead of asking for a reason, it tells you which fund and data request require the data point, for example:
1 data point will stay opted in
Electricity is required by [fund] in the [request] data request, so it cannot be opted out of.
This applies wherever you opt out:
the data point's Opted out option
an entity, using Opt out of this entity
a month or quarter, using Opt out period
Setup reporting year, under Data point requirements
If you opt out of several data points at once on Setup reporting year, the other data points are opted out as usual, and the window lists the required ones as staying opted in. Copy last year's opt out configuration also skips required data points.
Limitations
Disable opt-out is set per data point. Once it's on, it applies to the whole year, every entity and every period (monthly or quarterly) in that data request.
It can't be turned on for Scope 3.3 autocollect, Source of energy consumed (Manual and Auto) or deprecated data points.
Portfolio companies aren't shown that a data point is required until they try to opt out of it.
Frequently asked questions
Why can't I opt out of this data point?
A fund manager has made it required in their data request. The opt-out window names the fund and data request that require it.
The data point doesn't apply to us. What should we do?
Contact the fund manager named in the opt-out window and explain why it doesn't apply. They can allow opt-out for that data point.
We report to more than one fund manager. Whose rule applies?
If any data request covering that data point and reporting year disables opt-out, you can't opt out of it.
I turned the switch on, but it was still off after I saved. Why?
A company in the request has already opted out of that data point. The warning shown when you save names the company. Ask them to opt back in, then turn the switch on again.
Does turning the switch on undo opt-outs companies have already made?
No. Existing opt-outs and their reasons stay as they are, and you can't turn the switch on for that data point until the company opts back in.
Why does the switch say Not available?
Companies use opt-out on that data point to avoid double counting, so opt-out can't be disabled for it.
Why can't I see the Disable opt-out switch, or save my changes?
Only fund manager admins can change data request settings, including Disable opt-out. Ask an admin in your organisation.
Best practices
Disable opt-out only for the data points you can't do without, such as electricity, rather than every data point. Companies still need to be able to skip data points that genuinely don't apply to them.
Turn it on before launching a data request where you can, so companies haven't already opted out by the time you do.
Tell portfolio companies which data points are required when you launch the request, and what to do if one doesn't apply to them. They won't see this in KEY ESG until they try to opt out.
Use it alongside Evidence required for data points where you need both an answer and proof.
If you have any further questions, please reach our team at support@keyesg.com