2. ESG rating providers shall take all necessary steps to ensure that any ESG rating provided is not affected by any existing or potential conflict of interest, or by any business or other relationship, arising either from the ESG rating providers themselves or from their shareholders, managers, rating analysts, employees or any other natural persons whose services are placed at the disposal or under the control of the ESG rating providers, or any persons directly or indirectly linked to them by control or any third-party providers to whom functions or any services or activities have been outsourced.