This research paper, published by CONSOB (the Italian securities regulator), investigates the relationship between ESG (environmental, social, and governance) performance and the financial performance of European and US companies. Utilizing machine learning techniques on data from over 850 firms (2007-2021), the study finds a stronger positive correlation between environmental (E) scores and profitability than social (S) or governance (G) scores. The analysis reveals differences between European and US firms, potentially linked to differing regulatory environments. The authors also discuss challenges related to the quality and standardization of ESG metrics.