New Index Caters to Market Demand for a Broader Sustainability Investing Universe
Further Expansion of Pioneering Sustainability Index Family
Index Subset Allows for Exclusion of Certain Sectors
NEW YORK, Nov. 22, 2010 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --SAM, the investment boutique focused exclusively on sustainability investing, and Dow Jones Indexes, a leading global index provider, today announced the creation of the Dow Jones Sustainability World Enlarged Index (DJSI World Enlarged). The new index will be launched on November 30, 2010, and is designed to accommodate increasing investor demand for a broader sustainability benchmark. As such, the DJSI World Enlarged tracks the performance of the most sustainable 20% of companies out of the largest 2,500 companies in the Dow Jones Global Total Stock Market Index.
In keeping with all Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes, the components for the DJSI World Enlarged are selected according to SAM's systematic Corporate Sustainability Assessment, which analyzes company performance in terms of economic, environmental and social criteria. The new index has 513 components, is reviewed on an annual basis, and is weighted according to free float market capitalization. Additionally, there will be a subset index of 459 components that excludes companies from the following sectors: tobacco, alcohol, gambling, armament and firearms, and adult entertainment.
"SAM Indexes has repeatedly received inquiries for a more extensive investment universe from institutional investors managing sustainability portfolios. It is inspiring to see the increasing importance investors attribute to sustainability criteria and we are looking forward to providing this benchmarking tool, while continually expanding our unique Sustainability Investing platform," said Rodrigo Amandi, managing director, SAM Indexes.
"This index launch represents another important milestone in our efforts to continually advance our joint index family," said Michael A. Petronella, president, Dow Jones Indexes. "It reflects both our awareness of market demand and our readiness to respond to changing investor requirements. We are also pleased that inclusion in the index continues to be an important barometer for companies that strive for long-term sustainability improvements," noted Petronella.
The DJSI World Enlarged appeals to investors desiring a broader global gauge for their sustainability investments. Additionally, the new index further complements the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes family, which has become a strategic reference point for Sustainability Investing since the launch of the first index in 1999, the DJSI World. Today, the index series comprises a variety of broad and blue-chip geographical benchmarks as well as additional subsets.
More than USD 8 billion in assets under management is currently linked to the DJSI, as well as a broad range of financial products such as mutual funds, separate accounts, notes, and futures and exchange-traded funds. Furthermore, SAM's research shows that a growing number of asset owners are using the DJSI family for their investments and more and more companies define index inclusion as a corporate goal.
DJSI World Enlarged Index Quick Reference:
Launch date: November 30, 2010
Market capitalization: USD 11.5 trillion (as of November 17, 2010)
Components: 513
Top holdings:
- HSBC Holdings PLC (UK Reg)
- Nestle S.A.
- Procter & Gamble Co.
- International Business Machines Corp.
- Johnson & Johnson
- General Electric Co.
- Chevron Corp.
- BHP Billiton Ltd.
- Vodafone Group PLC
- Novartis AG
For more information on the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes, please visit or
Journalists may e-mail questions regarding this press release to media@djindexes.com
About SAM
SAM is an investment boutique focused exclusively on Sustainability Investing. The firm's offering comprises asset management, indexes and private equity. Its asset management capabilities include a range of single-theme, multi-theme and core sustainability investment strategies catering to institutional asset owners and financial intermediaries in Europe, the United States, Asia-Pacific and the Middle East.
Through its index activities, SAM has partnered with Dow Jones Indexes for the publication and licensing of the globally recognized Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes (DJSI) as well as customized sustainability benchmarks. Furthermore, SAM is the center of expertise for clean tech private equity within Robeco.
Based on its Corporate Sustainability Assessment, SAM has compiled one of the world's largest sustainability databases and analyzes over 2,000 listed companies annually. SAM's proprietary research and sustainability data are fully integrated into its offering.
SAM was founded in 1995, is headquartered in Zurich and employs over 100 professionals. As of June 30, 2010, SAM's total assets amount to USD 13.7 billion.
About Dow Jones Indexes
Dow Jones Indexes is a leading full-service index provider that develops, maintains and licenses indexes for use as benchmarks and as the basis of investment products. Best-known for the Dow Jones Industrial Average, Dow Jones Indexes offers more than 130,000 equity indexes as well as fixed-income and alternative indexes, including measures of hedge funds, commodities and real estate. Dow Jones Indexes employs clear, unbiased and systematic methodologies that are fully integrated within index families. Dow Jones Indexes is a joint venture company which is owned 90 percent by CME Group Inc. and 10 percent by Dow Jones & Company, Inc., a News Corporation company (Nasdaq:NWS) (Nasdaq:NWSA) (ASX:NWS) (ASX:NWSLV).
"Dow Jones®", "Dow Jones Indexes", "Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes" and all other index names listed above are service marks of Dow Jones Trademark Holdings LLC ("Dow Jones"), and have been licensed for use by CME Group Index Services LLC ("CME Indexes"). Investment products based on the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes are not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by Dow Jones, CME Indexes or their respective affiliates and none of Dow Jones, CME Indexes and their respective affiliates make any representation regarding the advisability of investing in such products. Inclusion of a company in any of the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes does not in any way reflect an opinion of Dow Jones, CME Indexes or any of their respective affiliates on the investment merits of such company. None of Dow Jones, CME Indexes or any of their respective affiliates is providing investment advice in connection with these indexes.
CONTACT: Dow Jones Indexes press offices: New York: +1-212-597-5720 London: +44-20-7796-7247 Frankfurt: +49-69-29725-290 Hong Kong: +852-800-969-336 Singapore: +65-6-4154-299 SAM Francois Vetri, Head Communications +41 44 653 10 02 Fax: +41 44 653 10 80 com@sam-group.com www.sam-group.com Josefstrasse 218 CH-8005 Zurich