Dow Jones

Launched in 1999, the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes are the first global indexes tracking the financial performance of the leading sustainability-driven companies worldwide. The DJSI is based on an analysis of corporate economic, environmental and social performance, assessing issues such as corporate governance, risk management, branding, climate change mitigation, supply chain standards and labor practices. The trend is to reject companies that do not operate in a sustainable and ethical manner. It includes general as well as industry specific sustainability criteria for each of the 57 sectors defined according to the Industry Classification Benchmark (ICB). The DJSI family contains five main indexes based on different regions of the world. The DJSO also contains industry specific indexes called “blue chip indexes.” In addition, the DJSI methodology facilitates the design, development and delivery of customized sustainability indexes; e.g. indexes covering different regions, indexes covering different segments of the leading sustainability companies, indexes covering additional exclusion criteria and indexes denominated in different currencies. To be incorporated in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index, companies are assessed and selected based on their long term economic, social and environmental asset management plans. Selection criteria evolve each year and companies must continue to make improvements to their long term SAM plans in order to remain on the Index. Indexes are updated yearly and companies are monitored throughout the year.