NFRCSR (Non-Financial Reporting and CSR) Resource Centre >
International section >
Notes and related content Detailed map of International section Sitemap
Some sources of European SRI news
Some documents, studies (SRI - Europe)
SRI – Other (global & non-European)
Some sources of SRI news (global & non-European)
Some documents, studies (SRI – globally, general, non-European)
Some indexes & other ratings; SRI research
· Eurosif European Social Investment Forum > e.g.
o Member Affiliates > e.g.
§ List of Member Affiliates
o Publications >
§ OECD Watch Factsheets
§ Venture Capital for Sustainability
§ SRI Studies (Overview of the EU SRI Market, Key features of SRI in each European country)
§ PRIME - Primer for Responsible Investment Management of Endowments
§ Newsletter (also by e-mail)
· Eurosif update, EU update, Member affiliate news, News from SIFs, SRI news (European & main global), Upcoming Events
§ Le Monde / La Stampa / El Pais Partnership
§ Sector Reports
§ Active Share Ownership Handbook
§ Pension Fund Toolkit 2004-2005
§ European SRI Transparency Guidelines
§ Other Guidelines >
· Transparency Guidelines for addressing ESG issues within Institutional Investment
o EU & Eurosif >
§ EU Institutions
§ Lobbying
o SRI >
§ SRI Country Resources (Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Switzerland, United Kingdom)
§ SRI Funds service
· »Eurosif is pleased to provide the public with the ‘SRI Funds Service’ in association with Avanzi and Morningstar Europe.
· The ‘SRI Funds Service’ is the only free information tool to combine performance and risk measures of the European SRI fund universe with basic information regarding SRI fund selection criteria.
· The fund’s financial information is sourced from Morningstar Europe, a leading provider of fund performance and risk data. The financial data is updated on a daily basis.«
§ SRI Awards
§ Jobs
§ SRI Links
o Press & Events > e.g.
§ Eurosif Press Releases
§ Articles about Eurosif & SRI
§ Events
· UKSIF UK Sustainable Investment and Finance
· EIRIS Ethical Investment Research Services
· Fair Pensions »calls for responsible investment by UK pension funds.«
o See also, e.g.:
§ SocialFunds.com >> Report on UK Fund Managers Finds Room for Improvement on ESG Issues (11 November 2008) - FairPensions surveys thirty of the largest asset managers and finds relatively strong performance in governance but insufficient attention to climate change and social issues.
· LAPFF Local Authority Pension Fund Forum (UK)
· USS Universities Superannuation Scheme Ltd (UK) >
o Others > RI Responsible Investment
· UKSIF >
o Pension Funds >
§ Sustainable Pensions Library >
· Responsible Investment: An Overview
· Key Initiatives
· Legal and Regulatory Arguments for Responsible Investing
· Financial Arguments for Responsible Investing
· Further resources
· >>
o Sustainable Pensions Publications from UKSIF
· Forum pour l'Investissement Responsable (French SIF) »promouvoir l'ISR«
· Novethic (France), filiale de la Caisse des Dépôts, est un centre de recherche sur la Responsabilité Sociale et Environnementale des entreprises (RSE) et l'Investissement Socialement Responsable (ISR) et un media expert sur le développement durable.
o Also English (novethic.com) version of website
· ORSE Observatoire sur la Responsabilité Sociétale des Entreprises (France)
· Ethique et Investissement - Pour un investissement responsable (Paris) = L'association E&I
· ISR-Info Le site d'information de l'investissement Socialement Responsable
· Belgisch Forum voor Duurzaam en Maatschappelijk Verantwoord Investeren = BELSIF Belgian Sustainable and Socially Responsible Investment Forum
· Ethibel »independent consultancy agency for socially responsible investments« (Brussels, Belgium)
o See also related article at SocialFunds: Vigeo-Ethibel Merger Forms New European Socially Responsible Investment Research Firm (7 July 2005)
§ »The Vigeo Group becomes the largest corporate social responsibility rating agency in Europe, with global operations that the newly-created company plans to expand.«
· VBDO Vereniging van Beleggers voor Duurzame Ontwikkeling (The Netherlands)
· The Dutch SRI portal
· Sveriges Forum för Hållbara Investeringar = SWESIF Swedish Social Investment Forum
· DANSIF
o The Danish SIF was launched (24 November 2008) at the premises of the Danish Insurance Association, also one of the founders of Dansif.
· Forum Nachhaltige Geldanlagen = German Social Investment Forum
· Oekom Research (Munich, Germany) is one of the world's leading rating agencies and provides the crucial head start in the segment of sustainable investments.
· Competence Site > Bereich Finanzen >
· SNEEP Studentisches Netzwerk für Wirtschafts- und Unternehmensethik > Wirtschaftsethik >
o Links (emphasis on Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Europe and European countries; also other) >
§ Ethisches Investment (Beratungen – Dienstleistungen; Aktienindizes; Banken; Unternehmensbewertung - Rating – Research; Informationen – Studien; Verschiedenes; Investment – Anlagen)
· SFG Sustainable Finance Geneva (launched on 28 October 2008) is an association of Geneva-based professionals and investors with a common interest in promoting sustainable finance and responsible investment. Sponsored by Genève Place Financière, SFG was founded by a diverse group of practitioners that are at the forefront of sustainable finance in Geneva and around the world.
· ethos. »Fondation Suisse pour un Développement Durable« (Genève, Suisse; French, German and English versions of website)
· SAM Group Sustainable Asset Management
o Headquartered in Zurich, SAM Group was founded in 1995 as an independent asset management company specialising in sustainability investments. Today SAM is one of the world's leading institutions in this sector. Its clientele includes banks, insurance companies, pension funds, foundations and private clients.
· Forum per la Finanza Sostenibile (Italy)
· Avanzi SRI Research (Milan, Italy)
· ESADE Business School (Spain) >>
o IPES Institute for the Individual, Corporations and Society (historical ??) >
§ Socially Responsible Invesment (SRI) = Observatory on Socially Responsible Investment in Spain
· See also at: Institute for Social Innovation >> Publications
· Analistas Internacionales en Sostenibilidad (Madrid, Spain; Also English version of website)
· Spainsif - Spanish Social Investment Forum
· Eurosif European Social Investment Forum > e.g.
o Publications >
§ Newsletter (also by e-mail)
· Eurosif update, EU update, Member affiliate news, News from SIFs, SRI news (European & main global), Upcoming Events
o Press & Events
· RI Responsible Investor provides institutional investors with a comprehensive online magazine and information resource which recognises the growing requirement to achieve investment returns within an environmental, social and corporate governance framework. (published by Response Global Media Limited, UK)
o also by e-mail
o Monthly magazine covering the ever-increasing impact of environmental issues on the lending, insurance, investment and trading decisions affecting industry.
· TBLI Group (Triple Bottom Line Investing; Amsterdam, The Netherlands) > e.g.
· IPE.com »is Europe's premier pensions web site« >
o IPE Products >
· Clear Profit »Responsible investment insight« (free trial; subscription; also alerts by email)
o »Since July 2002 Clear Profit has provided unrivaled, independent monthly coverage of efforts to align investment decisions with social, environmental and ethical concerns.«
o Also Events
· Oekom Research Sustainability rating firm (Munich, Germany) >
o English > info center > also
§ Newsletter
· UmweltDialog ist ein unabhängiger Nachrichtendienst rund um das Thema Nachhaltigkeit und Corporate Social Responsibility. Der UmweltDialog gehört zur Mediengruppe macondo (Münster, Germany). >
o Wirtschaft >
§ Finanzen
§ Magazin »global21« = global 21 – Magazin für CSR und nachhaltiges Investment
· IMN Information Management Network
o »As the leaders in our field, we have now become a source of education for the global community, producing international conferences in Asia, Europe, North America, South America, Australia and the Caribbean.«
o > e.g.
§ European Summit on Corporate Governance and Responsible Investment
· ORSE Observatoire sur la Responsabilité Sociétale des Entreprises (France) >
o Newsletters (Also in English)
· Ethibel »independent consultancy agency for socially responsible investments« (Brussels, Belgium) >
o Newsletter
· Ethical Corporation »Magazine, Conferences, Reports« > e.g.
o »Search« might be useful.
§ >??> Browse By Category > e.g.
· Socially Responsible Investing
· Business & Human Rights Resource Centre >
o Issues > Investment, trade, globalisation >
§ Socially-responsible investing & shareholder activism
· Eurosif European Social Investment Forum > e.g.
o Publications >
§ SRI Studies (Overview of the EU SRI Market, Key features of SRI in each European country)
· See also related article(s) at SocialFunds.com:
o Mainstreaming of SRI Boosts Assets in Europe Over One Trillion Euros (25 September 2006; By: Bill Baue)
· Vigeo >
o News >
§ Green Social & Ethical Funds in Europe: launch of the 2007 review (24 October 2007)
· Avanzi SRI Research (Milan, Italy) > also
o News & Media > Download >
§ annual research »Green, Social and Ethical Funds in Europe« (Together with SiRi Company)
o Note: »A fine 2006 Avanzi SRI Research entra a far parte del gruppo Vigeo...«
· Insight Investment (UK) is part of the HBOS Group >
o Sitemap > Responsible Investment >
· Henderson Global Investors (Head office in London) >>
o Sustainable & Responsible Investment (SRI)
· SRI World Group Inc. > e.g.
· CSRwire »The Corporate Social Responsibility Newswire« > e.g.
o CSR Directory > e.g.
§ Search Category:
· Investment Associations & Networks
· Investment Firms Managing Assets
· Investment Research Firms
· Investor Advocacy Networks
· US SIF Social Investment Forum
o »is an independent investment research firm providing management tools to professionals integrating environmental, social and governance factors (ESG) into their investment decisions.«
· RiskMetrics Group »The Center for the Financial Community«
o RiskMetrics gets its ESG staff expertise from the formerly separate companies of ISS and IRRC which have become RiskMetrics.
o RiskMetrics Group acquired Innovest Strategic Value Advisors in February 2009
· Calvert
· TIAA-CREF Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association - College Retirement Equities Fund
· CalPERS California Public Employees' Retirement System
· CalSTRS California State Teachers' Retirement System
· ICCR Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility
o »international coalition of 275 faith-based institutional investors including denominations, religious communities, pension funds, healthcare corporations, foundations and dioceses.«
· Investing for the Soul (Founder: Ron Robins; Ontario) > e.g.
o Links
· AYS As You Sow
o In 1997, As You Sow launched the Corporate Social Responsibility Program (CSRP) to use shareholder advocacy and the financial markets to catalyze positive change within public held companies.
· Green America > e.g.
o Programs >
· Investors' Circle is committed to exploring new patient capital strategies for facilitating the flow of capital to socially responsible young companies.
· Boston College Center for Corporate Citizenship >
o Initiatives >>
§ Institute for Responsible Investment (IRI)
· Canadian Social Investment Organization (SIO)
· Jantzi Research »Leading-edge social investment analysis« (Toronto, Ontario, Canada)
· Corporate Knights (Canada) >
o Reports >
§ Responsible Investing Update = Responsible Investing Annual Survey
· The Ethical Funds company »Canada's First Family of Socially Responsible Mutual Funds«
· ASrIA Association for Sustainable & Responsible Investment in Asia
· RIAA Responsible Investment Association Australasia (or here)
· SIRIS Sustainable Investment Research Institute (Australia)
· CSRI Council for Socially Responsible Investment (New Zealand)
· GreenBiz.com > e.g.
o All News > News > e.g.
§ Bank of China Launches First Chinese SRI Fund (31 May 2006)
· The Good Bankers Co., Ltd. (Japan)
o Established in 1998, the Good Bankers is an independent investment-advisory company devoted to social investment research in Japan. The company is a pioneer in implementing the first SRI product "Eco-fund" into the Japanese market.
· GRI Global Reporting Initiative > e.g.
o Who are you?
§ »Access tailored GRI-resources from your stakeholder-category.«
§ >
· Investor
· UNEP FI (Finance Initiative) »innovative financing for sustainability« >
o Work Streams >
§ Climate Change
§ Insurance
§ Investment >
· Asset Management Working Group
· Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI)
o PRI is a project convened by the UN Secretary-General and implemented by UNEP FI and the UN Global Compact.
o Launched at NYSE, 27 April 2006
o »As institutional investors, we have a duty to act in the best long-term interests of our beneficiaries. In this fiduciary role, we believe that environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) issues can affect the performance of investment portfolios (to varying degrees across companies, sectors, regions, asset classes and through time). We also recognise that applying these Principles may better align investors with broader objectives of society.«
o See also related articles at SocialFunds:
§ Principles For Responsible Investment Quadruples Assets in First Year (1 June 2007)
§ United Nations Endorses SRI Strategies in Launching Principles for Responsible Investment (2 May 2006)
· Emerging Markets
· Financial Materiality
· Reporting and Financial Markets
· Publications > e.g.
o Demystifying Responsible Investment Performance (October 2007; .pdf has 82 pp.; Prepared together with Mercer) - A review of key academic and broker research on ESG factors
o The Working Capital Report (July 2007; .pdf has 56 pp.)
o Responsible Investment in Focus: How leading public pension funds are meeting the challenge (2007)
§ This report contains 15 case studies offering a snapshot of some of the most advanced approaches to responsible investment around the world. It is intended to serve as practical guidance for the institutional investment community, particularly trustees of pension funds, foundations and life insurers, and their agents, on how and why leaders integrate environmental, social and governance considerations into their investment processes.
o Unlocking Value: The scope for environmental, social and governance issues in private banking (2007)
o Show Me The Money: Linking Environmental, Social and Governance Issues to Company Value (2006)
o A legal framework for the integration of environmental, social and governance issues into institutional investment (2005)
· Events
§ Property
§ Sustainability Reporting
§ Biodiversity
§ Human Rights
§ Finance and Conflict
§ Water
· IFC International Finance Corporation »the private sector investment arm of the World Bank Group, is a global investor and advisor committed to developing a sustainable private sector in emerging markets.« > e.g.
o Sectors > Related Departments > Environment and Social Development >
§ Products and Services > Sustainability Business Innovation >
· Sustainable Investing (formerly Sustainable Financial Markets Facility)
o Sustainable Investing works with international organizations, institutional investors and investment research houses to provide research and convening around new trends in sustainable finance.
§ Environmental and Social Standards
· In February 2006, IFC completed a rigorous process of updating its standards. The new standards are stronger, better and more comprehensive than those of any other international finance institution working with the private sector. They clearly define the roles and responsibilities of IFC and its client companies.
· See also: e.g.
o CSR Asia >>
§ CSR Asia Weekly (1 March 2006):
· The New IFC Standards (.pdf; Commentary by: Richard Welford)
o SocialFunds.com >> e.g.
§ New International Finance Corporation Sustainability Standards: Watershed or Watered Down? (23 November 2005)
§ Publications >
o News > e.g.
§ Media tools >
· Sustainable Investor newsletter
o (monthly e-newsletter of news and trends in emerging market finance and development.)
o Issues >
· Business & Human Rights Resource Centre
o Simple »Search« and »More search options« can be very useful.
o Browse the online library, by: e.g.
§ Issues >
· Investment, trade, globalisation >
o Socially-responsible investing & shareholder activism (new reports, publications, news, etc.)
o Links >
§ Social investment & shareholder activism
· Eldis »sharing the best in development policy, practice and research« >
o Topics > Resource guides >
· ILO International Labour Organization >??> The BASI (Business and Social Initiatives) Database >>
o Corporate social responsibility topics >
§ Implementation and evaluation processes >
· Investment screens (the inclusion in investment portfolios, or exclusion therefrom, of publicly traded corporate securities based on the social performance of companies)
o Note: historic information – last updated in 2001 ??
· CRO Corporate Responsibility Officer >
o Tools >
· Service category > also
o Socially responsible investing (71 entries by October 2006)
· Ethical Corporation »Magazine, Conferences, Reports« >
o Resources > Services Directory >
§ Socially Responsible Investing Services (Socially Responsible Investment Advice, Ethical Finance Advice)
· Google >> e.g.
o Directory > Business > Investing >
· Or at Open Directory Project (ODP)
· Yahoo > e.g.
o Directory > Business and Economy > Finance and Investment >
§ Socially Responsible Investing
· SocialFunds.com >
o News >
· SRI-Extra [in association with Sinclair & Company], focused on sustainability+investment.
o Covering investment integrating environment, social and corporate governance [ESG] factors, including responsible investment [RI], socially responsible investment [SRI], green investment and sustainability themes.
· SRI Notes »Thoughts and Commentary on Socially Responsible Investing«
o Blog by Lloyd Kurtz - Senior Portfolio Manager, Nelson Capital Management & Program Administrator, Moskowitz Prize
· RiskMetrics Group »The Center for the Financial Community« > e.g.
o RiskMetrics Group Risk & Governance Blog > Categories > e.g.
§ ESG Issues
· KLD Blog
· SRI Monitor - News and views on the world of socially responsible investing in Canada, including original content related to social, environmental, human rights and corporate governance issues. Written and maintained by a Toronto-based financial advisor and an Ottawa-based writer/editor.
· Investing for the Soul (Founder: Ron Robins; Ontario) > e.g.
o News
o Links >
§ Ethical Investing Related News Services & Media
§ Ethical Investing Related Blogs
§ Socially Responsible/Ethical Investing Events
· CSRwire »The Corporate Social Responsibility Newswire« > e.g.
o More Information > Categories >
§ Socially Responsible Investing: News Items
§ Socially Responsible Investing: CSRlive (articles, video, audio and commentary)
· CRO Corporate Responsibility Officer >
o Topics >
§ Socially Responsible Investing
· BusinessGreen (Based in London) >
o News > Categories >
· Sea Change (SeaChange Media) is a nationally syndicated weekly radio show and podcast on corporate sustainability and accountability (by Bill Baue & Francesca Rheannon).
o Historical: Corporate Watchdog Media (or here)
· EthicsWorld (USA; Sponsored by the Vogl Foundation) >
o Corporate Social Responsibility > Socially Responsible Investing
· The Christian Science Monitor = CSMonitor.com >
o Money & Values >
· Accountability Central is the information portal for the Governance and Accountability Institute Inc. (G&A; Mineola, New York) >
o Categories >
§ Socially Responsible, Sustainable & Green Investing
o News >
§ Investor News - IPOs, M&As, capital raises, performance results and all the news relevant to investors in green companies, public and private.
o Green Investing >
§ Progressive Investor »is a monthly sustainable investing newsletter, provides on-going analysis of clean technology investment opportunities: renewable energy, green building, organics and more.«
· InstitutionalInvestor.com = Dailyii.com > e.g.
o IIEvents = Institutional Investor Events >> e.g.
§ 3rd Annual Forum on Responsible Investing (12-13 January 2009; Union League Club, New York City) - ESG on the Ground: Enhancing Profitability through Sustainable Investing
§ Socially Responsible Investing Forum (30 January 2007, New York City)
· Mercer Investment Consulting >> e.g.
o Introducing Responsible Investment (or here) > e.g.
§ Events
· SRI in the Rockies »Premier Socially responsible investing conference in the United States.«
· ASrIA Association for Sustainable & Responsible Investment in Asia >
o News & Events
· SynTao.com »is a Beijing based organization that aims to promote corporate social responsibility (CSR) in China.« >
o English > SRI > SRI News
· Ethical Investor (Australia)
o Ethical Investor services are delivered on a subscription basis.
o Except: Free weekly newsletter emailed to all registered users and subscribers.
· Ethical Corporation »Magazine, Conferences, Reports« > e.g.
o »Search« might be useful.
§ >??> Browse By Category > e.g.
· Socially Responsible Investing
o >> e.g.
§ Editorials: Responsible investing – The real purpose of investment (3 November 2008)
· WSJ The Wall Street Journal >> e.g.
o We Need Sustainable Capitalism - Nature does not do bailouts (5 November 2008; By Al Gore and David Blood)
· Business & Human Rights Resource Centre > e.g.
o Issues > Investment, trade, globalisation >
§ Socially-responsible investing & shareholder activism
· UNEP > Other thematic areas > Business & Industry >
o Focus Areas > Finance >
§ UNEP FI (Finance Initiative) »innovative financing for sustainability« > e.g.
· Work Streams > e.g.
o Investment > e.g.
§ Principles for Responsible Investment >
· PRI website >
o What's New
o PRI in the news
o RI in the news
o also e-newsletter (Public eBulletin)
· Publications > also
· Eurosif European Social Investment Forum > e.g.
o Publications >
§ Newsletter (also by e-mail)
· TBLI Group (Triple Bottom Line Investing; Amsterdam, The Netherlands) > e.g.
o TBLI Conference >
§ TBLI Asia
· RI Responsible Investor provides institutional investors with a comprehensive online magazine and information resource which recognises the growing requirement to achieve investment returns within an environmental, social and corporate governance framework. (published by Response Global Media Limited, UK)
· GP Global Pensions Magazine (Incisive Media, London) > e.g.
o Features > Socially Responsible Investing
· Ethical Markets (USA), »an independent media project working towards the integration of ethical concerns into the corporate sector is broadcasting a weekly half-hour financial TV series, exploring opportunities and success stories in the implementation of the triple bottom line.«
o »The target audience for is the 50% of all US adults invested in the stock market – either directly or through pension funds.«
· SocialFunds.com >
o News > News Center >> e.g.
§ Top Five Socially Responsible Investing News Stories of 2006
· (with links to top SRI news stories of 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001, 2000, 1999)
§ Social Investment Options on the Rise (17 January 2008) - A flurry of new socially responsible mutual funds and products makes it easier then ever to invest in a double bottom line.
· US SIF Social Investment Forum > e.g.
o Research & Tools > Research > e.g.
§ Biennial Reports: Socially Responsible Investing Trends
§ Moskowitz Prize Competition
§ Industry Related Reports
· RI Responsible Investor >
o Resource >
§ Research and Papers > e.g.
· Responsible Investment Reading List
o Resources > KLD Papers >
§ Socially Responsible Investing: An Evolving Concept in a Changing World (.pdf, 1 September 2005, 71 pp.; By Peter D. Kinder)
· See also related articles from SocialFunds.com:
o A Semantic Hermeneutics of SRI (9 September 2005; By William Baue)
· WEF World Economic Forum >
o Initiatives > Global Corporate Citizenship Initiative > Reports > e.g.
§ Mainstreaming Responsible Investment (.pdf, January 2005, 62 pp.)
· This report, produced with AccountAbility, finds that the mainstream financial community places little emphasis on social, environmental and ethical issues in its investment decisions. Yet a company that profits while doing harm to the community is likely to suffer in the long run.
· Strandberg Consulting (Canada) >> e.g.
o The Future of Socially Responsible Investment: Thought Leader Study (.pdf, August 2005, 44 pp.; Commissioned by: Vancity Credit Union (Canadian SRI pioneer))
§ Study »shows a gradual shift from SRI as an instrument of moral philosophy to SRI as an instrument for mainstream investors who are not interested in morality itself but recognize that immoral behaviour of companies will hurt their investments.«
· Boston College Center for Corporate Citizenship (USA) >
o Initiatives >>
§ Institute for Responsible Investment >
· Publications > e.g.
o Handbook on Climate-Related Investing across Asset Classes (2009; .pdf has 60 pp.)
§ Asset classes: Cash and cash equivalents, Fixed-income, Public equities, Private equity, Real estate, Infrastructure, Commodities, Hedge funds
§ See also
· related article at SocialFunds: Opportunities to Address Climate Change Available in all Asset Classes (27 April 2009)
o Handbook on Responsible Investment Across Asset Classes (November 2007; .pdf has 104 pp.)
§ Written for asset owners, money managers, consultants, and others seeking to institutionalize responsible investment principles across portfolios, the Handbook will help investors: incorporate responsible investment methods into their investment mandate; identify and evaluate opportunities for responsible investment, and; coordinate the vocabulary and metrics used to measure social and environmental outcomes.
· Mercer Investment Consulting >> e.g.
o Introducing Responsible Investment
· SustainAbility >
o Research & Advocacy > By Theme > Civil Society, Socially Responsible Investment and the Media > e.g.
§ Values for Money: Reviewing the Quality of SRI Research (February 2004, 36 pp.; SustainAbility & Mistra Foundation for Strategic Environmental Research)
· FTSE The Index Company »is an independent company owned by The Financial Times and the London Stock Exchange.« >
o Indices >
§ Responsible Investment Indices >
· FTSE4Good Environmental Leaders Europe 40 Index
· FTSE4Good IBEX Index
· FTSE Environmental Technology Index Series >
o FTSE ET50 Index
o FTSE Environmental Opportunities All-Share Index
· DJSI Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes
o »Launched in 1999, the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes are the first global indexes tracking the financial performance of the leading sustainability-driven companies worldwide. Based on the cooperation of Dow Jones Indexes, STOXX Limited and SAM they provide asset managers with reliable and objective benchmarks to manage sustainability portfolios.«
· SAM Group (Headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland) > e.g.
o Indexes >
§ Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes
§ Dow Jones Islamic Market Sustainability Index
§ Australian SAM Sustainability Index
o Publications > e.g.
§ SAM Sustainability Yearbook (in collaboration with PwC PricewaterhouseCoopers)
· »The Sustainability Yearbook is the world's most comprehensive reference work for assessing exchange-listed companies according to their economic, ecological and societal success factors.«
· JSE Stock Exchange (Johannesburg, South Africa) >
o SRI (JSE SRI index was launched in May 2004)
· Bovespa »A Bolsa do Brasil« (Brazil's Stock Exchange; Also English version of website) > e.g.
o Environmental and Social Investment Exchange (BVS&A)
o Environmental and Social Responsibility >
§ Bovespa Indices - Corporate Sustainability Index - ISE
· See also related news: Bovespa launches benchmark index for socially responsible investments in Brazil (12 January 2005)
· Investing for the Soul (Founder: Ron Robins; Ontario) > e.g.
o Links >
§ Ethical Investing Stock and Bond Indices
o Editorials > e.g.
§ Top Ethical Investing Indices: A Global Overview (5 September 2008)
· University of California (USA, Berkeley) > HAAS School of Business >
o Center for Responsible Business > Research >
· The program places the Haas School at the forefront of SRI research and exposes a new generation of students to this critical research area. The Moskowitz Research Program has three main research activities:
o Moskowitz Prize for Socially Responsible Investing
§ The only global award recognizing outstanding quantitative research in the field of socially responsible investing.
§ Online database of abstracts of key studies in the SRI field (= literature examining the impact on financial performance of integrating environmental, social, and governance factors into the investment process)
§ Discussion forum for leading thinkers in the SRI field.
· See also:
o US SIF Social Investment Forum > Research & Tools >
§ Research > also
· Moskowitz Prize Competition (Winning Papers)
· CSRwire >> e.g.
o Innovest Named Best ESG Research Firm (17 November 2008; The ESG Leader Awards are presented as a joint initiative between Investment & Pension Europe magazine and the Triple Bottom Line Group)
o Innovest Selected as the Best ESG Consultancy/Research House by TBLI and Investment & Pensions Europe (20 November 2007)
o Innovest Recognized by UNEP-FI for Carbon Work (5 November 2007) – »... UN Environment Program's Finance Initiative has selected Innovest as the recipient of the "Innovation and Contribution to Carbon Finance" Award.«
· INCR Investor Network on Climate Risk >>
o The Joan Bavaria Awards for Building Sustainability into the Capital Markets were created by Ceres and Trillium Asset Management Corporation to recognize investors, corporations, and NGOs that have helped move the capital markets from a system focused on short-term profits toward one that balances financial prosperity with social and environmental health.
o The first-annual awards will be presented at the Ceres 2008 Conference: Building Leadership, Creating Solutions to be held April 29-30, 2008 in Boston.
§ related press release (3 December 2007)
· Forum pour l'Investissement Responsable (French SIF; Also English version) >>
o French SIF “Finance and Sustainability” European Research Award
· Eurosif >
o SRI > SRI Awards
· RI Responsible Investor > e.g.
o Archive >>
§ New ranking of SRI, renewable energy and social funds launched (8 January 2008) - RI’s regular ranking of Europe’s largest and best selling SRI, renewable and social funds.
· IPE.com »is Europe's premier pensions web site« >
o Events >>
§ IPE/TBLI ESG Leaders Awards
· »Every year Brooklyn Bridge, the organizer of the annual TBLI conferences, chooses an organization whose efforts further the cause of sustainable investment.«
· See also:
o TBLI > TBLI Conference > ESG Leaders Awards
· Thomson Reuters >
o >>>
§ Extel Surveys = Thomson Reuters Extel Surveys
· See also related article at RI Responsible Investor: Thomson Reuters Extel names Europe’s best SRI research and fund management houses (6 November 2008)
· Copy from Eurosif July 2008 newsletter:
o UKSIF partner for Thomson Reuters Extel Survey, results announced
§ The results of the SRI and Sustainability categories of the Thomson Reuters Extel Survey were announced at an Awards lunch on 11 June. UKSIF is Extel’s partner for the SRI Survey. The leading brokerage firm for SRI/Sustainability Research was Société Générale with Citi Investment Research in second place. The Citi team was ranked first in the SRI and Long-Term Thematic Research categories with Mike Tyrell of Citi being ranked the leading individual for both. The Société Générale team was ranked first in the Corporate Governance and Renewable Energy categories with Jean-Philippe Desmartin of Oddo (Corporate Governance) and Patrick Hummels of UBS (Renewable Energy) ranked the leading individuals.
· Thomson >
o Press Room >
§ Thomson Extel Pan-European Survey 2007 (14 June 2007)
§ Thomson Extel And The UK Social Investment Forum Announce Results Of The Social Responsible Investment Survey (13 July 2006)
§ Thomson Extel And The UK Social Investment Forum Announce The Social Responsible Investment Survey (12 July 2005)
· ASrIA Association for Sustainable & Responsible Investment in Asia >> e.g.
o Research on Utilities Vs Carbon wins The Farsight Award (22 January 2008; Relating to event at Gresham College)
· Gresham College (UK) >
o Press >
§ Citigroup’s long-term investment research report wins 2006/7 Farsight Award (27 September 2006)
· EIA Ethical Investment Association is an association of financial advisers from around the UK, dedicated to the promotion of ethical and socially responsible investment (SRI). >>
o EIA Transparency Awards
§ … The first EIA Transparency Awards which were presented at the September (2008) EIA Training Day hosted by Henderson. These product providers were recognised for their adherence to the European SRI Transparency Guidelines, which were originally launched by Eurosif in 2004…
· Ethical Investor (Australia) >>
o Australian Sustainability Awards >>
§ Awards Categories for 2007 >
· Financial Services Industry Awards (new) >
o Special Award for Sustainability Research
§ See also related news at Financial Standard: VicSuper wins Sustainability Super Fund award (3 December 2007)
· ...Meanwhile, the second award was to recognise new research on the link between sustainability and investing. The 'Special Award for Sustainability' research went to Nicholas Taylor and Scott Donald from the Russell Investment Group for their report Sustainable Investing: Marrying Sustainability Concerns with the Quest for Financial Return for Superannuation Trustees.
· ECCE European Centre for Corporate Engagement > also
o expertblog > e.g.
§ Recent studies on ESG issues (5 July 2007) > e.g.
· How Well Do Social Ratings Actually Measure Corporate Social Responsibility? (By Chatterji, Levine and Toffel, 2007; At SSRN)
§ Top 10 ESG Studies of 2006 (25 February 2007) > e.g.
· Socially Responsible Indexes (By Meir Statman, 2005; At SSRN)
· UNEP FI (Finance Initiative) »innovative financing for sustainability« >
o Work Streams >
§ Investment >
· Publications > e.g.
o Demystifying Responsible Investment Performance (October 2007; .pdf has 82 pp.; Prepared together with Mercer) - A review of key academic and broker research on ESG factors
o Events >
§ Launch of UNEP FI "Reporting and Disclosure Package" (Davos, 28 January 2009) >
· If You Ask Us...Understanding Corporate Sustainability Disclosure Requests (.pdf, November 2008, 42 pp.)
o Prepared by UNEP FI’s North American Task Force
o In short, this report seeks to frame the business case for companies – financial institutions or otherwise – who are asked to respond to sustainability-related surveys.
o Finally, this report should assist the surveyors themselves to better understand the challenges that respondents have to the current methodologies.
· Investing for the Soul (Founder: Ron Robins; Ontario) > e.g.
o Editorials > e.g.
§ Can SRI Ratings Predict Stock & Portfolio Performance? (13 March 2009)
§ Can SRI Ratings Predict Corporate Behaviour? (13 March 2009)
§ Top Ethical Investing Indices: A Global Overview (5 September 2008)
· Virtuellen Kompetenzplattform Sustainability & Finance (SusFin) von Prof. Dr. Henry Schäfer und dessen Team an der Universität Stuttgart (Website in German)
o Professor Dr. Henry Schaefer and his team from University Stuttgart, Germany, have published a survey of internationally established rating systems that measure Corporate Social Responsibility.
§ See also:
· Kompetenzplattform ARGUS (Architecture of Ratings in Company Related Global CSR/CS for Users and Stakeholders)
o ARGUS ist ein Forschungsprojekt, das die Lehrstühle Finanzwirtschaft und Wirtschaftsinformatik I der Universität Stuttgart in Zusammenarbeit mit der Deutschen Bundesstiftung Umwelt als Projektsponsor durchführen.
o The study is presenting portraits, analytics and tendencies in CSR ratings on an international scale, covering 58 institutions operating an independent CSR rating.
o The survey was supported by German Bertelsmann Stiftung > e.g.
§ Wirtschaft >
· Gesellschaftliche Verantwortung von Unternehmen > e.g.
o Projekt: Gesellschaftliche Verantwortung von Unternehmen >
§ Service > Downloads > CSR gestalten >
· Who is who in Corporate Social Responsibility Rating? - A survey of internationally established rating systems that measure Corporate Responsibility (.pdf, July 2006, 181 pp.; In English)
o See also Messbarkeit von CSR
§ (Also English version of website):
· Economy >
o Corporate social responsibility (CSR) >
§ Project: Corporate social responsibility >>
· Can corporate social responsibility be measured? - Study of transparency in rating assessment tools
· ORSE Observatoire sur la Responsabilité Sociétale des Entreprises (France; also English version) > e.g.
o Corporate Social Rating = »Guide to social and environmental analysis organisations« (In English; Last updated in 2005 ??)
§ By: ADEME (The French Energy and Environment Agency) and ORSE
§ The guide gives an overview of the international »market« for rating and analysis of corporate social and environmental performance. Profiles of all international organisations that filled in a questionnaire regarding their activities in this field, are available online.
· Enhanced Analytics Initiative (EAI) »Promoting better research for better investment decisions«
o See also:
§ SocialFunds >>
· New Global Database Will Extend ESG Investment Research (8 December 2008) - The UN's Principles for Responsible Investment plans to create a tool to help asset managers and investors incorporate ESG issues into long-term investments.
§ Responsible Investor >> e.g.
· PRI launches ESG broker research database (4 December 2008) - Project kicks off merger with the Enhanced Analytics Initiative.
o Investor signatories to the United Nations Principles for Responsible Investment (UNPRI) will soon be able to access what should quickly become the largest independent database of environmental, social and governance (ESG) reports produced by sell-side brokerage research houses, as the first step of the recently announced merger between the UNPRI and the Enhanced Analytics Initiative (EAI).
o …Investors will be able to search the new database by ESG theme, sector and region…
· The Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations in the World
o »is a project initiated by Corporate Knights Inc., with Innovest Strategic Value Advisors Inc. a leading research firm specializing in analyzing “non traditional” drivers of risk and shareholder value including companies’ performance on social, environmental and strategic governance issues.«
o See also SocialFunds >>
§ Global 100 List Raises the Profile of Sustainability at the World Economic Forum (and Beyond) (25 January 2007)
· RiskMetrics Group »The Center for the Financial Community«
o RiskMetrics gets its ESG staff expertise from the formerly separate companies of ISS and IRRC which have become RiskMetrics.
o RiskMetrics Group acquired Innovest Strategic Value Advisors in February 2009
o > e.g.
§ Financial Research >
§ Knowledge Center > e.g.
· Research >
· >>
o Sustainable Investment - Explore the investment implications of extra-financial factors like climate change, political contributions, labor and human rights.
· IW Financial »is a leading provider of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) research, consulting, and portfolio management solutions for asset management firms, managed accounts sponsors, institutional investors, plan sponsors, and investment advisors.«
· CDP Carbon Disclosure Project >
o Results >
§ Carbon Disclosure Leadership Index (CDLI)
· The Carbon Disclosure Leadership Index (CDLI) includes the companies with the highest scores in the two categories of the carbon-intensive sectors and the non-carbon-intensive sectors, and provides a valuable perspective on the range and quality of responses to CDP’s questionnaire.
o Note: Survey responses to the CDP are not necessarily an indication of a company's carbon disclosure through traditional corporate publication channels (e.g. annual reports, environmental reports and SEC and other regulatory filings), nor are they necessarily accurate accounts of companies' actual carbon performance.
o In the 2007 FT500 Report, there is also a Climate Leaders Matrix, which ranks the CDLI companies against environmental performance. This helps analysts and investors assess how a company is performing as compared to its quality of disclosure on climate issues.
o Resources >
§ CDLI Methodology
· AccountAbility & csrnetwork >
o The Accountability Rating (since 2004)
§ The Rating draws on information companies put into their public reporting, as well as data on their actual social and environmental performance. It rates companies on four ‘domains’: strategy, governance, engagement and impact.
§ >> e.g.
· The global Accountability Rating (G50+)
o Every year, we apply the Rating to the world’s largest companies, and the headline results are published in Fortune magazine.
· Country ratings > e.g.
o for 2008: Bulgaria, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Portugal, Russia, South Korea, Turkey
o for 2007: Russia, Hungary, Turkey, Greece, South Africa
o for 2006: Russia, Hungary, South Africa
· The top 10
· Performance by sector
· Performance by region
· Performance by domain
§ See also
· related article at SocialFunds:
o Corporate Accountability Improves, Progressing on Stakeholder Engagement But Not Assurance (29 November 2006)
§ »The report acknowledges limitations of the methodology, which is based primarily on corporate reporting, so actual performance (both positive and negative) can slip through the cracks if not included in sustainability or annual reports.«
· GMI GovernanceMetrics International »Pioneering Accountability Ratings«
o GMI is a US-based rating agency launched in 2000 that draws up profiles of 2,100 companies worldwide from publicly available data. Its research covers nearly 500 indicators of performance. It sends these detailed profiles to each company for review and comment before distributing the ratings to its institutional investor subscribers.
· Ethisphere Magazine >>
o 'World's Most Ethical Companies' Ranking
§ See also related press release at CSRwire: 'World's Most Ethical Companies' Ranking Issued by Ethisphere Magazine (8 May 2007) - Elite List Recognizes Ethical Leadership Practices Worldwide
o Green Investing >
§ Progressive Investor »is a monthly sustainable investing newsletter, provides on-going analysis of clean technology investment opportunities: renewable energy, green building, organics and more.« > e.g.
· Back Issues >
o Issue 46 (July / August 2007) = 2007 SB20: The World's Top 20 Sustainable Stocks
§ See also related article at SocialFunds: Twenty Diverse Companies Make the Sustainability Cut (26 July 2007)
§ See also related press release at CSRwire (18 July 2007)
o Issue 37 (June / July 2006) = 2006 SB20: Sustainable Businesses Changing the World (This is the fifth year for the SB20.)
§ See also related Press release at CSRwire.com (12 July 2006):
· SustainableBusiness.com Announces The 2006 SB20: 20 Companies Changing the World (For The Better!)
· SB 20 - The World's Top Sustainable Business Stocks
· CorpGov.net (since 1995; Editor of Site: James McRitchie; Emphasis on USA) >
o Links (also non-USA) >
§ Ratings (Corporate Governance)
· Audit Integrity (Los Angeles, New York) »is the leading provider of accounting and governance risk (AGR®) analysis on public companies. Through the forensic study of the factors behind fraud, Audit Integrity is able to determine the overall level of risk and the specific risk metrics in over 8,000 publicly traded companies.«
· WSJ The Wall Street Journal >> e.g.
o For Money Managers, A Smarter Approach To Social Responsibility (5 November 2007; By Carolyn Cui)
o Finding the Best Measure Of 'Corporate Citizenship' (2 July 2007; By Phred Dvorak) - Governance Trackers Use Various Rating Criteria, Leaving Users Confused
· Sustainability Reporting Central (GRI Blog) >> e.g.
o Are we talking sustainability reporting or sustainability performance? (27 June 2007)
· HBS Harvard Business School >>
o Working Knowledge > Browse by Topic > Social Enterprise & Nonprofit >
§ Corporate Social Responsibility > e.g.
· Do Corporate Social Responsibility Ratings Predict Corporate Social Performance? (February 2007)
· BusinessWeek >> e.g.
o Investors Still Don't Get Accountability (26 February 2008; By Alyson Warhurst, founding director, Maplecroft) - A recent survey shows many don't understand that a company's high score on social responsibility indices also signals good risk management
· KLD Research & Analytics, Inc. >
o Indexes >
§ Domestic >
· Domini 400 Social Index (DS400)
o See also related articles at SocialFunds.com:
§ Barclays Files for Permission to Launch iShares ETF Tracking the Domini Social Index (7 September 2006)
§ Green Century Equity Fund Seeks Shareowner Okay to Continue Tracking Domini Social Index (30 August 2006)
§ Domini Shareowners Approve Shift from Index Tracking to Active Management (24 August 2006)
§ Domini Fund to Shift from Indexing to Active Management (26 May 2006)
§ Changing of the Guard: Vanguard Pulls a Switcheroo on SRI Index Providers (6 October 2005)
§ Long-term Performance of 15 Year-Old Domini 400 Social Index Helps Validate SRI (5 May 2005)
· KLD Catholic Values 400 Index (CV400)
· KLD Broad Market Social Index (BMSI)
· KLD Large Cap Social Index (LCSI)
· KLD Mid Cap Social Index (MCSI)
· KLD Small Cap Social Index (SCSI)
· KLD Large-Mid Cap Social Index (LMSI)
· KLD Small-Mid Cap Social Index (SMSI)
· KLD Select Social Index (SSI)
o See also related article at SocialFunds.com: New SRI Index Optimizes Social and Environmental Performance and Controls Risk (2 June 2004)
· KLD Dividend Achievers Social Index (DASI)
o See also related article at SocialFunds.com: KLD Fills Gap in Socially Responsible Investing by Launching Equity Income Index (7 November 2006)
§ Global >
· KLD Global Climate 100 Index (GC100)
o See also related article at SocialFunds.com: New KLD Index Benchmarks 100 Global Companies Proactively Addressing Climate Change (6 July 2005)
· KLD Global Sustainability Index (GSI)
o See also related article at SocialFunds: KLD's New Index Finds Sustainable Companies the World Over (2 October 2007)
· KLD Global Sustainability Index Ex-US (GSIXUS)
· KLD Asia Pacific Sustainability Index (APSI)
· KLD Europe Asia Pacific Sustainability Index (EAPSI)
· KLD Europe Sustainability Index (ESI)
· KLD North America Sustainability Index (NASI)
· KLD/Jantzi Global Environment 60 Index (GE60)
· Calvert > Shareholders > Socially Responsible Investing > e.g.
o Calvert Ratings »provide corporate responsibility ratings for the largest 100 US companies in five issue areas.«
· S&P Standard & Poor's is a leading provider of financial market intelligence. The world’s foremost source of credit ratings, indices, investment research, risk evaluation and data, Standard & Poor’s provides financial decision-makers with the intelligence they need to feel confident about their decisions. > e.g.
o Products & Services > Indices >
§ Equity Indices > S&P Global Indices > e.g.
· Energy Indices >
o S&P Asia Alternative Energy
o S&P Global Alternative Energy
o S&P Global Clean Energy
o S&P Global Nuclear Energy
· Green Investing Indices >
o S&P Global Eco Index
o S&P Japan Eco
o S&P Global Timber & Forestry
o S&P Global Water Index
o S&P U.S. Carbon Efficient Index
§ See also related articles at:
· SocialFunds: S&P Adds Carbon Index to Its Family of Environmental Indices (16.3.2009) - Index will rely on research provided by Trucost to determine large cap US constituents of the S&P 500 with the lowest carbon footprints.
· Environmental Leader: S&P Launches U.S. Carbon Efficient Index (11 March 2009)
§ Alternative Indices > Other Indices >
o See also related press release at CSRwire: Standard & Poor