Results of the 2012 Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes (DJSI) review were released on September 13, 2012 by SAM, the investment boutique focused exclusively on sustainability investing, and S&P Dow Jones Indices. Forty-one companies were added and 41 companies were deleted from the DJSI World index resulting in a total of 340 component companies for 2012 / 2013. All changes will become effective with the opening of the stock markets on September 24, 2012.

According to Guido Giese, Head of Indexes for SAM, “The participation rate for this year’s Corporate Sustainability Assessment was 8.4 percent higher than last year. We see this as a strong signal of the increasing recognition that integrating sustainability into corporate strategies is essential to the bottom line. The companies that participate in our assessment really grasp the financial materiality of incorporating sustainability into their strategies.”

Winners and Losers

The largest additions (by free-float market capitalization) to the DJSI World included 

• Microsoft Corp.
• Canadian National Railway Co.
• Target Corp.
• Hennes & Mauritz AB
• Hewlett-Packard Co.
• Enbridge Inc.
• Linde AG
• Cenovus Energy Inc.
• Baker Hughes Inc.
• Ecolab Inc.

The largest deletions (by free-float market capitalization) were 

• International Business Machines Corp.
• GlaxoSmithKline PLC
• United Technologies Corp.
• Telefonica SA
• Duke Energy Corp.
• UBS AG
• ING Groep NV
• Mitsubishi Corp.
• Societe Generale SA
• Dell Inc.

Regional Indexes

The 2012 DJSI review also yielded the following regional index changes:

Supersector Leaders

SAM annually identifies the top company in each of the 19 supersectors, which are derived from the 58 sectors that are evaluated. The 2012-2013 Supersector Leaders were

Methodology

The DJSI follow a best-in-class approach, including companies across all industries that outperformed their peers in numerous sustainability metrics. SAM invited the world’s 2,500 largest companies (by free-float market capitalization) from 58 sectors to report annually on their sustainability performance. The results of the Corporate Sustainability Assessment provide an in-depth analysis of economic, environmental and social criteria, such as corporate governance, water-related risks and stakeholder relations, with a special focus on industry-specific risks and opportunities.

About the DJSI

Launched in 1999, the DJSI were the first global indexes tracking the financial performance of the leading sustainability-driven companies worldwide. The DJSI enables investors to integrate sustainability considerations into their portfolios while providing an effective engagement platform for encouraging companies to adopt sustainable best practices.  

Today, the index family has approximately US$ 6 billion in assets under management in a variety of financial products including mutual funds, separate accounts, structured products, and exchange-traded funds (ETFs). Approximately 55 products are based on the indexes serving asset managers and banks in 15 countries.

For additional information on the DJSI, please visit:

http://www.sustainability-indexes.com/

http://www.djindexes.com/sustainability/

About SAM

SAM is an investment boutique focused exclusively on Sustainability Investing. The firm’s offering comprises asset management, indexes, private equity and sustainability benchmarking services. Its asset management capabilities include a range of sustainability theme and broad ESG integrated investment strategies catering to institutional asset owners and financial intermediaries internationally. SAM partners with S&P Dow Jones Indices in the publication of the globally recognized Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes (DJSI). Based on its Corporate Sustainability Assessment, SAM has compiled one of the most comprehensive sustainability databases and analyzes over 2,000 listed companies annually. SAM’s proprietary research and sustainability insight – through its direct contact with companies – are fully integrated into its offering. www.sam-group.com

Image: Colors by Mario Alberto Magallanes Trejo, Saltillo, Coahuila, Mexico.

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