Administration May 7, 2001

Sustainability Indexes Hope For Staying Power

July 5, 2001 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - Paris-based ARESE has introduced the first of a series of new indexes that will include companies rated highly in terms of sustainability.
Reported by

ASPI Eurozone, which launched on July 2, is the first of a family of indexes that will include companies based solely on their sustainability performance.

ARESE conducts research on corporate, social, environmental and sustainability performance, according to SocialFunds.com.

Sustain Ability

ARESE’s ratings for corporate sustainability performance are based on five criteria:

  • community and international civil society
  • corporate governance
  • customers and suppliers
  • health, safety and the environment
  • human resources and international labor standards

Companies are assessed on each of these five criteria in terms of their leadership, implementation and results, with ratings done by sector.

World Series

The new series of indexes, called ASPI, uses corresponding Dow Jones STOXX indexes as a benchmark financial universe but includes only companies that have been rated highly in terms of sustainability. ASPI is an acronym for ARESE Sustainable Performance Indexes. Over the next 18 months, they also plan to launch the:

  • ASPI Country (2001)
  • ASPI Europe (2002)
  • ASPI Global (2002)

ASPI will take a “positive” approach toward evaluating corporate sustainability, rather than applying exclusionary screens. As a result, the indexes might include companies that set good examples for sustainability or are moving toward best practices.

MORE about the index at http://www.arese-sa.com/Indice/en/accueil-en.htm .

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